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o^i^yt^wv. c^ CAlcnA^ovuJtco
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
TWENTY-SIXTH CONSECUTIVE
AND THIRD BIENNIAL
CONVENTION
OF THE
Hniteb Mint Wotkttfi
of 9mettca
^-«
In Two Volumes
VOLUME ONE
13
13
HELD IN THE CITY OF INDIANAPOUS, INDIANA
January IS to 26, 1918, Inclusive
LIBRARY c- ::^':i:cr.io PizsEARiB
117 LfRQAHY
STENOGRAPHIC REPORT
By
MARY BURKE EAST
PROCEEDINGS
of the
TWENTY-SIXTH CONSECUTIVE AND
THIRD BIENNIAL CONVENTION
of the
United Mine Workers
of America
held in the
City of Indianapolis, Indiana
January 15 to 26, 1918
INCLUSIVE
n'vifif^'rtiK-:']::-us
13
VOLUME I
1918
BOOKW ALTER BALL PRINTING CO.
INDIANAPOLIS
•j
^- ,, / <.C,CJ^
\
%.
PROCEEDINGS | .<j , ^
TWENTY-SIXTH CONSECUTIVE AND ^""'^
THIRD BIENNIAL CONVENTION
of the
United Mine Workers
of AMERICA
held in the
City of Indianapolis, Indiana
JANUARY 15, 1918
FIRST DAY-MORNINB SESSION
Indianapolis, Indiana, January 15, 1918.
The Twenty-sixth Consecutive Constitutional and Third Biennial
Convention of the United Mine Workers of America was called to order
in Tomlinson Hall at 10 o'clock a. m., Tuesday, January 15, by Inter-
national President Frank J. Hayes.
Prior to the opening of the formal session, the Indianapolis News'
Newsboys band played a number of selections for delegates, among them
patriotic airs, during the playing of which the entire audience arose and
remained standing, and at the close applauded the young players gener-
ously. Attention was called to the work of the leader of the band, Mr.
James B. Vanderwater, and also to the fact that a large number of new
faces were present among the players, a number of the older boys having
entered the service of their country.
President Hayes announced that the informal program during the
openinif session would be presided over by Mr. John Smith, President
M897465
of the Indianapolis Central Labor Union. President Smith introduced ;;
to the convention the following speakers: ijj
INVOCATION. i
Rev. Maurice O'Connor: We pray Thee, O God of might and wis- i
dom and justice, through whom authority is rightly administered, laws ^
enacted and judgment decreed, to assist, by Thy holy spirit of comfort,
the president, the officers and delegates to this convention that they may
discharge the duties of their respective stations with justice and ability.
Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of this con-
vention and shine ftfrth in all the laws framed for the rule and govern-
ment of the men whom this convention represents.
We pray especially for the President of the United States, for the
Governor of this State and for all public officials. We pray especially
for our country in her hour of sore distress. Teach us to realize our
duties towards them as well as to realize our obligations toward our
neighbor. Let us know how to serve our country best, give us the grace
and the strength, if need be, to sacrifice all that we are and all that we
possess for our country and for our country's good.
•
ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR JAMES P. GOODRICH.
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Convention — I assure you that
it is with genuine pleasure I welcome to the State of Indiana you men
as representatives of six hundred thousand mine workers of America.
At a time like this the thoughts of every true meeting of American citi-
zens naturally turns towards the great contest in which we find our-
selves engaged. Yonder service flag testifies better than any words of
mine the devotion of your organization to the cause for which the coun-
try fights today and is the surest testimony of your patriotism and love
of country. You love the country because ft is your country, because it
stands for the largest opportunity and the largest degree of freedom of
any country upon the face of the earth; you love the country because ^
in American society, instead of being stratified horizontally, as it is in all
countries where a man born in a certain class remains there and his
children and his children's children after him remain there for genera-
1
i
J
tions. But in this country of ours society is stratified vertically, and the
man who may be working in mine or mill or factory today may be the
owner of it tomorrow. We have no class here except a class founded
upon industry, intelligence and patriotism, and we want np other class
in this country.
I do not need, my friends, to urge you, in this hour of the nation's
peril, to be loyal to the country, because I know you are loyal; I do not
need to urge you to stand by the country in the great crisis that con-
fronts us, because I know you will do that, and in doing that you will
stand by the 20,000 of your brave brothers who are now fighting the
nation's battles upon foreign soil. And, my friends, while the presence
of so many of your members there is a splendid tribute to your patriot-
ism, I am not so certain it is a testimonial of the judgment of the gov-
ernment in withdrawing from the basic industries of the country so
many men who are needed. We have learned that modem warfare is
not conducted by armies alone, but by the concentration of all the power
of the country behind the men at the front, and it is as necessary that
the coal mines run and the munitions be manufactured as it is to drill
men to do the fighting on the battle front.
Because you men and the organization you represent have shown
8uch high patriotism I am glad to welcome you here in behalf of the
State of Indiana and bid you Godspeed in all you do. I express to you
the hope, aye, the conviction, that you will leave this convention a little
better Americans because you have here assembled and with a higher
resolve that, so far as you and your organization are concerned, that
you measure up to every call the country makes upon you. I thank
you.
Chairman Smith: Mayor Charles W. Jewett sends his regrets.
Owing to the congested condition of traffic in the city and the fuel short-
age he has a very important meeting to attend. We will hear from his
representative, the Corporation Counsel.
ADDRESS OF MR. SAMUEL ASHBY, CORPORATION COUNSEL.
Mr. Ciiairman and Members of the United Mine Workers of Amer-
ica: I appear here for and at the request of Mayor Jewett, who is very
much disappointed because he could not be here to welcome you. He is
so engaged on account of the fuel shortage in Indianapolis and the many
people who are in absolute distress for the article with which you are
so familiar, that he was unable to get here. He requested me to come
and say to you in the name of the city that you are always welcome to
Indianapolis. He realizes, and I say for him, that you men who go down
in the bottom of the mine are just as important a factor in this great
world crisis as the men who go over the sea and over the top, for the
men could not go over the top unless you men went to the bottom and
produced the coal with which to support the factories, warm the homes
and produce the necessary munitions and food to supply the armies in
the field and feed them. As a matter of fact, you men know, and the
whole world is going to know, that the coal industry is in fact the basic
industry and lies at the foundation of every trade. Therefore, in Uie
name of Mayor Jewett, we welcome you to the city of Indianapolis.
ADDRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE OF FRATERNAL ORDER
OF EAGLES.
Mr. Andrew Smith: Mr. Chairman and Delegates — I come before
you today representing Indianapolis Aerie No. 211, Fraternal Order of
Eagles. We have a live wire organization in this city of some 2,000
members. We have a beautiful home, and extend to all of you, and
(3specially to our brothers of the fraternity, a most cordial welcome. We
will be glad to see you and welcome you in our home and we trust your
stay among us will be pleasant. We want to do our part in making it
80. Our club rooms are open every day and evening for your education
and comfort. Our latchstring is always out. Come and take advantage
of our hospitality.
ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT OF INDIANA STATE FEDERATION
OF LABOR.
Mr. Charles P. Fox: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Mine Workers —
We are always glad in Indiana to have the mine workers of the entire
country assembled within our state. We are proud of the labor move-
ment of Indiana and we are exceptionally proud of this great conven-
tion. The working people of Indiana realize the vast importance of
your organization at this special time and during this crisis through
iwhich this country is passing:. We recognize the necessity of the labor
of those you represent, and we also recognize the splendid manner in
^which you have come to the front in order to meet the emergency that
has arisen. No one in the labor movement of Indiana doubts for a
moment the loyalty of your organization and its members; in fact,
those in authority in this State, both in the government of the state and
in the labor movement, look upon our organization and its acts with
commendation and approval. That vast service flag over your heads
speaks volumes, and I am proud to be a member of an organization
that has a right to hoist such a flag.
I might say for the labor movement of Indiana that it is in an
exceptionally healthy condition and that we have made wonderful strides
in the last two or three years in the betterment of those who toil. We
are endeavoring to so conduct ourselves that when the flnish of this
aiwful catastrophe comes — and we hope it will be soon — we expect to be
in a position, because of our acts at this time, to demand and procure
at least a part in the councils that will determine the future conduct of
this government. This is labor's opportunity. We hear that on every
hand. We realize that and we expect to grrasp that opportunity; but
'we do not expect, and neither do we believe, that opportunity means
^oing out tomorrow morning and taking advantage of the public and
our government. We believe that opportunity lies in doing our part
in meeting the emergency in an intelligent and patriotic way as we are
confronted by it. That is what we mean when we speak of the oppor-
tunities that are awaiting us.
We know that a readjustment must come about in this country, and
\(Fe expect to be in a position when it comes to have something to say
as to the future conduct of the government. That is the aim and inten-
tion of the Indiana labor movement, and I hope it is the aim and inten-
tion of the entire labor movement of our great country. We realize
that we must make sacrifices from day to day. We are going to make
those sacrifices as necessity arises, but we are not going to make them
in order that the employers of this country may increase their proflt.
The sacrifices we make will be for the purpose of offering to our gov-
ernment the loyal support it must have in order to bring about a suc-
cessful termination of this war.
6
much disappointed because he could not be here to welcome you. He is
so engaged on account of the fuel shortage in Indianapolis and the many
people who are in absolute distress for the article with which you are
so familiar, that he was unable to get here. He requested me to come
and say to you in the name of the city that you are always welcome to
Indianapolis. He realizes, and I say for him, that you men who go down
in the bottom of the mine are just as important a factor in this great
world crisis as the men who go over the sea and over the top, for the
men could not go over the top unless you men went to the bottom and
produced the coal with which to support the factories, warm the homes
and produce the necessary munitions and food to supply the armies in
the field and feed them. As a matter of fact, you men know, and the
whole world is going to know, that the coal industry is in fact the basic
industry and lies at the foundation of every trade. Therefore, in the
name of Mayor Jewett, we welcome you to the city of Indianapolis.
ADDRESS OF REPRESENTATIVE OF FRATERNAL ORDER
OF EAGLES.
Mr. Andrew Smith: Mr. Chairman and Delegates — I come before
you today representing Indianapolis Aerie No. 211, Fraternal Order of
Eagles. We have a live wire organization in this city of some 2,000
members. We have a beautiful home, and extend to all of you, and
especially to our brothers of the fraternity, a most cordial welcome. We
will be glad to see you and welcome you in our home and we trust your
stay among us will be pleasant. We want to do our part in making it
so. Our club rooms are open every day and evening for your education
and comfort. Our latchstring is always out. Come and take advantage
of our hospitality.
ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT OF INDIANA STATE FEDERATION
OF LABOR.
Mr. Charles P. Fox: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Mine Workers — i
We are always glad in Indiana to have the mine workers of the entire
country assembled within our state. We are proud of the labor move-
ment of Indiana and we are exceptionally proud of this great conven-
tion. The working people of Indiana realize the vast importance of
your organization at this special time and during this crisis through
i
-i
I
3
which this country is passing. We recognize the necessity of the labor
of those you represent, and we also recogrnize the splendid manner in
which you have come to the front in order to meet the emergency that
has arisen. No one in the labor movement of Indiana doubts for a
moment the loyalty of your organization and its members; in fact,
those in authority in this State, both in the government of the state and
in the labor movement, look upon our organization and its acts with
commendation and approval. That vast service flag over your heads
speaks volumes, and I am proud to be a member of an organization
that has a right to hoist such a flag.
I might say for the labor movement of Indiana that it is in an
exceptionally healthy condition and that we have made wonderful strides
in the last two or three years in the betterment of those who toil. We
are endeavoring to so conduct ourselves that when the finish of this
awful catastrophe comes — and we hope it will be soon — we exp^ to be
in a position, because of our acts at this time, to demand and procure
at least a part in the councils that will determine the future conduct of
this government. This is labor's opportunity. We hear that on every
hand. We realize that and we expect to grasp that opportunity; but
ive do not expect, and neither do we believe, that opportunity means
fiToing out tomorrow morning and taking advantage of the public and
our government. We believe that opportunity lies in doing our part
in meeting the emergency in an intelligent and patriotic way as we are
confronted by it. That is what we mean when we speak of the oppor-
tunities that are awaiting us.
We know that a readjustment must come about in this country, and
mre expect to be in a position when it comes to have something to say
as to the future conduct of the government. That is the aim and inten-
tion of the Indiana labor movement, and I hope it is the aim and inten-
tion of tlie entire labor movement of our great country. We realize
that we must make sacritices from day to day. We are going to make
those sacrifices as necessity arises, but we are not going to make them
in order that the employers of this country may increase their profit.
The sacrifices we make will be for the purpose of offering to our gov-
ernment the loyal support it must have in order to bring about a suc-
cessful termination of this war.
8
Let me, in conclusion, in behalf of the general labor movement of
Indiana, ^id you welcome to our state. We wish you Godspeed and
hope for you in your deliberations only harmony and success for your
g:reat organization. When selecting your place to meet in convention
two years hence, remember that the latchstring of Indiana is always
out for you.
Chairman Smith: I do not think I can add anything to the wel-
come that has been given you. You have heard from the governor of
Indiana, from the representative of the mayor, from the president of
the State Federation of Labor and from the representative of one of the
largest fraternal organizations in the country. I now welcome you in
the name of organized labor of Marion County, Indiana, represented by
the Central Labor Union of Indianapolis. The Labor Temple and the
Central Labor Union are yours to command. I now take great pleas-
ure in turning the gavel over to your President, Mr. Frank J. Hayes.
RESPONSE TO ADDRESSES OF WELCOME.
International President Hayes: I am sure that I express the senti-
ment of every delegate to this convention when I say that we deeply
appreciate the words of welcome extended to us this morning by the
distinguished visitors who have addressed us. I want to say to them in
behalf of this convention that we sense deeply the part we must play
in this great w^orld war in which our country is now engaged. The
United Mine Workers of America have been loyal to their country in
the present emergency and they purpose to continue to be loyal to their
country until kaiserism and militarism is wiped from the face of the
earth.
When I look at yonder service flag, and I know when you look at
it up there, with its 19;135 stars, you feel a thrill of pride. It visualizes
more than words of mine can portray the great part we are playing in
this war, the part we are playing for the preservation of the ideals of
a democratic people. Every star represents a human life; some father's
pride, some mother's joy, our nation's hope and the contribution of the
United Mine Workers of America to the great cause of democracy. We
realize, as members of the largest trade union in America, what this
war means to the men of labor. We know that the spirit of liberalism
can never exist where military autocracy reigns supreme, and I am happy
9
to say today to our distinguished visitors that there are no strikes with-
in the coal fields of this country and that during the last year we have
increased coal production more than 10 per cent, over the preceding year.
And we say to those who do not know the part we are playing in this
"wsLTf that if you give us cars and give us motive power we will produce
all the coal this country and our allies need at this time.
I want to say again in conclusion that we deeply appreciate the
splendid words of welcome extended to us this morning, the warmth
and cordiality of your greetings, and we thank you from the bottom
of our hearts.
The chair desires to appoint a Committee on Rules and Order of
Business. We cannot proceed with the business of the convention until
that is done and the committee makes a report.
President Hayes announced the following appointment:
Committee on Rules and Order of Business — Lee Hall, District No.
6; Walter Nesbit, EHstrict No. 12; John Mack, District No. 1; George
Hepple, District No. 25; Richard Gilbert, District No. 2.
President Hayes: I want at this time to make a statement. Some
few weeks ago I took the liberty of inviting the President of the United
States to address this convention. I am in receipt of the following let-
ter from President Wilson, which I think very apropos to read:
THE WHITE HOUSE,
Washington, D. C, January 8, 1918.
My Dear Mr. Hayes: If it were possible for me with a clear con-
science to leave Washington next week, you may be sure I would accept
with real pleasure the invitation so kindly conveyed by your letter of
December 30 to address the International Convention of the United Mine
Workers of America; but in view of the many things that are daily
demanding my attention and which it would be absolutely wrong for me
to turn away from, it is impossible for me to come, and I can only ask
you if you will not convey to the assembled delegates a very warm and
cordial greeting from me for the New Year and say to them that I
would like to be present to say something, if I could which would make
them realize how much the safety of America and the whole honor and
dignity and success of her action in the present crisis of the world de-
pends upon their fidelity and energy and devotion. I do not doubt that
10
they will rise to the occasion, but I do want them to realize how deeply
and sincerely interested the Government is in their welfare and how
anxious it is to be instrumental in doing anything that it is possible
to do to further it.
Cordially and sincerely yours,
WOODROW WILSON.
Mr. Frank J. Hayes, President U. M. W. of A., Indianapolis, Ind.
Secretary Green was instructed to make suitable reply to the letter
of President Wilson.
The official call was read by Secretary Green; it was accepted and
niade part of the permanent records of the convention.
No further business coming before the convention, at 11 o'clock an
adjournment was taken to 1:30 p. m. of the same day.
FIRST DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION
The convention was called to order at 1:30 p. m., Tuesday, January
15, President Hayes presiding.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ORDER OF BUSINESS
Delegate Mack, Secretary of the Committee, reported as follows:
Indianapolis, Ind., January 15, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We, your Committee on Rules and Order of Business, beg leave to
submit the following report for your consideration:
1. The' convention shall be called to order at 9 a. m. and adjourn
at 12 m.; reconvene at 1:30 p. m. and adjourn at 5 p. m.
2. No members of the convention shall speak more than once on
the same question, until all who desire to speak shall have been heard.
Speeches shall be limited to five minutes and no one shall be allowed the
floor more than twice, except by consent of the majority.
3. The roll call of delegates shall not be called on any question
except at the request of 300 or more delegates.
11
4. Any member of the convention appearing: on the floor in such a
manner as to annoy the proceeding's of the convention shall be repri-
manded by the chair for the first offense and for the second he shall be
expelled from the convention and his* conduct reported to his constitu-
ents by the International Secretary.
5. The convention shall be governed by Cushing's Manual, with the
exception that wheii a motion is made to table questions with amend-
ments appended the motion to table shall first apply to the amendment
or amendments and shall require a motion to table the original.
6. When a motion to table is made, the motion shall not be put
imtil the introducer of the subject is given an opportunity to speak on
the question.
— Order of Business —
1. Report of Committee on Credentials.
2. Report of Officers.
3. Appointment of Committees.
4. Report of Tellers.
5. Report of Auditing Committee.
6. Report of Committee on Officers' Reports.
7. Report of Resolutions Committee.
8. Report of Committee on Constitution.
9. Report of Transportation Committee.
10. Report of Delegates to American Federation of Labor and
Western Federation of Miners.
11. Report of Committee on Appeals and Grievances.
12. Report of Scale Committee.
13. Miscellaneous Business.
Respectfully submitted,
LEE HALL, Dist. No. 6,
JOHN M. MACK, Dist. No. 1,
RICHARD GILBERT, Dist. No. 2,
GEO. HEPPLE, Dist. No. 26,
WALTER NESBIT, Dist. No. 12.
The report of the committee was adopted as read.
12
REPORT OF PRESIDENT FRANK J. HAYES.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Greeting — I became the President of your International organization
October 25, 1917, succeeding: John P. White, who resigned to devote his
entire time to the work of the Federal Fuel Administration.
I do not deem it necessary or of general interest to chronicle in min-
ute detail my work as Vice-President prior to my succession to the presi-
dency, except to say that I participated in all of the interstate wage con-
ferences, represented the International organization in various district
conventions, acted as arbitrator in the adjustment of various grievances,
supervised and directed the field workers and assisted in waging success-
ful organizing campaigns in three heretofore practically unorganized
fields, which resulted in adding approximately 30,000 members to our
organization.
Upon my succession to the presidency I appointed John L. Lewis to
the office of Vice-President, which appointment was unanimously con-
firmed by the International Executive Board.
Prior to his retirement President White submitted to the membership
a comprehensive report of the work of the executive department, Covering
in detail matters that occurred under his administration up until the day
of his retirement. In view of this fact I shall not burden you with un-
necessary repetition of the subjects he presented, except to bring to your
attention such matters covered in his report as should properly be pre-
sented to this convention, particularly wage agreements negotiated during
the past year.
BITUMINOUS WAGE AGREEMENTS.
Shortly after the adjournment of the last biennial convention the op-
erators and miners of the Central Competitive Field met at Mobile, Ala.,
for the purpose of considering the demands formulated by the last biennial
convention. We endeavored to prove to the operators by facts and figures
that the country was on the eve of great industrial prosperity and that
the coal industry particularly would be one of the chief beneficiaries of
the same. The operators contended that our position was incorrect and
steadfastly maintained that our views and predictions relative to an in-
creased demand for coal and increased prices as a result of the war
13
would not materialize. We discussed "at length every phase of the de-
mands formulated at our last biennial convention, and endeavored, with
all the power, persuasion and logic that we could use, to convince the
operators of the fairness and justice of our claims, but without avail.
We finally decided to adjourn the conference at Mobile, with the under-
standing that the joint conference would again reconvene in New York
City on February 24. The joint conference reconvened on that date
and remained in session until March 9, when the following agreement
was reached:
'^The following agreement made and entered into this 9th day of
March, 1916, covering prices and conditions of mining in Western Penn-
aylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois for the two years beginning April 1,
1916, and ending March 31, 1918, to-wit:
''First. All coal shall be weighed and paid for on a mine-run
basis, except that the Block Coal District of Indiana shall continue upon
the present screen coal basis, and that the pick mining rate therein be
advanced 6 cents per ton and machine mining 4 cents per ton. •
"Second. The pick mining rat^ in the thin vein district of Western
Pennsylvania shall be 67.64 cents per ton and in the Eastern Ohio, Hock-
ing, Cambridge and Amsterdam-Bergholz districts of Ohio the mining
rate shall be 67.64 cents per ton, and throughout the balance of Ohio
the pick mining rate shall be advanced 3 cents per ton unless otherwise
agreed to in joint conference by operators and miners in any of the sub-
districts or scale districts within the State; in the bituminous district of
Indiana 64 cents per ton and in the Danville district of Illinois 64 cents
per ton.
*Trhird. Machine mining in the thin vein district of Western Penn-
sylvania, 50 cents per ton; in Ohio, 50 cents per ton; in the bituminous
district of Indiana, chain machine mining, 52 cents per ton, and punch-
ing machines, 54 cents per ton; in the Danville district of Illinois, 54
cents per ton.
"Fourth. All day labor, dead work, yardage and room turning ad-
vanced 5 per cent, on existing prices.
"Fifth. An eight-hour day means eight hours' work in the mine at
usual working places for all classes of inside day labor. This shall be
exclusive of the time required in reaching such working places in the
morning and departing from the same at night.
"Drivers shall take their mules to and from stables, and the time
14
required in so doing shall not include any part of the day's labor, their
work beginning when they reach the chaage at which they receive empty
cars, but in no case shall the driver's time be docked while he is waiting
for such cars at the point named.
''When the men go into the mine in the morning they shall be enti-
tled to two hours' pay, whether or not the mine works the full two hours.
But after the first two hours the men shall be paid for every hour there-
after by the hour for each hour's work or fractional part thereof. If,
for any reason, the regular routine work cannot be furnished the inside
labor for a portion of the first two hours the operators may furnish
other than the regular labor for the unexpired time.
''Sixth. All internal differences are hereby referred to the various
districts for settlement with the understanding that only by mutual con-
sent shall anything be done in sub-district, district or wage scale con-
ventions that will increase the cost of production or decrease the earn-
ing capacity of the men. All rules now incorporated in existing con-
tracts shall remain in force unless changed by agreement between oper-
ators' and miners' representatives.
"Seventh. All district organizations herein represented shall take
up the question of preparation of coal and adopt such rules and regula-
tions with proper penalties as will best suit the conditions of each dis-
trict herein represented.
"Eighth. A joint commission of three miners and three operators
shall be appointed by the two organizations (Illinois miners' and oper-
ators' association), who are hereby given authority to establish the
proper machine mining rates in the long wall mines of Northern Illinois
without regard to existing machine differentials.
"Resolved. That an interstate joint conference be held prior to April
1, 1918; the time and place of holding such meeting is referred to a com-
mittee of two operators and two miners from each State herein repre-
sented, together with the International officers of the United Mine Work-
ers' organization."
After the above agreement was negotiated the Policy Committee,
representing every district in the organization, was called in to consider
the same. This committee, by an overwhelming majority, adopted the
agreement, subject to the approval of the rank and file. In the referen-
dum vote on this agreement the report of the Tellers showed that the
15
total vote cast was 127^18i; 84,498| to accept the agreement and 42,820
to reject it; majority in favor of the proposition, 41,6781.
SUPPLEMENTAL BITUMINOUS WAGE AGREEMENTS.
It became evident in the spring of 1917, owing to the unusual activ-
ity in the coal industry and the high prices received by the operators
for their product, and due to the large increase in the cost of living on
account of the war, that something must be done with the wage ques-
tion. The 1916 agreement was made when conditions were normal, and
the joint conference at that time could not take into consideration the
enormous increase in the cost of living which occurred at a later date,
and it was therefore, but natural that our people should feel that the
operators should not be permitted to take undue advantage of a situation
developed by the war. This condition was also aggravated and intensi-
fied because a number of operators were granting bonuses and voluntary
wage advances in order to meet the situation and to secure a full com-
plement of men for the operation of their mines. This action created
great unrest and dissatisfaction throughout our jurisdiction, and it be-
came absolutely necessary for us to endeavor to correct it through the
medium of the joint conference. Therefore an informal joint confer-
ence of the Central Competitive Field was called to meet at Indianapolis,
April 5, 1917. In this conference your representatives made it clear
to the operators that a readjustment of the wage scale was absolutely
necessary and in the interest of both parties to the contract. After most
thoughtful consideration of the matter it was jointly decided to issue a
call for a formal joint conference to be held in the city of New York on
April 12, 1917, for the express purpose of considering an advance in the
wage scale. In this conference we proved by statistics and argument
that a wage increase was necessary to meet the unusual situation devel-
oped by the war. The operators were finally convinced that this must
be done and entered into the follow ..:g supplemental agreement:
"First. That pick and machine mining be advanced 10 cents per ton
in the states and districts comprising the Central Competitive Field and
that the screen coal mining prices in the Block Coal Field of Indiana
be advanced in proportion to the mine-run prices herein agreed to.
"Second. That all day labor now receiving $2.98 and $3.00 per day
be advanced to $3.60 per day.
16
"Third. That monthly men and all other classes of labor employed
in and around the mine be advanced 60 cents per day, except as follows:
"Trappers -shall receive $1.90 per day and all boys now receiving
§1.57 per day or less shall be advanced to $1.90 per day.
"No advance shall be paid on dead work or yarda^.
"This advance shall become effective April 16, 1917, and continue
until March 31, 1918."
We were of the opinion, at the time this supplemental ag^reemeiit
was negotiated, that it would meet the situation, but our country had
then entered the war and all the industries of the country were speeded
up and production, particularly in the coal industry, was greatly in-
creased to meet the exig^encies of the situation. Munition plants, manu-
facturing establishments and war industries of various kinds were offer-
ing large wages for men, with the result that thousands of our people
were leaving the mines to engage in this more remunerative work. Your
representatives felt, and so stated at the time, that unless the mine work-
ers were granted a wage commensurate with that received by competing
industries, the country would face a serious coal shortage and intense
suffering would result during the coming winter months. In line wiUi this
belief your International officials agrain summoned the operators to meet
us in conference for the purpose of considering an additional wage ad-
vance. In the meantime the federal government had fixed the selling
price of coal at the mines and the President had appointed Dr. H. A.
Garfield as fuel administrator, which put an entirely new angle upon
the situation. The operators maintained that the prices fixed by the
povei-nment were unfair and that they could not meet any additional
wage advance unless the government agreed to change its selling schedule
to permit them to pay the increase in wages asked by your representa-
tives. Dr. Garfield addressed the Washington joint conference at its
opening session, and insisted that everything possible must be done to
stimulate coal production, and stated that he was willing to consider any
fair proposition jointly agreed to that had for its purpose the attain-
ment of that end. He, however, would not say at that time that he
would advance coal prices to meet the increase demanded by your rep-
resentatives. He stated that the miners and operators should work out
their own problem in a way that was fair to the government and the
public, and after that was done lie would give our joint handiwork his
most careful consideration. This formal joint conference remained in
17
session in Washington, D. C, from September 25 until October 6, when
the following agreement was reached:
"The following agreement, supplemental to the existing interstate
and district agreements, is entered into with the hope and belief that
the advance in wages will result in an increased production of coal and
the abolition of local strikes.
"It is agreed:
"First. That the mining prices for mining mine-run coal, pick and
machine, in the present contract be advanced 10 cents per ton. In the
Block Coal Field of Indiana the screen coal price to be advanced 12 i
cents per ton.
"Second. That all day labor and monthly men, except trappers and
other boys, be advanced $1.40 per day. Trappers to be advanced 75
cents per day. Boys now being paid more than $1.90 per day and less
than men's wages shall be advanced $1.00 per day.
"Second. That all yardage, dead work and room turning be ad-
vanced 15 per cent
"Fourth. Subject to the next biennial convention of the United
Mine Workers of America, the mine workers' representatives agree that
the present contract be extended during the continuation of the war, not
to exceed two years from April 1, 1918.
"Whereas, Stoppage of work in violation of the agreement has be-
come so serious as to menace the success and perpetuity of the U. M. W.
of A. and our joint relations, this conference instructs the respective dis-
trict executive boards to meet the operators in their various districts for
the purpose of agreeing on a penalty clause, where none now exists, and
if necessary meet to amend and strengthen existing clauses so as to make
the penalty more effective in preventing strikes and violations of agree-
inents.
"All fines provided for in all agreements shall be automatically col-
lected, and any operators failing to collect and forward to proper parties
such fine shall pay a penalty of $2 for each employe subject to be fined,
the same to be collected and retained in the miners' district organization.
And in no case shall any fine be refunded except by mutual agreement
of the accredited representatives of the operators and miners.
"It is further agreed that where any employe enters suit in the civil
courts to recover any fine collected in accordance herewith, the district
18
origan izat ion shall reimburse the operator for expense incurred on ac-
count of such suit
"This a^eement is subject to and will become effective only on the
condition that the sellini? price of coal shall be advanced by the United
States Government sufficient to ccver the increased cost in the different
districts affected, and will take effect on the first day of the pay period
followinfiT the order advancing such increased prices.'
ff
On October 29, 1917, the Federal Fuel Administration increased
coal prices sufficiently to absorb the wage advance conceded in the above
agreement. You will note in the fourth clause of this particular supple-
mental agreement the following language: "Subject to the approval of
the next biennial convention of the United Mine Workers of America,
the mine workers' representatives agree that the present contract be
extended during the continuation of the war, not to exceed two years
from April 1, 1918." You will also note the demand for a penalty clause,
which was vigorously insisted upon by the government and the operators
in order to prevent illegal strikes and shutdowns in violation of agree-
ments. In this connection I desire to quote the order issued by President
Wilson after the Washington ag^'eement was negotiated:
"ORDER.
"The White House, Washington, D. C, October 27, 1917.
"Thf Hrale of prices prescribed August 21, 1917, by the President
of inn t;nit'*d States for bituminous coal at the mine, as adjusted and
tft'fUi'urd, by order of the United States Fuel Administrator, to meet ex-
'«-pt.ioriftl i-ondition.s in certain localities, is hereby amended by adding
iUo. Kum of 15 cents to each of the prices so prescribed or so adjusted
Hwi rnoriifieci, subject, however, to the following express exceptions:
"(1) This inciease in prices shall not apply to any coal sold at
th<! mine under an existing contract containing a provision for an
increuHC in the price of coal thereunder in case of an increase in
wages paid to miners.
"(2) ThiH incrt^ase in prices shall not apply in any district in
whi^'h the operators and miners fail to agree upon a penalty pro-
vision, satisfactory to the Fuel Administrator, for the automatic col-
19
lection of fines in the spirit of the agreement entered into between
the operators and miners at Washington, October 6, 1917.
"This order shall become effective at 7 a. m. on October 29, 1917.
(Signed) "WOODROW WILSON."
You will note in the above order of the President that we could not
secure the wage advance provided for in the Washington agreement un-
less we agreed to an automatic penalty clause. In conformity with the
Washington agreement your International officials and the scale com-
mittee representing the Central Competitive Field recommend that the
present contract with the supplemental wage advances and conditions
upon which the same are based be extended during the continuation of
the war, not to exceed tv/o years from April 1, 1918.
In this connection I wish to say that in my opinion there should be
no hesitancy upon the part of the delegates to this convention in ratify-
ing the Washington agreement and the conditions it imposes. We must
remember that we have secured very substantial wage advances during
the past year, and that there have been few, if any, industries in the
country that have fared as well as ours in the matter of increased wages.
Above all, we must remember that our country is at war and that there
can be no justification for a disturbance of industrial relations, particu-
larly in a war industry, in these trying times.
In reference to the penalty clause, I feel that no loyal American
should object to any clause that has for its sole purpose the maintenance
of an uninterrupted coal supply. In brief, no man can be penalized un-
less he does wrong, unless he wilfully violates the agreements we are
pledged to obsrve. I feel confident, knowing our membership as I do,
that during this war period it is their earnest desire to do everything
within their power to prevent illegal strikes and shutdowns. I feel that
there is sufficient machinery provided for in our various agreements to
take care of any dispute that may arise in or around a mine. When we
contemplate the fact that every shutdown or every local strike means
the handicapping of our boys in the trenches, and means intense suffer-
ing* particularly to the poor people of our land; when we consider the
fact that millions of people in this country are making sacrifices for the
war, and that millions of families are giving up their sons and brothers
to fight, and, if need be, die for our country, I feel confident that an
20
overwhelming majority of our membership will see the necessity of firm
disciplinary measures in order ^to control the few among us who might
seek to embarrass our nation in the present crisis.
ANTHRACITE WAGE AGREEMENTS.
Shortly after the conclusion of the bituminous negotiations the joint
conference of the anthracite operators and miners convened in New
York City, and the following agreement was negotiated, which was rati-
fied by a tri-district convention of anthracite mine workers:
ANTHRACITE AGREEMENT.
"This agreement, made this 5th day of May, 1916, between Districts
1, 7 and 9, representing the anthracite mine workers' organization, par-
ties of the first part, and the anthracite operators, parties of the second
part, covering wages and conditions of employment in the anthracite
region of Pennsylvania, witnesseth:
"The terms and provisions of the award of the Anthracite Coal
Strike Commission and any subsequent agreement made in modification
thereof and supplemental thereto are hereby continued for a further
period of four years ending March 31, 1920, except in the following par-
ticulars, to-wit:
"First, (a) The contract rates at each colliery shall be increased
seven (7) per cent, over and above the contract rates at each colliery,
effective in April, 1912, as established by the agreement of May 20, 1912.
"(b) The working day established by the Anthracite Coal Strike
Commission shall be changed from nine (9) hours to eight (8) hours.
All employes paid by the day or hour and coming within the classifica-
tion of company men. except as hereinafter more specifically provided,
shall be paid for a day of eight (8) hours the rate established under the
agreement of May 20, 1912, for a day of nine (9) hours, subject to an
increase of three (3) per cent.
"(c) All company men working on the basis of an eight-hour day
prior to April 1, 1916, shall receive an increase of seven (7) per cent,
over and above the daily or hourly rates established for their respective
occupations by the agreement of May 20, 1912; except that hoisting
engineers, who were granted an eight-hour day in March, 1912, shall,
receive an increase of three (3) per cent, over and above the rates estab-
lished by the agreement of May 20, 1912; it being understood, however,
21
•
that where three full shifts were substituted for two shifts in March,
1912, the rates of the three hoisting engineers shall be the same and the
shifts shall alternate in the manner customary where continuous em-
ployment is required.
"(d) All hoisting engineers working on a nine-hour basis prior to
April 1, 191G, and whose duties require that they should continue to
work nine (9) hours per day, shall receive an increase of seven (7) per
cent, over and above the nine-hour rate established by the agreement of
May 20, 1912.
"(e) All company men working on a daily basis in excess of nine
(9) hours per day or on a monthly basis prior to April 1, 1916, shall
continue to work on said basis and their wage, whether paid hourly, daily
or monthly, shall be increased seven (7) per cent, over and above the
rates established for their respective occupations by the agreement of
May 20, 1912.
MACHINE MINING.
"Second. Conditions having arisen in portions of the anthracite
region necessitating the use of mining machines, the right of the oper-
ator to use such machines shall be unquestioned and the method em-
ployed shall be at the option of the operator. Where work is done by
mining machines the following shall govern as the basis of payment to
the several classes of labor employed in the undercutting, mining and
loading of coal.
"(a) When machine mining is done on a day basis, the rates paid
shall not be less than the established colliery machine rates paid to the
several classes of labor employed April 1, 1916; provided, that in no
case shall the rate for machine miner be less than $3.30 per day; for
machine runner, $2.70 per day; for machine miner's laborer, $2.34 per
day; and for machine runner's helper, $2.34 per day. It being under-
stood that these rates are agreed to as covering a new requirement anxl
are applicable only to machine mining, subject nevertheless to three (3)
per cent, advance under the terms of this agreement.
"(b) Where machine mining contracts cover the mining of a vein or
section of a vein not heretofore mined, the contract rates shall be such
as to enable the men employed in mining work to earn, on the average
of all employed in each occupation, a daily wage not less than the rate
established for said occupation in paragraph (a). Where mining ma-
22
chines replace contract miners cutting coal from the solid, the average
daily earnings of the contract machine miners shall not be less than the
average normal earnings of such contract miners in the territory where
the mining machines are introduced and where the same vein conditions
exist; provided, that where the average normal earnings of the contract
miners are shown to be less than the day rate established in paragraph
(a), the machine contract rates shall be so adjusted as to enable the
machine miner, on the average, to earn a daily wage of not less than the
day rate established in paragraph (a).
"(c) The operator shall be assured of the full co-operation of the
machine miner in the development and maintenance of efficient operation,
and the day's earnings shall be based on a workday of eight (8) hours
at the face as now provided in Section 3 hereof.
EIGHT-HOUR DAY.
"Third. An eight-hour day means eight (8) hours of actual work
for all classes of labor, at the usual working place, exclusive of noon-
time, for six (6) days per week, if the operator desires to work his mine
to that extent, excepting only legal holidays. The time required in going
to and coming from the place of employment in or about the mine shall
not include any part of the day's labor. Drivers shall take their mules
from the stables to the usual working place before starting time and
shall return them to the stables after quitting time, compensation for
such service being included in the day rates established for this class of
labor. If, because of break-downs, repairs, or the requirements of trans-
portation, or other causes essential to efficient operation, it is found nec-
essary to extend the normal workday of any employe, or any class of
employes, the operator may do so, at his option, paying for overtime a
proportional rate per hour as determined from the rates established
under Section 1 hereof.
"Fourth. All grievances referred to the Board of Conciliation shall
be heard and a decision rendered within sixty days from the date of ref-
erence to the board; provided, that said period may be extended for such
time as may be mutually agreed upon by the operators' representative
and the mine workers' representative in the district in which said griev-
ance originates. If no decision is reached within sixty days after refer-
ence, or within the extension period thereafter, the board shall submit
23
clie case forthwith to the umpire for final decision as provided in the
award of the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission.
"Fifth. The present prices of powder and miners' supplies as estab-
lished at several collieries in the region shall be continued without
change throughout the term of this agreement.
"Sixth. Under paragraph (d) of the agreement of May 20» 1912,
the duty of the grievance committee shall be confined solely to the adjust-
ment of disputes in cases where the foreman and employe have been
unable to agree, and in the discharge of this duty they shall strictly com-
ply with the provisions of said paragraph.
"Under paragraph (f ) of the agreement of May 20, 1912, the griev-
ance committee is given the sole authority of joining with the company
officials in recording the rates existent April 1, 1902, as well as the rates
established under the agreement of May 20, 1912.
"Seventh. The Board of Conciliation is empowered to hear com-
plaints relating to day rates appearing on colliery rate sheets as effective
April 1, 1912, but which may be claimed to be obsolete as of that date
on account of being supplanted by other rates. The Board of Concilia-
tion may, at its discretion, in case the rates are shown to have been mani-
festly obsolete, order such rates erased.
"Eighth. Neither party to this agreement shall initiate or encour-
age legislation that would in any manner affect the obligations of this
contract or impair any of its provisions."
On April 25, 1917, after the conclusion of the conference granting
the bituminous miners an increase in wages, the following supplemental
agreement was reached by the anthracite operators and miners:
"Whereas, On May 5, 1916, an agreement was entered into by the
parties hereto covering wages and working conditions in the anthracite
field of Pennsylvania for the four-year period beginning April 1, 1916,
and ending March 31, 1920; and
"Whereas, By reason of conditions that have arisen as a result of
the war, the parties hereto have deemed it advisable and necessary to
increase the wage compensation provided in said agreement, as herein-
after more specifically set forth; therefore, this agreement witnesseth:
"First. That for the period May 1, 1917, to March 31, 1918, the
compensation paid employes in the anthracite field shall be increased as
follows:
24
"(a) Contract machine and hand miners shall be paid an advance
of 10 per cent, on their gross earnings.
''(b) Consideration miners shall be paid an advance of 10 per cent,
on their earnings, based .on the rates now in effect.
"(c) Contract miners' laborers and consideration miners' laborers
shall be paid an advance of 10 per cent, on their earnings, based on the
rates now in effect. Day machine miners' laborers receiving not less
than $2.72 per day shall be paid an advance of 10 per cent, on their
earnings.
"(d) Company men now receiving $1.54 or more per day shall be
paid an advance of thirty-six cents (86c) per day for each day worked.
"(e) All employes paid by the day and now receiving less than
$1.54 per day shall be paid an advance of thirty cents (30c) per day for
each day worked.
"(f) Monthly men, coming under the agreement of May 5, 1916,
shall be paid an advance of thirty-six cents (36c) per day for each day
worked.
"(g) The advances of thirty-six cents (36c) per day and thirty
cents (30c) per day, above provided, are to be applied to a day, whether
»
eight (8) hours or more, as established under the agreement of May 5,
1916; any proportionate part of a day to be paid a proportionate part of
the advances herein provided.
"Second. It is distinctly understood and agreed between the parties
hereto that because of the situation that has arisen as a result of the
war and the needs of the nation in the matter of fuel supply, there shall
be no unnecessary shut-downs, and that the employes will give that full
co-operation necessary to maintain the production of the mines at their
fullest capacity.
•"Third. It is further agreed that, except as hereinbefore provided,
all of the covenants and conditions of the agreement of May 5, 1916,
shall remain in full force and effect up to and including March 31, 1920.
• "In witness whereof, the parties hereto have caused this agreement
to be properly executed this 25th day of April, 1917."
A few days after I became President, and shortly after the adjourn-
ment of the Washington conference, granting the bituminous miners an-
other substantial advance in wages, I called the anthracite operators and
miners into conference, and the following agreement was secured, which
25
was unanimously approved by the executive boards of the three districts
in the anthracite region:
"Whereas, On May 5, 1916, an agreement was entered into by the
parties hereto covering wages and working conditions in the anthracite
field of Pennsylvania for the four- year period beginning April 1, 1916,
and ending March 31, 1920; and
"Whereas, By reason of conditions that arose as a result of the war
the parties hereto, under date April 25, 1917, entered into a supplemental
agreement modifying the wage compensation provided in said agreement
of May 5, 1916; and
"Whereas, By reason of further changes in conditions that have
arisen since the date of said supplemental agreement of April 25, 1917,
tlie parties hereto have deemed it advisable and necessary to make fur-
ther increase in the wage compensation provided in said supplemental
agreement, as hereinafter more specidcaly set forth;
"Now, Therefore, This Agreement Witnesseth: That in lieu of the
voluntary advances made under the agreement of April 25, 1917, the
following advances are proposed to be applied to the rates established
under the agreement of May 5, 1916:
"a. Contract hand and machine miners shall be paid and advance
of 25 per cent, on their gross earnings.
"b. Consideration miners shall be paid an advance of 25 per cent.
on their earnings.
"c. Contract miners' laborers shall be paid an advance of 30 per
cent, on their earnings.
"d. Consideration miners* laborers shall be paid an advance of 25
per cent, on their earnings.
"e. Day machine miners' laborers who received not less than $2.72
^T day shall be paid an advance of 25 per cent, on their earnings.
"f. Outside engineers working a twelve-hour cross shift and fire-
men shall be paid an' advance of $1 per day for each day worked. All
other outside company men who received $1.54 or more per day shall be
paid an advance of 90c per day for each day worked.
"g. Inside engineers and pumpmen working a twelve-hour cross
shift shall be paid an advance of $1.10 per day for each day worked. All
other inside company men who received $1.54 or more per day shall be
paid an advance of $1 per day for each day worked.
26
"\l All employes paid by the day who received less than $1.54 per
day shall be paid an advance of 60c per day for each day worked.
'^i. Monthly men coming under the agreement of May 5, 1916, shall
receive an advance per day for each day worked equivalent to that pro-
vided for their respective occupations under paragraphs T and *g\
"j. The advances of $1.10 per day, $1 per day, 90c per day and 60c
per day, provided above, are to be applied to a day, whether eight hours
or more, as established under the agreement of May 5, 1916; any pror
portionate part of a day to be paid a proportionate part of the advances
herein provided.
"k. The employes of stripping contractors, paid by the day, working
on the basis of a nine-hour or ten-hour shift, shall be paid the same in-
crease per hour for each hour worked that is provided for outside com-
pany men working on an eight-hour basis.
"It is understood and agreed that except as herein provided all of
the covenants and conditions of the agreement of May 5, 1916, shall re-
main in full force and effect.
"And it is further understood and agreed that this contract will be-
come effective only on condition that the selling price of coal shall be ad-
vanced by the United States Government sufficient to cover the increased
cost of production, and will not take effect until the first day of the pay
period following the order granting such increased price.
"Subject to the foregoing provision, the contract will remain in effect
during the period of the war, or until March 31, 1920, in case the war is
not terminated before that date."
FEDERAL FUEL ADMINISTRATION.
President Wilson, by virtue of the power conferred upon him under
the act of Congress, August 10, 1917, entitled "An act to provide further
for the national security and defense by encouraging the production, con-
serving the supply and controlling the distribution of food products and
fuel," particularly for the purpose of carrying into eflFect the provisions
of said act relating to fuel, appointed Dr. H. A. Garfield as United States
Fuel Administrator. The powers of the Fuel Administrator are very
broad, and during the period of the war he has the authority to exercise
general supervision over the coal industry of the country. I may say
that Dr. Garfield has endeavored to deal fairly with our people and is to
be commended for the fair position he took upon the wage question after
/
27
the miners and operators entered into an agreement 'at Washington. It
has been our pleasure to co-operate with him fully and to do everything
within our power to make his administration a success.
CAMPAIGNS IN UNORGANIZED FIELDS.
It gives me pleasure to report that successful organizing campaigns
f
were conducted in several important non-union fields during the past
year. We succeeded in effecting satisfactory wage agreements in eastern
Kentudcy, Tennessee, Colorado, Maryland, the Allegheny Valley of Penn-
sylvania and portions of West Virginia. We also waged a vigorous cam-
paign in Alabama, and have greatly increased our membership in that
state. Recently the Federal Fuel Administrator recommended a plan
of accommodation to meet the exigencies of the situation existing in that
field. We confidently predict that as a result of our efforts in Alabama
we will be able to establish a permanent organization in that state.
The strike in the Hopkins County field of Kentucky was not a suc-
cess because less than 25 per cent, of the total number of men employed
in this field failed to respond to the strike order. However, I am pleased
to report that the non-union operators in this field, as a result of our
campaign, were forced to grant several increases in wages in order to
prevent the success of our efforts.
The International Executive Board in the early part of last year de-
cided to take over and administer the affairs of the organization in the
partially organized and non-supporting districts. It became necessary,
in line with this policy, to suspend the autonomy of our non-supporting
districts in order to more successfully carry on our organizing work. In
the past dual authority seriously interfered with the success of our
efforts. The result in the above mentioned districts fully justifies the
action of the Board in this respect. We intend to carry on these cam-
paigns of education and organization until every coal field in the country
is thoroughly organized, and we trust the day will soon arrive when
industrial democracy will be established and made secure in every mining
field in the nation.
28
LITIGATION.
THE CASE OF THE CORONADO COAL COBiPANY AND OTHERS
AGAINST THE UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA.
This action was brought by nine independent corporations for whom
a receiver was appointed in the Federal Court at Ft. Smith, Arkansas,
July 25, 1914. The complaint was filed in the names of the nine companies
and their receivers. The defendants named were the United Mine Workers
of America, District 21 of the United Mine Workers of America, 25 local
unions and certain individuals. The complaint charged that the United
Mine Workers of America had since 1898 been engaged in a gigantic con-
spiracy with union operators to interfere with the production and com-
merce of the non-union mined coal by the method of strikes and through
the violence which it was alleged always accompanies strikes, and it was
further alleged that the plaintiff's property was destroyed in pursuance
of this conspiracy.
A demurrer was sustained to this complaint in 1915 by Judge Yeo-
mans of the District Court at Ft. Smith, but on appeal the Circuit Court
of Appeals held the complaint good and remanded it for trial. It was
in this opinion that the Circuit Court of Appeals took the revolutionary
position that a labor union, though an unincorporated society, could be
sued in its union name, while admitting that they could find no precedent
for such ruling.
Upon the trial before Judge Elliott, who was assignried to try the
case, the plaintiffs introduced in evidence extracts from the debates of
the joint conferences in the Central Competitive Field containing refer-
ences by many of the operators to the competition of the West Virginia
coal. These statements became the basis of the plaintiff's argument that
there was an understanding, or agreement, between the union and the
union operators to interfere by unlawful methods with the production
and commerce of non-union coal. The attorneys for the union showed by
the reports of these proceedings that they were held for the specific pur-
pose of negotiating wage scales, that the debates were simply arguments
for and against the miners' demands, that the arguments of the operators
were in each instance sharply contested by the miners, that the repre-
sentatives of the miners in these conferences acted under a limited
authority to simply negotiate a wage scale, which was fixed by the miners'
annual conferences, and that any agreement entered into was required
29
to be referred to the membership of the union. In each instance the
actual agreement made at the conference was introduced in evidence, and
among the witnesses who denied that any agreement or understanding
existed between the operators and miners to interfere with the produc-
tion of non-union coal were John P. White, William Green, Francis Foe-
han, W. D. Ryan and E. C. McCuUough, among the present and past
officials of the union, and many operators, including Colonel Taylor, who
has been connected with the interstate movement since 1898; Mr. Jenkins
of St. Louis, and Mr. Traer of Chicago. These witnesses testified they
had never heard of such a conspiracy between the members of the union
or between them and the union operators. The last named gentleman,
though called by the plaintiffs, vehemently testified that he had never
heard of such a conspiracy, and the plaintiffs introduced no other wit-
nesses upon this point.
There was much evidence introduced by the defendants to show that
the plaintiffs' property was destroyed in a community revolt against the
outrages of the gunmen stationed on the plaintiffs' property; that for
three months these thugs insulted women, stopped and arrested travelers
on the highways, made adjacent farms target grounds for reckless shoot-
ing and finally shot up the little village of Frogtown and drove its
women and children in their night clothes across the hills to the town of
Hartford. This was on July 12, 1914, and in five days the battle took
place in which these gunmen were run out aj;id the plaintiffs' property
destroyed. In all events, there was nothing to show that the controversy
between the plaintiffs and the miners of Hartford valley was more than
a local one, except the far-fetched inference that it must have grown out
of a gigantic conspiracy to interfere with the production and commerce
of non-union coal. It was shown by the Constitution of the United Mine
Workers of America that this strike was outside the jurisdiction of the
International Organization and that the International Organization, its
officers and Executive Board had nothing whatever to do with it. This
was also testified to by President White and Secretary Green of the In-
ternational Organization and by Dalrymple and McLaughlin of the dis-
trict organization. However, the court seemed impressed with the theory
of a general conspiracy permeating the entire membership of the union
to interfere with and destroy production and commerce of non-union coal.
He seized on the provision of the Constitution which authorizes strikes
among other methods for accomplishing the purpose of a labor union,
30
declared that the Constitution reserved the practical control of all strikes
to the officials of the International Organization and by ^ving them this
power and the power to revoke charters and expel members necessarily
imposed on the national organization and its officials the duty of con-
trolling all strikes and the responsibility of answering in damages for any
violence that may attend any strike, however local.
After the jury was out some forty-eight hours they were called be-
fore the court and informed by the judge that he considered a conspiracy
had been established on the part of the International Organization and
the jury was substantially instructed to return a verdict for the plain-
tiffs. A verdict of $200,000 was then returned by the jury, which, under
the terms of the Sherman anti-trust act, authorizes a judgment for triple
the amount, or $600,000, together with plaintiffs* attorney fees and costs.
Arrangements are being made for an appeal.
There are many questions of importance involved in this litigation,
of importance not only to the United Mine Workers of America, but to
e\'ery trade union of the country. If trade unions are to be set apart from
the ordinary rules which govern unincorporated societies and be subject
to suits in their union names, the law for this distinction should be
declared by the highest court in the land. If this rule prevails there is no
reason why suits at law may not be instituted against political parties.
If the policy of the Mine Workers in organizing the unorganized mine
labor of the country subjects it to a charge of conspiracy in violation of
the Sherman act, then every nation-wide labor union is an illegal com-
bination, and the effort to convert non-union production to production
under union conditions is necessarily a criminal interference with trade
and commerce. Again, if it be the law that every member of a trade
union shall be held responsible for the violence that shall occur in a local
strike, however far removed from him, and however little he may have
participated in it, or ratified the same, then this decision ought to be
made by the Supreme Court of the United States with the distinct under-
standing that they are thus putting a knife in the vitals of trade unionism.
It was not claimed or contended by the plaintiffs that the entire
400,000 members of the United Mine Workers of America had knowledge
of this trouble at Prairie Creek, Ark., or that they had, after its occur-
rence, ratified any wrongful conduct there. Indeed, the property was de-
stroyed July 17, 1914. and within six weeks the suit was begun. In the
meantime there was no annual conference of the miners, no meeting of its
31
Executive Board and no suggestion that information of this trouble had
in any way been brought to the collective membership. To sue the col-
lective membership of a nation-wide trade union and hold its entire mem-
bership liable because violence may attend a local strike or lockout, is
an extraordinary extensiop, even of the rule laid down in the Danbury
Hatters' case, for in that case — Loewe vs. Lawlor, 235 U. S. 522 — the
court said:
''The court (meaning the district court) instructed the jury that
if these members paid their dues and continued to delegate authority
to their officers unlawfully to interfere with plaintiffs' interstate
commerce under such circumstances as that they knew, or ought to
have known, and such officers were warranted in the belief that they
were acting in the matter within their delegated authority, then such
members were jointly liable, and none others."
I believe the delegates to this convention will realize the impor-
tance of this particular case; which affects the very life of our move-
ment. If this judgment is sustained by the Supreme Court, then the
efforts of our union to extend its^ beneficent influence into the unorgan-
ized fields of the country will fail of success. In this connection I want
to inform you that we are appealing this case to the Supreme Court
of the United States. We have ninety days' grace in which to file this
appeal. We are called upon to furnish a bond of approximately
$800,000 in order to secure an appeal to the higher court, and we are
informed by reliable bonding companies that we must furnish col-
lateral for this bond. As you know, our treasury will not permit us
to furnish any such amount. Unless we furnish this bond, or unless
some court action can be taken to permit us to appeal without furnish-
ing this enormous bond, judgment by order of court can be executed
against ub on March 1, 1918. In other words, the funds of our organ-
ization, international, district and local, can be levied upon by those
who secured judgment in this particular case. You can well realize
what sort of a situation this would create. We must, in this convention,
act wisely and promptly in dealing with this particular issue.
THE HITCHMAN COAL COMPANY CASE.
Since the trial of the Bache-Denman suit mentioned above, our
union and the whole organized labor movement has received a more
serious blow from the Federal judiciary — more serious because the
32
question involved is more fundamentally important and because the
decision itself has been handed down by the Supreme Court of the United
States. This was the decision in the case of the Hitchman Coal and
Coke Co. against John Mitchell et al., on an appeal taken from an in-
junction issued by Judge Dayton for the Northern District of West
Virginia, January 18, 1913. This injunction was granted by the dis-
trict judge to prevent the organizers of the union from soliciting
employes of the Hitchman Coal Co. to become members of the union,
the judge justifying his decision on the old £inglish common law that
labor unions are illegal. Upon appeal the Circuit Court of Appeals
reversed this decree, but a further appeal was taken to the Supreme
Court. On December 10, six judges of that court sustained the injunc-
tion in an opinion that was delivered by Justice Pitney. According to
this opinion the conclusion of Judge Dayton that labor unions were
illegal was not sustained^ but a more ingenious and hardly less disas-
trous blow was struck at the organized labor movement. The coal com-
pany in this case was operating a closed non-union mine, employing
men with the understanding that they could not join the United Mine
Workers of America and remain in their employ. While such employ-
ment was recognized as "at will" and terminable at any time, the
majority of the court held that it established a relationship of pecuniary
value to the company and that the company was entitled to an injunc-
tion against our representatives, who sought, by methods wholly peace-
able, to interrupt that relation by persuading the miners there to join
the union. A vigorous dissenting opinion was filed by Justice Brandeis,
with Justice Holmes and Justice Clark concurring, and the following
quotation from the dissenting opinion will show clearly the line upon
which the court divided:
''To induce third persons to leave an employment is actionable
if done maliciously and without justifiable cause, although such
persons are free to leave at their own will. It is equally actionable
so to induce others not to enter the service. The individual con-
tracts of plaintiff with its employes added nothing to its right in
this connection, since the employment was terminable at will.
"As persuasion, considered merely as a means, is clearly legal,
defendants were within their rights if, and only if, their inter-
ference with the relation of plaintiff to its employes was for justi-
38
Hable cause. The purpose of interfering was confessedly in order
to strengthen the union, in the belief that thereby the condition
of workmen engaged in mining would be improved; the bargaining
power of the individual workingman was to be strengthened by
collective bargaining; and collective bargaining was to be ensured
by obtaining the union agreement. It should not, at this day, be
doubted that to induce workingmen to leave or not to enter an
employment in order to advance such a purpose, is justifiable when
the workmen are not bound by contract to remain in such employ-
ment."
It requires no explanation to show you the far-reaching conse-
quences of this decision. Nor will its evil effects be limited to our
organization. It involves a menace to the normal and heretofore legiti-
mate activities of every labor union in the country. Under the law thus
l&id down it will be only necessary for every non-union employer to
employ his men with the understanding that they are not to become
a member of the brotherhood to which their craft belongs. Being em-
ployed under such conditions they cannot be approached, however
peaceably, by the organizers of their craft, for a Federal injunction
will restrain such effort at the suit of the employer on the ground
that it is an unlawful attempt to destroy a pecuniary interest he has
secured in his employes.
In the present national crisis such attacks on the labor movement
are apt to be unnoticed or poorly understood, not only by the public
generally, but by those interested in trade unions. But the facts of
these decisions and of their far-reaching consequences must not be
ignored by us. The great labor unions of this country have rallied
magnificently to the support of the government, and none more so
than the United Mine Workers of America. We have a right to believe
that it was the splendid organization of the mine labor and the patriot-
ism of our members that have enabled the government to meet as suc-
cessfully as it has the crisis in coal production. Decisions of this char-
acter are calculated, if not designed, to destroy our organization and
return coal mining conditions to the chaotic state that once prevailed;
and we have the right in the name of our patriotic service to the coun-
try as well as our own economic welfare to protest against these revo-
lutionary decisions and to insist if this be the law of the courts that
it shall be corrected by legislation.
2— M-Pro.
84
In this crisis the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and other Federal
statutes are set aside to permit the formation of exporting trusts and
similar pools, some of it by administrative action and some by express
congressional laws. It seems, however, to be declared an open season
by the Federal judiciary for hunting labor unions; and this conven-
tion should not adjourn without taking some decisive steps for laying
before Congress the situation raised by these two decisions and of secur-
ing legislative assurance against their repetition.
In connection with the Hitchman Coal Company case, I want to
inform you of a recent development growing out of the same. We
are informed by the attorney who represented us in this case, Mr. C. E.
Hogg, of West Virginia, that there has just been served upon him
notice of motion to show cause why a rule should not issue against
your International President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, the
officials of District 6 and other members of our organization, to show
cause why we should not be in contempt of the Supreme Court of the
United States and punished therefor for an alleged violation of the
injunction awarded in the case of the Hitchman Coal Company.
Our attorney informs us that he has sixty days in which to file
answer to this charge. This is a very serious matter and one that
should command the best thought of this convention. In view of the
importance of the litigation I have referred to in this report, I recom-
mend that the convention refer this entire matter to a special conunit-
tee for the purpose of formulating a policy to meet the issues presented
in these particular cases.
INCREASE IN PER CAPITA TAX.
It has long been evident to close observers of the International
organization that an increase in the per capita tax must be provided
if the membership expects the organization of the non-union fields of
the country. It is a financial impossibility to conduct our International
organization on the small revenue of 25 cents per member per month,
and with this small amount finance campaigns in the non-union fields
and defend our interests in the courts, where we are so often attacked.
For example, in the strike we conducted in Eastern Kentucky and '
Tennessee, we were called upon to pay out for relief purposes the
amount of $30,000 per week. Our revenue from per capita tax, and
this is the only income we receive, is less than $25,000 per week. Out
35
of this sum we are called upon to pay the running expenses of our
organization, calling for many thousands of dollars per week, finance
weak and partially organized districts, and also to take care of the
campaigns in various non-union districts in which we are endeavoring
to extend the organization. As you no doubt know, for the past sev-
eral years we have been waging vigorous canq)aigns in the non-union
fields of the country, with the result that we have practically depleted
our treasury. If your International officials neglected their duty and
left these fields alone, we would now have hundreds of thousands of
dollars in the treasury. However, we believed it to be our duty and
the desire of our people, as expressed by resolutions r. our various
International conventions, that we make every ende" :-<5t to organize
■t
the entire coal industry of the country, so that better wages, better
working conditions and a larger degree of freedom and justice might
come to all the members of our craft in every coal mining community
in the United States and Canada. In my opinion, the time is past
ynhen the International organization, the parent body, must stand in
tiie position of a supplicant, in the attitude of a beggar asking for
alms, because of the small per capita tax we receive from our mem-
bership. In order to finance organizing campaigns, as well as pro-
tect our membership in the well organized fields, time and again we
have been forced to borrow from the district organizations that main-
tained defense funds. This position has proved exceedingly embarass-
hkg and has weakened, in large degree, the strength and influence of
your International organization. We cannot expect the best results
from an institution that is cheaply financed and must perforce beg
assistance when it engages in struggles to protect and safeguard the
rights of the miners of the country. I also want to call your attention
to the fact that when this war is over we want to be in position to
defend our interests. We cannot do this with a depleted treasury, and
now is the time to build for the future. Our organization, as you
know, is the largest trade union in America, and occupies one of the
most important places in America's industrial life. In other words, it
is the leader of trade unionism in this country, and, in view of this
fact, it is time that it should be placed on a more solid financial basis.
I dare say that the per capita tax paid to the International organization
by our membership is the smallest amount paid by the members of any
other large international union. I sincerely trust that the delegates
to this convention will approve of the idefca here presented, and wfll
instruct the Constitution Committee to increase the per capita tax
sufficiently to meet the needs of the organization.
For your information I am herewith giving you the following table
of fibres showing the per capita tax paid by members of other inter-
national unions:
Name of Union. Amount of Per Capita.
Bakery & Confectionery Workers. . $1.26 per month.
Barbers .75 per month minimum dufs.
.75 per month.
Boiler Makers ft Iron Ship Builders 1.2G per month for full members.
.75 per month for hdpers.
International Union of Brewery
Workers .75 per month.
Brick, Tile ft Terra Gotta Workers
Alliance 50 per month.
Carpenters 75 per month.
Union Carriage,
Automobile Workers. . .50 per month.
of Railvay Clerks. . . ,60 per month.
^ 1.00 per month minimum dues.
Elevator Constructors .50 per month.
I Union of Steam ft
Engineers .50 per month.
Union .70 per month.
Brotherhood Firemen .50 per month.
International of
Foundry Employe ^„ ^„ „„„^
United Gara.nl Work.r. jj ,„ „„„a ,„ „,„
.40 per month for females.
Glass Bottle Blowers 50 p^^ month.
American Flint Glass Workers
Union .50 per month.
Granite Cutters International
Union 1.00 per month.
United Cloth, Cap & Hat Makers. . -45 per month for males.
.30 per month for females.
International Association of
Machinists ,50 per month.
87
Name of Union. Amount of Per Capita.
Molders' Union .90 per month.
Painters and Decorators .30 per month.
Paving: Cutters' Union of the U. S. .50 per month.
United Association of Plumbers
and Steam Fitters 1.30 per month.
Metal Polishers .70 per month.
Operative Potters .50 per month.
Powder and High Explosive
Workers .30 per month.
Pressmen's Union .65 per month.
Amalgamated Association of Street
and Electric Railway Employes. 1.00 per month.
Stereotypers 50 per month.
Stonecutters 50 per month.
Stove Mounters 50 per month.
Tailors 65 per month.
Tunnel and Subway Constructors. . .50 per month.
Tjrpographical 50 per month.
Shingle Weavers .50 per month.
Wire Weavers 1.00 per month.
INCREASE IN SALARIES OF OFFICERS AND EMPLOYES OF
ORGANIZATION.
I wish to call your attention to the fact that after the second sup-
plemental wage advance secured, by our membership the International
Executive Board, at a meeting held in October, decided that it was but
fair that the officers and employes of the organization should receive a
wage advance approximate to that received by their constituents. The
Board, therefore, advanced the salaries of the board members and field
workers on a percentage basis equal to that received by the membership,
with the exception of the resident officials, who received a smaller ad-
vance on a percentage basis on account of their salaries being higher
than the board members and field workers. This action was taken by the
Board subject to the approval of the convention.
EMPLOYMENT OF FORMER PRESIDENT WHITE.
Our former President, John P. White, was appointed by Dr. Garfield
as his labor adviser, and, as you know, resigned his position to devote
his time to this important work. I need not say that in this position
38
he can render great service to our people. His efforts in this direction
have already been of great value to our membership, and our rights have
been fully protected at Washington because of his service in this particu-
lar capacity. For your infoimation I wish to say that the Federal Gov-
ernment pays no salary to those who act in an advisory capacity. Your
International Executive Board considered this phase of the matter very
carefully and decided to continue former President White in the employ
of the organization and to pay him the same salary as that received by
your President. Former President White takes this position (Subject to
your approval and has no desire to continue in this capacity unless it is
the earnest wish of the delegates. to this convention that he do so.
HOME FOR AGED MINE WORKERS.
I am pleased to direct the attention of the delegates to the fact that
at the last biennial convention the following resolution on the advisability
of maintaining a home for aged miners was adopted:
"Resolved, That the International President be empowered to
appoint from our membership a committee of three members who
shall be authorized to investigate and report to the next International
*
convention the advisability and possible cost to our International
Union of erecting and maintaining a suitable Home wherein to care
for our aged, infirm and decrepit members."
This committee made a very extensive investigation and has sub-^
mitted an exhaustive report upon this all-important subject. The com-
mittee makes a recommendation upon this matter, providing for a pen-
sion fund, instead of the maintenance of a Home, and they also provide,
in their report, how the revenue for pensions shall be collected, and I
invite your most thoughtful consideratioin to the plan they submit.
OUR POSITION IN THE WAR.
Our position in the war should be one of unswerving loyalty and
devotion to the aims and purposes of our country. There must be no half-
way allegiance on the part of the coal miners in giving the best that is in
them for the preservation of the ideals and principles of a democratic
people — for the preservation of those concepts of life and labor upon
which our great movement is founded. So much depends upon coal in
these trying times. Permit me to emphasize the fact that without an
39
uninterrupted coal supply, without the maximum effort on our part, the
efforts of those battling in the trenches will be without avail. Our ships
cannot sail, our railroads cannot operate, our munition plants must
close down, if the coal miner fails to play his part. Shall we be found
wanting in the present emergency? Shall we ignore the call of our
homeland, of liberty-loving France, of outraged and devastated Belgium,
of heroic Britain and Italy, of starving Roumania and Servia? There
can be but one answer by free men, and let us in this convention firmly
resolve that every atom of energy we can contribute to the winning of
the war will be given gladly, freely, and in the same loyal spirit as those
who go out to give their lives, if need be, for the peace, freedom and se-
curity of the civilized world. Let there be no mistake about this war and
its relation to the great humanitarian movement in which we are en-
gaged. It must be evident to every close observer that the triumph of
the central powers means the menace of militarism throughout the ages —
means a world in turmoil and agony for centuries to come. What chance
would labor have against the edicts and pronunciamentos of military
autocracy? What chance for the forces of evolution against this fear-
some, frightful, murderous machine? A philosophy based upon the right
of a few to rule and fenquer should find no place in the minds of liberty-
loving men. It was to escape the tyranny of this military madness that
millions of Germans emigrated to our fair land. It is a matter of par-
ticular pride that approximately 20,000 members of our organization have
enlisted in the military forces of our nation. Our hearts go with them
across tHe sea, and we know that these heroes of ours, who have faced
Che perils of the mines year in and year out, risking their lives in the
production of coal, will not be found wanting when they face the foreign
foe. While we are earnestly desirous of peace, we recognize that it
is unattainable as long as the German emperor and his cohorts seek to
dominate and force upon the world the creed that "might makes right,"
and- that the power of the sword shall decide all issues that may arise
between the nations of the world.
From the beginning of the war we have pledged our loyal and enthu-
m
siastic support to our government. The International Executive Board
has exonerated from the payment of dues all members who enlist in
the service of the country. We have a big part to play in this war.
Let OS ever remember that the coal miner is as necessary as the soldier
L '
40
in this great battle for universal liberalism. Permit me to quote the
language of President Wilson, which I think is very apropos:
"To the miner let me say that he stands where the farmer does;
the work of the world waits on him. If he slacks or fails armies and
statesmen are helpless. He also is enlisted in the grreat service
army."
Let us, in this convention, go on record in no uncertain terms,
strongly pledging ourselves and our great organization to the high pur-
poses of our nation.
NATURALIZATION OP MEMBERS.
I have long held the idea that something should be done by our
organization to assist our foreign-bom members to' become citizens of our
country, and I think the time is peculiarly appropriate for us to take
some action upon this important matter. It is a well-known fact that fL
large per cent, of our membership are not citizens of this country. I
believe -this is due to the fact that no aid or encouragement is given by
our organization to our foreign-bom members to induce them to take
out their citizenship papers. I feel that those w^ip enjoy the privileges
and opportunities of America should become full-fledged citizens of our
country. In line with this thought I recommend that we incorporate in
the Order of Business of every local union the following language: "Are
there any members present who desire to become citizens of the United
States?" And further, that each local union appoint a committee of
three, to be known as the Committee on Naturalization, whose duty it
shall be to assist our foreign-bom members to obtain information con-
cerning our naturalization laws, and that this committee lend every
assistance possible to these members and encourage and aid them to
become citizens of the United States.
CONCLUSION.
This will, no doubt, be the most important convention in the history
of our organization. This is the first convention held since our country's
entrance into the war, and there are many questions growing out of the
war that this delegate body will be called upon to decide. We can well
feel proud of the progress our organization has made. As can be seen
by the report of the Secretary-Treasurer, we have added many thousands
41
of members to our union during the past two years. We have, as you
know, established universal mine run, extended the principle of the eight-
hour work day practically throughout our entire jurisdiction, and have
secured three substantial wage advances since our last biennial conven-
tion. I trust, in the legislation we enact, we shall measure up to the
high opinion the American public has always entertained toward our
organization.
To my associate officers, the board members and field workers, I ten-
der my deep appreciation for the support and co-operation they have so
generously given me in all the various activities of my office. I feel
sure this convention appreciates the great responsibilities devolving upon
it, and I express the hope that good will and harmony will prevail
among all the delegates here assembled.
I now ask your earnest co-operation in the conduct of the affairs df
this great and important convention.
Respectfully submitted,
FRANK J. HAYES,
President.
REPORT OF VICE-PRESIDENT JOHN L. LEWIS.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the United Mine Workers of America —
Greeting:
In conforming to the mandate which necessitates a report from the
Vice-President I am conscious of the fact that but a brief time has
elapsed since the retirement of former President White and my subse-
quent selection to fill the important office of Vice-President. However,
during the past two-year period I have been continuously engaged in
iPirork for the International organization and at the time of my appoint-
ment to the vic^presidency was serving as Statistician and Business
Manager of the Journal.
A great deal of my time has been devoted to field work wherein I
have rendered assistance in the general campaign of organization in the
non-union fields. I have attended all the interstate and many of the
district wage conferences, as well as frequent and extended govern-
mental conferences, and have addressed many meetings in different parts
of our great jurisdiction. A detailed chronological report on these mat-
42
ters would be burdensome indeed- to you and serve no particular neces-
sity. Accordingly, I shall content myself with comment on some few
matters which I feel to be of interest and importance to our membership.
WAGE INCREASES.
Since and beginning with the year 1912 the United Mine Workers
have secured wage advances for the period ranging from 30 per cent, to
104 per cent on different classifications of labor. Our union has been
successful in securing wages that rightfully place the earning power of
the mine workers on a par with the other stable unions comprising the
American labor movement The establishment of universal mine run,
the eight-hour day for anthracite mine workers, the reopening on two
occasions of our wage agreement during the life of the present contract
and the resulting substantial increases from the special conferences held
are achievements which firmly establish the prestige and strength of the
United Mine Workers of America. In no two-year period in the history
of our organization has equal progress been accomplished; in fact, the
success won by the mine workers served as an inspiration to the mem-
bers of other international trade unions and they pointed out to their
employers our successes as reasons why their membership should receive
increased wages and better conditions of employment.
It is argued by some that the opening of a wage agreement and the
increasing of wages during the term of a contract is a policy fraught
«
with grave danger. They reason that if an agreement can be opened to
secure an increase that the precedent thereby established is in reality
an invitation to the coal operators to demand a lowering of wage sched-
ules in periods of depression in the coal industry.
I am firmly convinced that such opinions are mistaken ones. If we
maintain our strong union in the future as we have in the past (and I
am confident we will), and continue to prosecute strong organizing cam-
paigns in the 'unorganized coal fields, I feel sure there is no power strong
enough to dislodge our institution from the achievements we have won
or to compel our members to labor under conditions which are worse than
those of the present day.
f
We must oppose sternly a return to the demoralized competitive
conditions previously existing in the industry. By every reason of right
coal should bring a market price sufficient to enable the producer to make
43
a ifjiir profit and pay the miners wages commensurate with the highest
^SL^es paid in any other industry. Likewise the conditions of employ-
m^nt^ must continually improve, and regardless of the cost the mines of
tfiis country must be made more sanitary and safer for life and limb.
Too long our members have suffered under the cut^throat competitive
conditions of a stagnated and disorganized coal industry. To prevent,
^y^^w^ the industrial life of the nation is restored to normal, the return
of ^^Jfri ^ deplorable situation existing prior to 1916 is the present and con-
tJ*^^»OTis work confronting our union.
ORGANIZATION OF NON-UNION FIELDS.
Xt is my unalterable conviction that there should be no cessation of
^^ ^^eat work of organizing the non-union fields. It is indeed impera-
^v^ that effort, greater than ever before, be put forth. As our union
'^Bsc^ in power and influence so should the continuous pressure upon
^^^^ fields become more and more powerful. It is a startling commen-
^V upon present-day conditions that in certain sections of our country^
Ibe iKHi-union coal operator still rules in his mountain fastnesses, like
the feudal overlords of old with but a brutal concept of human rights
which violates every moral consideration and ruthlessly throttles the
ideals of democracy.
Remarkable progress in organizing work has been made during the
past biennial period. Thousands of mine workers in these territories
now enjoy the blessings of our union, but scores of thousands are yet
denied that privilege and the work of organizing must go on and on,
regardless of cost and effort, until their freedom is assured and these
citadels of oppression fall.
The difficult task of our corps of organizers in carrying on their
^eat work und^ the most distressing conditions is not fully appreciated
or comprehended by the majority of our members. Laboring in isolated
communities where they arc often denied even food and shelter; handi-
capped and persecuted by the almost satanic ingenuity of the shameless
agents of the non-union coal operators; insulted, abused, beaten and
offered every personal indignity by murderous mine guards, their lot is
far from being an easy one. Long absences from home in the field de-
prive them of the joys and comforts of family life. Only the greatest
loyalty to our cause and our union makes it possible for men to serve
44
under these conditions. To our organizers we owe a debt of latitude
and a high place on the roll of honor.
The seeds of hope and ambition constantly being planted by these
ardent advocates of justice and freedom are daily taking root. Thou-
sands of men now working in peace and happiness in union fields owe
their first inspiration to secret conferences held in the darkness of the
night with our intrepid organizers.
I am hereinafter r^idering a report bearing on matters of statistical
importance, which I feel is due because of my service as Statistician,
which position was vacated by me when I was selected as Vice-President.
While as previously set forth, most of my time has been spent in
field work, yet I have found time to compile the data used in our numer-
ous wage conferences and have taken advantage of such opportunity ^
was afforded me to prepare a report for this convention in conformity
with the constitution. Likewise I am rendering a full account of my
stewardship as Manager of the United Mine Workers' Journal.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN L. LEWIS,
Vice-President.
MINERS IN SERVICE.
The United Mine Workers have just cause to feel proud of the
unbounded patriotism proved by the enlistment of 19,135 members in
the nation's service and 60,604 subject to draft.
The largest number of men in service of any organization or industry
is our proud boast.
From the reports received from 544 locals, the transportation system
seems to have been the only branch of mine service in which a shortage
of men could be claimed, and such claims were limited to a comparatively
few localities.
In many localities reports indicated crowded conditions in the mines
notwithstanding a liberal response to the government's call for men.
Many of the returns came in too late to be included in the tabulation,
but in every instance the basic averages upon which the grand total found
was predicated proved to be substantially correct.
rO DRAFT BY STATES
■7
I
.-ii
iVer
MewYorK ji?^^(
^ .. . iConn *>
Pennsylvania \^^,.—
i »
_ - - - ^
- - - \
:vi Carolina _ )
rolina v
loritld
45 .
Other international unions are conducting investigations to ascertain
just how many and what percentage of their membership have volun-
teered, have been drafted and are subject to draft, and no doubt when
all have finished gathering this information a joint arrangement will
provide for the publication of Labor's part and patriotism in the war.
A table and illustrated map showing the number volunteered, drafted
and subject to draft, by districts and states, will be found embodied in
this reiK>rt.
Pennsylvania, with five districts, leads in furnishing men in about the
same ratio that she leads in coal production, with a total volunteered and
drafted of 8,302 and subject to draft, 23,537. Illinois is second with 3,269
volunteered and drafted and 13,863 subject to draft.
The following table lists the number by states:
State. Membership.
Alabama 5,885
Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. . . 14,632
Colorado and New Mexico 5,213
Illinois 87,189
Indiana .' 24,649
Iowa 13,288
Kansas 9,231
Western Kentucky 4,446
Maryland 2,512
Michigan 2,005
Missouri 7,945
Montana 3,971
Ohio 40,553
Pennsylvania 145,423
Tennessee and Eastern Kentucky . . 12,322
Washington 5,591
West Virginia 18,510
Wyoming 6,949
Total 410,314
Volunteered
Subject
and drafted.
to draft.
253
1,083
576
2,086
328
608
3,269
13,863
788
3,471
460
671
392
1,707
104
742
152
232
34
322
373
636
176
664
1,561
7,129
8,302
23,537
702
1,910
269
985
1,036
3,527
360
1,431
19,135
64,604
46
CAR SHORTAGES.
From the results shown by the table opposite there can be no qaes-
tion but what the members of the United Mine Workers would have
produced in excess of 50,000,000 additional tons of coal during 1917 had
the railroads provided an adequate car supply. The railroads giving as
a reason financial stress permitted coal car equipment to deteriorate;
consequently when the demand for coal reached abnormal proportions
what had been pointed out by close observers happened — ^there waa an
insufficient car supply, to meet the demand. The miners were blamed
for taking the usual holidays and even for not working in cases of
explosions by many who felt the coal shortage and who hastily placed
the blame, without investigation, upon the mine workers.
The following comparative results of the car shortage reported by
the local unions responding to the car shortage questionnaire is proof
positive that the blame for the present coal famine rests squarely upon
the railroads.
OHIO — Out of a membership of 40,553, embraced in 450 local uniona,
53 locals reported, with 6,593 members, loss of time due to car shortages
the equivalent of 1,521,588 tons.
ILLINOIS — Out of a membership of 87,189, embraced in 307 local
unions, 38 locals, with 12,137 members, reported loss of time due to car
shortages the equivalent of 2,314,273 tons.
PENNSYLVANIA (bituminous)— Out of a membership of 79,982,
embraced in 422 local unions, 44 locals, with a membership of 8,762» re-
ported loss of time due to car shortagres the equivalent of 1,228,608 tons.
INDIANA— Out of a membership of 24,649, embraced in 202 local
unions, 29 locals, with a membership of 4,627, reported loss of time due
to car shortages the equivalent of 1,123,315 tons.
By figuring the basic averages for all union coal fields for reported
loss of production due to car shortages it is estimated that the per
capita producing power of the 410,000 union miners was reduced approxi-
mately 82.7 tons per man employed, aggregating a total loss of 86,760,715
tons.
TABLE SHOW^EOT TO DBAFT.
9
The following t^04, and the averages found ap-
plied to the U. S. Od to draft 64,604. The figures in
this report are for tl
Membership of firafted, volunteered and subject
to draft, but are not £2 in both estimate and table, as
the strike has been f^^ing dues. The Canadian mem-
bership of 4,969 is not
i
S STATE! ;•§ llgSg^N i^U^^
£62
0U
?12 5«-«.^"2'SS 5*-"22
ISSN'S 2!
1. Pennsylvania .^5.84 1,598 4,364
2. Pennsylvania .4^.57 2,930 8,371
5. Pennsylvania .^7.90 2,094 6,247
6. Ohio 47.68 1,661 7,129
7. Pennsylvania .^
at. IS ::::::po8 788 3.471
9. Pennsylvania .J9. 1,040 2,213
10. V^ashington 4
12. Illinois 45.9 3.269 13.863
13. Iowa 45.05 460 671
14. Kansas -IS.SO 392 1,707
15. Colorado J 1.67 328 608
16. Maryland J9.24 152 232
17. Weet Virginia -.7.70 695 2,471
18. ' British Columb
19. Tennessee & £. 5.05 702 1,910
20. Alabama i^'^^ ^^ ^-^^
21. Okla., Ark., Tej 4.26 576 2,086
22. Wyoming J2.O6 360 1,431
23. West. Kentuck3^6.70 104 742
24. Michigan 46.IO 34 322
25. Missouri 4 8 373 636
26. Nova Scotia...J
27. Montana J 6.73 176 664
28. Vancouver Islaij
29. West Virginia.^3.17 341 1,066
}7.62 18,226 61,277
4
The U. S. Geologic^al industry in the United States, as
against 734,008 in 1915, a!
Districts 8 and 11,-1
District 7 (anthraoj
In arriving at the Reported in each district, as they had
already left for training drted, th« total volunteered and drafted
already in the service waj
If the draft has opind drafted totals 33,525. The number
subject to draft totals Ills reported by the Geological Survey.
Many blanks werejdicated that the basic averages upon
which this report is tab
In the anthracite
Officials of the minf that a good percentage are eligible
under Gantiia's recently
• ■ 47
COAL PRODUCTION IN 1917.
Fibres furnished by the Geological Survey, subject to revision,
estimate the bituminous coal production of 1917 to be approximately
544,142,000 tons, which represents an increase over 1916 of 8 3/10 per
cent., or practically 42,000,000 tons.
The 1917 coal production steadily exceeded that of 1916 as reported
by weeks from February 15 until October 13, when congested traffic
caused the car shortage to reach its^ maximum.
From October 27 to November 10, the comparative production was
about equal to that of 1916. Fi'om November 10 to December 8, 1917,
coal production showed a slight increase, but another drop occurred which
reached the low point the week ending December 15, when the average
production per day reached the low figure of approximately 1,400,000
tons, as against the high peak of production in the week ending December
14 and the week ending November 10, when approximately 1,900,000 tons
of coal were produced per work day.
ANTHRACITE.
Anthracite coal production for the year was estimated at approxi-
mately 80,000,000 tons. The Anthracite Bureau of Information, main-
tained by the anthracite operators, estimated an increased production of
61,000 tons during October, with a shortage of 25,000 miners. This feat,
and the fact that during the Christmas week period the bituminous mines
showed an average production every work day of 1,793,000 torn?, establish
beyond doubt the loyalty of the mine workers, who were willing to sacri-
fice their usual holidays to stimulate and increase per capita production
to meet the nation's coal requirements.
MINE FATAUTIES DURING 1916 AND 1917.
The Bureau of Mines reported twenty-two mine explosions during
1916 tp December 20, 1917, in which five or more men were killed. The
total reported killed in the twenty-two accidents was 417. The explo-
sions at the Old Ben, Nemo and Zeigler mines listed in the table opposite
are still under investigation and it is possible there may be slight changes
in the number of fatalities.
The total number of mine fatalities from all causes from January,
1916, to August, 1917, was 2,904. The following table sub-divides the
fatalities by causes:
48
MINE FATALITIES BY CAUSES, 1916.
Fatalities due to falls of roof and coal 1,064
Fatalities due to mine cars and locomotives 462
Fatalities due to gas and coal-dust explosions 226
Fatalities due to explosives 148
Fatalities due to electricity 97
Total 1,997
MINE FATALITIES BY CAUSES, 1917.
Fatalities due to falls of roof and coal, January to August (inclu-
sive), 1917 446
Fatalities due to mine cars and locomotives, January to August (in-
clusive), 1917 219
Fatalities due to gas and coal-dust explosions, January to August
(inclusive), 1917 166
Fatalities due to explosives, January to August (inclusive), 1917. . . 33
Fatalities due to electricity, January to Aug^ust (inclusive), 1917. . . 43
Total 907
TABlinoVEBSBEB, 1917.
Table Bhowmjfting November 1, 1917, for the United States
only. No local un^ the joint questionnaire to ascertain number
of men in military Jconfined to a membership of 289 locals, re-
ported an aggre^^af ing method of computation was employed :
*• ^- — 250 men lostKological Survey's report for 1915 was four
tons per man per a
o
Z
4
4
1.
2.
5.
6.
7.
9.
10.
8-11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
27.
29.
STATE <
I
i
i
Pennsylyania ^
Pennaylvania ^
Pennsylvania -.^
Ohio jj
Pennsylvania ^A
Pennsylvania »i
Washington .:.-«
Indiana •
Illinois ^ -i'
Iowa
Kansas
Colorado
Maryland ^
West Virginia ^
Tennessee
Alabama
Ark., Okla., T
Wyoming
West. Kentuck,
Michigan
Missouri
Montana
West Virginia-^
More than 100 locals of the 544 reporting re-
plied that they had no record of days lost due to
car shortages, and in manfy Inst&nces the com-
panies by whom they were employed absolutely
refused to give this Information from their rec
ords. Practically every anion reporting in Ala-
bama complained' ot the companies' attitude in
refusing to co-operate.
Therefore, the estimate* of the aggregate loss
of coal production based on the averages obtained
from the informtfUon in this table will be far
under the actual loss of coal production due to
car shortages.
The total membership of the districts reporting
In response to the Joint questionnaire Is 391,431:
103.404 is the total membership of the local unions
reporting from these districts.
8,567,883 Tons is the tonnage loss due to car
ffhortages reported, making an average loss per
man for the eleven months of 82.7 tons.
This average Jipplled to the 391,431 members of
districts reporting would mean a loss of 32.371,34<
tons for eleven months; average loss per month
2.797.612. Or for twelre- months, loss. 35.168.956.
Applied to total membership of the United Mine
Workers in the United States, 410,314. means a
loss of 33,932.968 tons for the eleven months, or
for twelve raonthis. average loss per month, 2,827.-
747; twelve montha' loss, 36,760,715.
If all local unions reporting wht)se membership
had suffered Idleness due to car shortages had kept
records, there can be no questioning the fact that
the loss of coal production due to car shortages
would have exceeded 60,000.000 tons during the
twelve months* period.
No reports received of Canadian ear shortages.
/
49
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El
TABLE SHOWING GROWTH OP MGHBEHtSHIP.
October, 1910-October, 1917.
The following table shows the increase in membership by districts
for the seven-year period beginning with October, 1910, and ending with
October, 1917.
Total increase in membership for the period named, all districta,
was 179,246, exclusive of all exonerations. A percentage increase of
75.98.
District 1, Pennsylvania:
October, 1910 4,930
October, 1917 27,550
' Increase
increase 22,^20 458.82%
October, 1910 31,38»
October, 1917 46,082
Increase
increase 13,743 43.85%
October, 1910 34^62
October, 1917 34,900
Increase
increase 338 .97%
October, 1910 32,628
October, 1917 40,553
Increase
increase 7,925 24.29%
October, 1910 2,078
October, 1917 13,292
Increase
increase 11,214 539.65%
October, 1910 : . 1,365
October, 1917 1,098
Decrease
decrease 257 23.4%
mmk
October, 1910 3,078
October, 1917 24,599
Increase
21,621 699.18%
District 10, Washington:
October, 1910 " 4,i69
October, 1917 6,691
increase 1,132
District 11, Indiana:
October, 1910 16,449
October, 1917 28,661
increase 7,102
October. 1910 61,718
October, 1917 87,189
increase 36,471
October. 1910 17,660
October, 1917 13,288
decrease .■ 4.262
October, 1910 4,162
October. 1917 9,231
increase 5.079
October, 1910 187
October, 1917 5,213
increase 5,026
October. 1910
October, 1917 2,512
increase 2,512
9 Virginia:
October, 1910 2,085
October, 1917 13,953
increase 11,868
Columbia; '
October, 1910 3,753
October, 1917 4,810
increase 1,057
Increase
43.18%
Decrease
24.28<%
Increase
122.32%
Increase
669.2%
Increoae
28.17%
r
^strict 19, Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee:
October, 1910 726
October, 1917 12,322
increase 11,S96
October, 1910 198
October, 1917. .■ 5,885
increase 6,687
^>^ Oklahoma and Texas:
October, 1910 4,604
October, 1917 14,632
increase 10,028
October, 1910 5,968
October, 1917 6,949
increase 991
"**»'3HH Ktmtuclcy:
October, 1910 6,612
October, 1917 4,446
decrease 1,066
ober, 1910 2,632
ober, 1917 2,005
/^ decrease 527
»ber, 1910 2,445
bober 1917 7,945
^ icrease 5,600
ctober, 1910 889
ctober, 1917
decrease 889
ober, 1910 2,868
ober, 1917 3,971
increase 1,113
Increase
1,597.24%
Increase
2,872.2%
Incr^se
217^%
Increase
16.6%
Decrease
19.4%
Decrease
20.81%
Increase
224.9%
Increase
38.9470
• •
54
District 28, Canada:
Membership October, 1910
Membership October, 1917 169
Membership increase 1S9
District 29, West Virgrinia :
Membership October, 1910
Membership October, 1917 4,557
Membership increase 4,557
Local Union 828, Indianapolis, Ind.:
Membership October. 1910 14
Membership October, 1917 22
Total membership October, 1910 236,059
Total membership October, 1917 415,305
Increase
Membership increase 179,246 75.98%
Per capita receipts for October, 1917, showed a total paid-up mem-
bership of 405,025. Adding 10,280 members exonerated in Eastern Ken-
tucky and Tennessee, who will start paying dues in November as a* result
of the successful termination of their strike, makes a total of 415,305.
The settlement of the Alabama controversy will likely show an addi-
tional increase of from 10,000 to 15,000 men.
THE COST OF LIVING.
Bountiful crop yields, that in ordinary times would have sent food
prices downward, failed to relieve the American worker from his seem-
ingly perpetual game of "pinch living" during the past two years.
Prices of all food commodities have fluctuated around 50 to 100 per
cent, above normal times. To attempt to accurately report increases
month by month, to arrive at definite knowledge, ascertaining the margin
of retailers' and wholesalers' profits on top of the profit naturally result-
ing to the producer, is a task that would keep the largest department
clerical force of the government overtaxed, and even then it is doubtful
whether the result could be used for basic comparisons when completed.
Every one in every station of life is constantly complaining of the
high cost of living, and not only the high cost but the nation-felt shortage
of food as well.
Food control has not yet produced the working efficiency predicted
when Hoover assumed the directorship. Neither the producers, manu-
56
factorers, retailers, wholesalers or the people have yet adjusted them-
selves to the new order of things. How and when prices are to be regu-
lated so as to enable the average wage to. provide a fairly decent table
and meet all other of life's necessary expenses is still a matter of con-
jecture-
Like the gentleman from Georgia, the people can well inquire:
"Where are we at?"
DOLLAR HAS LESS THAN HALF BUYING POWER BEFORE WAR.
Ever soaring food costs can best be determined by a summary of
Bradstreet's review of food prices for the year, which follows:
[Bradstreet's.]
Perhaps no single development of the year surpassed the record made
by prices of commodities. The deficient food harvests of 1916, which
fell one-fifth below those of 1915, were only partly responsible for the
aeroplane-like flight of prices. Foreign demand, sharpened by lessened
yields, especially of grain abroad, was very large, while our own or our
allies' calls for all sorts of war supplies — cotton and woolen cloth, leather,
iron, steel, coal, copper, lumber, provisions of all kinds, chemicals and
drugs— drove prices to unexampled heights. Nearly all civil war records
of food prices were broken; wheat sold up to $3.50 a bushel; com to
$2.45; oats to 93 cents; flour, $17 a barrel; hogs, $20 a 100 pounds, live
weight; lard, 29 cents a pound; pork, $53 a barrel; refined sugar, $8.40
a hundred pounds; pig iron, $55, and steel, $100 a ton; lead, 12 cents;
tin, 91 cents; copper, 34 cents; cotton, 31.25 cents, and print cloths, S'i
cents a yard; and, indeed, the list of articles advancing to dizzy heights
^^as a virtual roll call of the products of farm, forest, mine and factory.
Most of these peak points were reached in the fore part of the year,
*^d food and fuel control undoubtedly held down prices later; still only
^^'^'^e of the thirteen groups of commodities failed to reach peak points
'^ 1017. Hence it was that the general price level as shown by Brad-
^tr^e^^fg index numbers of commodities went up steadily month by month
j^^o-^agrhout the year; that the advance from January to December was
cent.; that the advance over August 1, 1914, was 105 per cent.,
ore than doubling since the war began. In other words, the buying
of the dollar today is less than half what it was at the outbreak
"^^e war, and only one-third what it was in the low- water-mark year
66
1896. The yearly index numbers, reflecting: as they do the average for
the entire year, do not show as (preat a grain, but still the 1917 number
is 75 per cent in advance of that of 1914.
CAR SHORTAGE CAUSE OF MANY INFLATED PRICES.
Congested traffic, car shortages, priority orders of munition ship-
ments, and the never before equaled transportation demands made upon
the railroads have produced actual shortages in cities and communities
of such articles as sugar, flour, milk^ etc., when in fact the^ are stores
of these products sufficient to meet every need.
Such shortages have invariably resulted in increased profiteering by
the merchants. To stop such practices, to regulate transportation pro-
portionately so as to eliminate recurrences of unnecessary shortages, is
the trial test for the Federal Food Control plan.
War duty of every citizen bids each to do his full part towards food
conservation. Grinding toil to produce the implements of warfare de-
mands food in plenty at prices sufficiently reasonable to permit the
worker's wag^e to purchase in quality and quantity his just share, and
should and must be the basis of improved regulations.
Limitations of profit to producer and all middlemen, even though it
be necessary to close shop for thousands to reduce handling costs and
overhead expenses, may be the plan eventually adopted. There are too
many food dispensaries. The standard profits are too larg^. Out of
the experience that we are now passing through I feel confident that the
future bids fair to remedy wholesale defects in our present system of
marketing foods.
We must be alert that wage earner reaps the benfits.
ALLEGED LABOR SHORTAGE SERIOUS PROBLEM FOB LABOR.
Labor unions have a serious problem to meet in the labor shortage
"bugaboo" being talked overtime by Chambers of Commerce, Boards of
Trade, profiteering manfuacturers, et al., who are not suffering from an
inability to secure workers, but who seek to hold wag^es down to the
lowest level.
Even in the coal industry operators are crying man shortage. YET IT
IS ESTIMATED THAT WITH THE SAME FORCE OF MINERS AND
MINE LABORERS EMPLOYED IN AND ABOUT THE MINES, WITH-
OUT THE ADDITION OF NEW MACHINERY, MORE THAN 920,000,-
57
000 TONS OP COAL CAN BE PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES
ANNUALLY, AN EXCESS PRODUCTION OF 3,000,000 TONS OVER
AMERICA'S MAXIMUM DEMAND.
The cry of "labor shortage" was heard long before the United States
^i^tered the war. Industries which persisted in maintaining low wages
ft^ered the competition of munition plants. Business heads who have
bought to sell labor rather than commodities, especially those employing
^on-union labor, are determined to break down the barriers to Asiatics,
^Ji order to keep wages down. Emissaries are at work at Washington to
^f^te this menace to American workers. Already they have succeeded
^^ inducing the government to make plans for an investigation. If the
*^de union movement is not awake, if we do not participate in seeing
^t this investigation is thorough and the truthful findings honestly
sported, the American worker will find himself engulfed in competition
^^h Asiatic labor, and this will mean deterioration in present wage
^<* living standards.
^1
en.
WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEING DONE.
1'he government is preparing to make a nation-wide survey of facts
lug to the need and supply of labor.
Senator Gallinger, of New Hampshire, has introduced a bill providing
l^^portation of Chinese during the period of the war.
^^apan would immediately violate her "gentlemen's agreement" and
^^ that her industrious sons be permitted like entrance.
Xn many sections where the cry of labor shortage has been loud for
farmers report greatly increased harvests and manufacturing
rises increased outputs.
A. F. OF L. INVESTIGATION.
X>uring the recent convention of the American Federation of Labor I
on a committee appointed for the express purpose of investigating
shortages. Previously the executive council had taken the matter
nd and by investigation and thorough questionnaires had secured a
deal of direct information which enabled the committee to get at
"truth or falsity of the cry.
^o better survey is at hand, and in order that the delegates may
the full benefit of the A. F. of L. findings, I herewith reproduce
"Import read and adopted by the Buffalo convention.
58
REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ALLEGED SHORTAGE
OP LABOR.
The entire labor policy of the United States during the war depends
upon the supply of wage-workers. If there is a sufficient number of men
to answer the demands of any branch of industry usually employinjBT
men, there is plainly no need to call upon women to replace men. If by
efficiently distributing the unemployed to the point ^^ere labor is actu-
ally needed the supply can be made to equal the demand, no extraordinary
measures need be taken anywhere to obtain needed human power.
It is of fundamental importance to this country to start right in this
matter of national policy. Every step to be taken now and in the future
in the course of the war depends on getting at the undeniable facts rela-
tive to the supply of labor. So long as there is an unemployed, or par-
tially unemployed, reserve to be drawn upon, there will evidently be no
need to depart from the present standards of wages, hours, conditions
and undilutionn, as reco^niized by organized labor.
On this ^xvat problem the trade unions have begun fair. By reso-
lutions formally adopted at their conventions, and by their consistent
action since the outbreak of the war, they have placed their membership
m n patriotic attitude toward the government. Their officials have with-
out exception continually assisted the public authorities by every means
possible in the Rroat W(»rk of preparation for the war. The departments
of the irovernment at Washington and in the various states have called
upon the trade union of!)ciuls for the service of information, advice and
supply of wajre-workers Thert* has come from the ranks of the wage-
workers no demand fiu' exemption from draft by class, nor for any
exceptional advantage.
On the other hand, it Is regrettable to record that a sufficient number
cf employers, aided by tliose ne\VHpa|H^r« which act as their publicity
agents, and aUo by aupertlclul newspapt^rs which habitually sacrifice
truth for sensation, have haateneil to misrt^present the volume of the
labor supply of the country and to assume that our Government must
hurry on to the piMnt at which, in imitation of Great Britain, male labor
must be n^plac^ by female, skilled labor dilute^i by unskilled, the age
at which children may l>e en^ploytnl redui^eii. and the workday for all
classes of labor extended to a p\»int which would brt»ak down the health
and efficiency of workers, rroceetlinkf with their t>aseless assumptions
59 •
and selfish ar^ments, these spokesmen are today talking of conscripting
labor; of putting labor in uniform; of placing all labor under the same
discipline and regulation as the soldiers at the front.
The uninformed and to a considerable extent the uninquiring public
is in danger of being deceived by the employers' cry of shortage of
labor. Legislative bodies may be influenced in turn by what may appear
to be a general conclusion that there is such shortage. The time for
organized labor to fight to get at the truth and before the country is
now!
The only correct interpretation of the term "labor shortage" is that
situation in which the number of positions to be filled exceeds the number
of applications for work in all classes.
Your committee herewith submits a body of facts to show that not
only is there not in any degree a labor shortage according to this defini-
tion, but with the exception of a few classifications, brought into exist-
«ice through war c6nditions, there is in no region of the entire country
a lack of labor seeking employment.
To come at once to the facts: The October number of the American
Federationst contains a review of the labor situation of the country,
made up of the substance of reports from Federal Departments, State
Labor Bureaus, State employment agencies and competent public ob-
servers, which warranted the conclusion that the cry of a scarcity of
labor was false, lacking in particulars that could be substantiated, and
untruthfully promoted for selfish purposes. Further to ascertain the
facts in the matter, President Gompers sent out a letter on October 12
to a certain number of Central Labor Unions, especially in the industrial
cities, and to international unions, particularly those making war sup-
plies.
Replies have been received to date from twenty-eight international
^ons, with a paid-up membership of 922,400 in the American Federation
^^ X^bor. Members of your Committee of Inquiry have also consulted,
^'^Hng the sessions of this convention, with the delegates of unions prob-
*^ representing 500,000 other members. The written replies, without
'^^^"^tition, state that there is no shortage of labor among their member-
•!>• The grreat unions whose members are to supply the skilled labor
Construction, in making uniforms and in transportation, all declare
they have unemployed members who may be turned to the service
60
,-..,.. ••.••v*»»- *- **•> ivint nt any time. There are mining: districts
^ ^ ^.. tta-o Nvt ami shoe and other factories either closed
■ ii.v. .«« >-.*i>ni«'nts and other building operations just finished
,.,..% »:, v''..'*' <»jnu*n! factories with tens of thousands of un-
^. ,^, * . ■*. iv? «v* avoiding the employment of skilled machin-
.1 .-. .*w U-uvlcM concerned stands ready to supply labor from
■ * viMci«|iK».vod.
.•»... •■ \'^ *«x *'»«ios the Central Labor bodies report no shortage of
, . . > t rii*to I'itirM represent all parts of the country, from coast
... ,.M r^.tnimtc of the wage workers in the area of each city
, . , . ..ii'.^i irui'hoH nearly one million. Not represented in this
. . », i.»u'*''«l rities: New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston,
, , , ..k t HuiN. in each of which laborers by the thousands can be
^ , , »« -ui\ •iit»e for any work. One New York daily newspaper
. ,.u^ «iiiiiiiiiii*(! 700 "situations wanted" advertisements, not count-
, ,.. (iMititiNiiicnt agencies.
x^.i« (III If ii'pIieH to the letter of inquiry brought reports of local
-, (»u-*- **<**' '^'' "^ these were in the vicinity of cantonments under
.».,,n, (It'll <'Mi" <»f the smallest international unions, the Wire Weav-
,,.|«.iiiiil ••II '!>« members at work and a need of more.
\ n |il\ I Mini one of the organizers of this Federation tells the story
, .till III* It i" Newark, N. J., hired by a bogus employment agent to
II, H><Hii *-"''' "' '*" imaginary aeroplane factory in Baltimore. These
tui H l">l'l ''"'' f '"M.sportation and agent's fee to find themselves in a
luMih' '"^ v^Hliout employment. A reply from Denison, Texas, tells
., tlt» t iiii'i'iVKKiil of women at $.S0 per month to replace men doing
il,, ,iHin' ^"»l' "* ^*"»^ a month. Lewiston, Mont., reports farm hands
. , ,ili 1. 1 HI J '»' if't*n\ supply. Shoe workers in Salem, Mass., are on half
j,,„, M.iii-«i. li, Wis., reports no shortage in wood-working, the main
t.>..il uiii""y l<t;annke, Va., reports women garment workers working
1,1, |ii>iii> t»tt '\ I. Ni'w York, the women's garment workers* local unions
,,j,».|J I" * J- ''•> per cent, closed. Gloversville, N. Y., reports glove
,„ili I" •"•' "' '^'"l^- Hudson, X. Y., reports that if an American applies
l, t •• )"•' "" " ':■ '"> work; if a poor foreigner applies, there is work at
I,. It wiifc" • ' •Miiii'llsville, Pa.: In a strike of railways clerks the
,,t.u. ji.tjH •■ lip'Titci: "All place.? promptly filled in one day." Kansas
v.)i>. ivlo "AM v;u-a?u'i<'.s promptly filled." Detroit, Mich.: "Thousands
61
of workers walking the streets." Dayton, O.: "The scarcity of labor cry
is another trick of the common enemy to tear down standards." Canton,
O.: "Carpenters and painters are taking jobs at common labor." Fitch-
burg, Mass.: "The only firm advertising is one notoriously opposed to
organized labor. A foreman stated that the only reason women were
being employed was dollars and cents; that his firm could employ women
at $1.50 where they would have to pay men $2.25," Camden, N. J.:
**The potters of this city are only working half time." Norwich, Conn.:
''Any fair-minded employer will tell you he can get all the help he
wpnts." San Antonio, Texas: "Absolutely no foundation for the asser-
tion that a shortage of men exists." The foregoing are examples of
reports coming from all parts of the country in the letters from the
Central Labor Unions.
Letters from State labor bureau and employment agencies and other
authoritative sources fully confirm the statements of the labor organiza-
tions. From Ohio comes: "The Ohio employment bureaus raised 20,000
men for building the^Chillicothe cantonment; practically all of these men
were secured from the State of Ohio and without exception the industries
of the State were not at all disturbed. If Ohio can take 20,000 men and
center them in one place in the course of a few weeks without dislocating
the industries of the State, there is no reason why the Federal Govern-
ment should not be able to raise 100,000 men in the same time." During
the month of September the twenty-two State employment offices in Ohio
received 45,796 applications for work from the unemployed, of whom
26,576 were placed, leaving nearly 20,000 on the registry. A Federation
orgranizer reports that at one of the munition plants in New Jersey
between 200 and 300 men can be seen any day waiting at the gates to
apply for work; one morning 318 were counted. At the office of a.
Newark evening newspaper, at the time of the issue of the noon edition,
108 men were counted, waiting to be first to answer the "help wanted"
advertisements. Several of the reports from organizations declare that
companies are by settled policy hiring foreign labor and refuse to take
^fi AQ:iericans. From our Building Trades Department in Washington
°^ statement comes that a local contractor and builder who advertised
^^r 6O0 carpenters, when waited upon by a labor representative, said:
^^ -feave 100 now and we do not want any more."
le Commissioner of Labor of California and the President of the
62
^
California State Commission on Housing and Immigration both r^K>rted
in the summer no lack of labor in California for permanent employment;
for the brief periods of seasonal employment some care in distribution
was necessary. The editors of labor papers in fifty of the leading cities
of the country recently sent in testimony uniformly to the effect that
thousands of persons were advertising in those cities every week seeking
situations. The Director of the New York State Bureau of Employment
says: ''There is plenty of labor in this country to do the work there is
to be done, and there will be plenty of labor as long as the war lasts,
even if it lasts five yeara." *The Public Employment Bureau of Newark,
N. J., was recently asked to furnish 1,000 men for skilled and unskilled
work at a cantonment Within forty-eight hours the needed men were
gathered and on their way to work.
Nothing more significant in the abundance of unemployed labor in
this country can be had than what is shown in the "labor turnover'' of
many of the large firms which strive to obtain and overwork cheap labor.
(I^bor turnover is a soft phrase, meaning the merciless hiring and firing
of workmen.) The following testimony has come from the managers
of works from employment agencies, from trade union officials, from
published reports of labor innpoctors and similar authoritative sources:
Curtitis Aeroplane Comoany of Hammondsport and Buffalo, N. Y.: A
labor turnover of %H0 per cent, a month during several mcmths preceding
November 19, li>l7. Plerce-Arrow Automobile Company of Buffalo, N.
v.: A labor turnover from 15 to 22 per cent, a month for a period cover-
ing nine months previous to this date. The Amoskeag Manufacturing
Company of Manchester, N H., employing from 22.000 to 25,000 help, has
a labi^r turnover averaging over a perioii of the past five years from 54
to 79 per cent. The G. K. Keith i ompany of South Boston, Mass.: One
of the plants of this corporation, on the testimony of its treasurer, has a
labor turnover of 20 per rent, a month. The Denison Bfanufacturing
Compax^ of Kraniingham, Mass,, manufacturers of tags and paper ac-
cessories, reports a labor turnover, after seve^ral years of very careful
efforts to reduce it by enH^U\vnnent manag^^ment. of 46 per cent, a year.
Ttee records of a tirm reporting from IV^ Moine<». Iowa, show that 14,000
kelp were employeii in one year lo maintain a UU>r force of 3,000. The
Foi^ River Shipbuikiing: (VrporaMon of Vjuinv\v« Matits.: Hired 5,200 men
between May U. 1917, aint August U, 1917, to increase its labor force
68
from 3,600 to approximately 7,000. The Austin Company Building Cor-
poration: Following an efficiency system suggested by the Curtiss Aero-
plane Company, for which they are building a plant in Buffalo, has em-
ployed as many as eighty skilled mechanics .in a single day to increase its
working force nine men. This practice was kept up over a period of
several months. So common in Buffalo was the practice of advertising
for the semi-skilled or unskilled to come to fill places — ^presumably avail-
able— ^that skilled mechanics, of which there were an abundance in that
city, were forced to find employment two thousand miles away on govern-
ment jobs. The Detroit United Jlailways in nine and one-half months
engaged 2,612 men, a labor turnover of 300 a month, the men usually leav-
ing because of unsatisfactory working conditions. In the same city, at
the Ford plant, employing 38,000 men, the labor-turnover is only seven a
month.
That which employers and their, public spokesmen represent as
''shortage of labor" is, when sifted to the truth, almost invariably A
SHORTAGE OF OTHER ESSENTIALS in industry. For example, a
shortage of materials in the navy srards during the last year has been
translated by the press into a shortage of labor. In the new munitions
works in the course of construction, or nearly finished, there is fre-
quently a shortage of the machinery necessary to put labor at work.
Great new manufacturing establishments have been erected at points to
which the transportation of the employes is most difficult or impossible.
Uniforms are not finished at the time expected, simply because of a lack
of dyes or looms to produce the duck for tentage and leggings.
The lack of HOUSING, and not the lack of unemployed labor, keeps
men and women away from the manufactories and farms, which have
Joined in the shout of the shortage of labor. The following are extracts
from testimony taken before the Housing Committee, Committee on La-
^r. Advisory Commission, Council of National Defense, October 3, 1917:
Owing to the lack of housing the Remington Arms Company, Bridge-
.C^ort, Conn., lost two to three hundred men every week and had to send
^^gents out to replace them. A man would come in with his kit, work for
ro days and leave. Some men would not even open their kit; would
tleep in the station over night and leave. To keep a force of 10,000 men
plant had to go through the employment bureaus of 20,000 to 25,000
"^^len. A superintendent of the Sparrows Point plant, Maryland, Bethle-
64
hem Steel Company, said that to keep 3,200 men they had to ^et 12,600
through employment agencies. The Pennsylvania Railroad built tempo-
rary shacks in good sanitary condition and brought 16,000 negroes from
the South at a cost of $200 each. Two thousand left because they would
not live that way. President Gompers told this committee that nearly
60 per cent, of the men in the bulding trades were out of work. A wit-
ness said: Brick can be gotten. I had a survey east of the Mississippi
made and we can get 90,000,000 bricks for from $9 to |14 per thousand.
The bricklayers are here." The head of the Industrial Service Depart-
ment, Emergency Fleet Corporation, * testified: "I have just returned
from a two days' conference of shipbuilders in Boston. Every time the
question of shortage of labor and labor turnover came up the argument
went around in a circle and always landed on housing conditions. This
large turnover is due to inability of men not only to get decent accommo-
dations, but any accommodations." A representative of the Navy De-
partment employes at Newport, R. I.: ''We have been handicapped greatly
in production from lack of machinists. We could get plenty to come if
we had the proper housing facilities." The chairman of the Advisory
Commission stated: "On January 1 we are told that 5,000 more men will
be needed at Bridgeport with absolutely no place for them to live." The
chairman of the Sub-committee on Emergency Construction and Con-
tracts, General Munitions Board, said: "The labor turnover at Hampton
Roads is enormous. Steady men stay and they get the housing. The
floating element get hired and fired, and there is that exchange all the
time. There is a general complaint in all kinds of business about the
large turnover of labor at present."
The president of the Sparrows Point plant, Bethlehem Steel Com-
pany, testified: "Our facilities, our mechanical equipment, are adequate
for the employment of double the number of men we have been able to
gather and maintain. At present we have a working force of 3,200 to
3,500, but could keep employed to advantage 7,500. The chief handicap
to securing and maintaining more men is our location. It is eleven miles
by steam car from Baltimore to the plant, twelve by trolley, but because
of the frequent stops it takes from thirty- five to forty-five minutes to
make the trip, and to this must be added the time for the men to go from
their homes to the station or street cars. In this shipyard, with a pres-
ent working force of about 3,500 men, we had on January 1 about 2,900.
65
Since that time we have actually engaged and set at work 11,000 men,
^th only an increase in the permanent force of 300 to 400. We engaged
**iore men than that — actually engaged 18,000 — but some never
^^med up."
The following case in which the shortage of housing causes the
shortage of labor some from a special investigator of the Committtee on
*^bor, Council of National Defense:
"The Lincoln Motor Company wants twenty- five hundred to four
^OQsand operatives. Its machinery is not on hand, it cannot use any
operatives at this moment. If fortunate, it may begin taking them on in
Considerable numbers in a couple of weeks. Two weeks ago I saw acres
^^ floor space with only here and there a machine. The buildings were
■
'^^^tr finished." "A Rochester firm wants about three thousand workers.
*^^ directory of the New York State Employment Bureau, on having in-
^^^ ^^ made at the company office, was informed, 'We want three thousand
le.' Being told, 'Give me an order and I will get them quickly,* the an-
* was, 'We don't want them now, but very soon.' " "The Day ton- Wright
Tafb Company, Dayton, Ohio, call for very many people. Two weeks
their buildings were just completed and their wood-milling room
pretty well manned, but the rest of the factory was just beginning
ke on people." "A representative of the Hog Island Shipbuilding plant
»itly said: 'We want twenty-five thousand men.* A government
t replied: '111 get them for you right away.* (Answer.) *We don't
% them now, but soon. We want only one hundred immediately.* **
While it is true that the poorest classes of foreign-bom wage- work-
mostly those arriving in the two or three years previous to 1914,
I* ^ "^^^^<i the murderous conditions of work which their extreme poverty at
obliged them to accept, the proportion of them still constantly unem-
ed or partly employed is large. Investigation in American cities,
«e twenty in all, from Boston, Mass., to Kansas City, Mo., disclose the
that the Greek restaurant keepers, pool room operators, bootblack
ers and. fruit hucksters find no difficulty in keeping their working
, ~ "^^^^es, even at long hours and comparatively low wages, or to get such
r as they need, in the face of the declaration of great labor shortage
liese cities. Officials of the International Hodcarriers, Building and
mon Laborers assert that from their union thousands of men, usually
ians, can be offered to contractors at the present time providing
3 ^Miner Pro.
AV
f
44
that ^h« '^nndit.cn.) '«f ^.v;r Arfr ^ for czbsac SKiisg&. OSeUi of the
n^erfl^, 'ratfj«» ^7 v.ar. f-«^n: iui:«ir Heirev tmsju ^atj cmm pfaMe in li^t
var xiippiy wrvt.^ v.tr.o'^t ^ificsltj oce kcadrcd tkooBBBd Bcn and
v/>fr.^. a/:'''i.^V*rr^'i v« lic.lf i:!/ ^p^rvitnz sewing moAmm^ The uneeil-
lt»nK*r.» '^arr.^ v. ..'. v.^ oaI itAzuzij, oil icdastry. ead ia the imittg
mr/t or* 'jir.^'.r.r '-/v^-^par.ior.A 'i:AcIo«€ ihe fact cfeat sp KtH quite reeatly
Urar<t ar^r.ar.^ ^.f -.r.^<;..^ ;xn:arr&nt laborers vere sscd at s^eat riak to
i;.V a/v/i ...r.v. 4r.^ ^la*'./«rr V/ communities and coBseqoeet iaoeaaed ex-
y^r.vnK "A ^jt.^ "Aiykj^f-jt, TA-.rjAiiht of increased compeBaatmi deamad and
ry^p.^Ai %'<: -r^^: «!r/p^..%^., vhere the in trod action of mafhinery — ^whieh
»< r.^-" '^- r / >«^/t n'^^.fi tj^-it easily replaced, as it now has. Aeee labor-
Tft ^try, .? »< ..t^, Trjr',rAr*,':\ would have been put in charge, as they now
'f'^ «'/;k//*rr«i;'/r- '4 %hk num>>ers wanted or the indefiaitcnesa as to
V'^ \>ff^ wT;^r. rt\u^M, an wel) an repetitions in advertisuiff, enperiaHy in
r*n^ftiiu*^rx y/'/f k, nuj'i corifuffion in the problem of labor so|H»ly- Sxam-
'I h<? .*•'<"// Vork Hut/; friduHtrial Commission, Bureau of Emplojrment,
yUr/^wf^i-r I, r^l7, hayK: "Thft New York City newsp^iers pobliahed
fappar'-r.M/ 'jri'J'r ih'r authority of the United States Shipping Board)
fh" fft^t that t.h^ I'#,rt NVwark Terminal shipyards were ready to employ
1 >r,0->0 work "rat. A npot'iiir off<;r of the State Employment Bareaa to for-
. ^h ft j,^iru\»fT of rfK'fi MrHiilt'rH in the discovery that the Port Newark
t*.rff..r.it'. /;)r'U 'li'J not fM"'l ffj'fn; that they were daily turning away a
y.. ' f^...r, /. ;ir./| h»i'l on fh«'ii fif/iKtration lists the names of several thon-
.wf.': .. /r. :„f,i< //*,r)rt'r-'. 'f>i<*i<' unwarranted publications cause great
'ffe ',f >.r,,( ur f] n\"', th<- o^ij^or tun if y on the workers' part to secure actual
i.'y.-.ii«/fi.* Idrthcf, ih<-y '-r<'fit<' ii ^rroHi deal of unrest, causing woih-
<*f. i</ i|iiii, Uit'ir |;of;ttion^ Ifi'/'fiuHi' t.h<'y Ix'lieve that the scarcity of labor
will i/iw4- Uicfri an opportunity to h(m'ui<< a position at a high wage. A
^reat lohs of man powrr take;i plarc whih; this hunt is going on, and thus
the apparent Hcarcity in uutrtnt*iiit**i.** T\\o United States Civil Service
Commission authorized a zitatefncnt in l\ni **()ftivM Bulletin," October 81,
that 10,000 typewrit«'rK and Htenoi^raphtTH and typewriters, both men and
women, were needM in thi' d«'partinent at Washinfirton, salaries ranging
from ^1,000 to ^1,'2(>0 a year, 'j'his annoumement was followed in a few
days by an appeal from the chairman of Uie Women's Committee. Council
67
of Nationml Defense, to young women of the country to qualify themselves
rapidly as possible for stenographic and typewriting work. No time
given in these announcements as to when the 10,000 young persons
v^ere needed. As a fact, they are not needed at once, and when any par-
ticular number is to be engaged has not been made public. Moreover, the
housing situation in Washington is such that no young woman should go
to the city unless a shelter is secured for her beforehand, and the govern-
ment thus fas has not completed any means for the accommodation of
persons joining its clerical staffs. The morning papers at this writing
reiterate the same story, coming from the New York Civil Service Com-
mission, which calls for 5,000 typists and shorthand clerks for Washing-
ton, the dispatch serving no purpose but to exploit the shortage which
has been assumed by so great a part of the press. In the Navy Depart-
ment, by arrangement with the trade unions concei*ned, there was opened
up in connection with the war needs a list of trained wage-workers who
had expressed a willingness to enter government service, althou^^h in
many cases already in regular employment, yet the men on this list wit-
nessed branches of the department going on in the usual perfunctory
manner advertising for help through a period extending over months,
leaving the men offering their services uncertain as to who were wanted
to fill jobs or whether there really were jobs ready to be filled. The sec-
retary-treasurer of the National Federation of Postal Employes reports:
''Our postal administrators have seemingly proceeded on the theory that
there was an unlimited supply of labor anxious to step in and fill up the
gaps Ic^t by those who quit in disgust. There need be no cry of labor
shortage in the postal service if those in control of it would joint with the
Organized employes and make the entrance conditions more attractive,
promotions more certain, the maximum wage substantially higher (it is
^lie same now as ten years ago) and offer something other than the scrap
^^eap when old age incapacitates the workers."
The general situation relative to FARM LABOR is not of sufficient
eparture from the normal to cause any loud complaint. On this point
president of the Commission of Immigration and housing of Califor-
writes: "For months now we have had to listen to all kinds of gen-
^frral statements allegring farm shortage in this State. Not one of these
^*tatements has be^fi supported by what even gave it the appearance of
^eing evidence in fact." From the city employment bureau of Portland,
^Ore., is this statement: ''We can positively state that at no time this
year have we been unable to fill any position offered where the wages and
working conditions wore at all reasonable. There is no labor shortage.''
The Commissioner of Labor of New Jersey made the public declaration
on November 4: **The department is prepared to furnish workers for
the farmers in any county in the State. Farmers can get all the men
they can use. We are receiving applications for work at the rate of 300
to 400 a day. The farmers must be prepared to pay for transportation,
for adequate housing and the wages which the men are demanding."
Prom North Yakima comes: "There was an oversupply of labor in hop
picking time; people were enticed by false promises." From several
points in Utah and adjacent States organizers report that for the sugar
beet crop Japanese and Mexicans have this year supplanted the whites.
From Albion, N. Y.: "Canners and farmers have had no trouble in get-
ting all the help they wanted this season." Oklahoma reports upon the
abimdance of unskilled labor. The Department of Labor at Washington
has stated, with respect to the gathering of the wheat crop: "Replies
have been received from practically all of the States and indicate that
the harvest help situation has been carefully and efficiently handled. No
reports whatever have been received of failure to gather the cereal crops
in any part of the country." In a letter October 6 the Secretary of Agri-
culture writes: "The department is greatly extending its facilities for
dealing with the farm labor problem, and a conference of the farm help
specialists of the department, who have been assigned to the various
States, will be held in the near future, primarily to discuss plans for the
next season." The Assistant Secretary of Labor states: "Seasonal agri-
cultural work can be met to a large extent from efforts being put forth
by the Boys* Working Reserve, which is being used by the department
to secure the services of boys from sixteen years of age up."
The year's farm work, consisting as it does of two rush seasons and
two dead seasons, presents a permanent problem all over the country,
which until recently the individual farmer had been left to work out for
himself. Therefore, his cry for labor customarily becomes acute at least
twice a year.
The SNAPSHOT STATISTICIAN is responsible to a considerable de-
gree for the assumption of the country's ?hortage of labor. His argument
is: "For three years there has been an annual net shortage of a half mil-
lion immigrant workers. A million men have entered the army; enormous
69
demands are being made by the government and its contractors for work-
ers in the war supplies and shipbuilding plants." But this argument by
figures must give way to the plain evidence of another set of figures. It
fails to take proper account of the falling off of employment in many oc-
cupations, especially the building trades, the clothing trades and in trans-
portation, but what is more important, it fails to take account of the sta-
tistics of population for the country as a whole. Every year nearly two
million young Americans arrive at the age of fifteen; between the ages
of fifteen and twenty there are eight million young Americans capable
of going to work. By estimates of the Department of Labor at least
two million men were at times out of work in the United States. The
director of the New York State Bureau of Employment says that, even
if the country drafts three million men it will not exhaust the labor
supply; that the absurdity that the draft has made deep inroads on the
labor of the country is seen in the fact that whereas New York has three
million laboring men the war has not taken more than 100,000 of them;
the draft has taken only about 60,000 from all walks of life in the Empire
Stote.
What has occurred in this country relative to labor supply has been
the development of a slight opportunity for a laborer to choose the con-
idtions in which he will take employment and the shifting of the common
labor supply from economic slaves to relatively free men.
The immigrant of five years ago, or even three years ago, is well on
the way to being Americanized. The new laborer, through the growth
of population, is American. All of this labor now refuses to perform
the most repugnant work under the worst imaginable conditions, such as
was undertaken by the penniless immigrant and which so heavily con-
tributed in bringing to American industry 35,000 to 40,000 deaths by
accident and more than two hundred thousand serious injuries annually.
No longer will the foreign-bom workers consent to live in unhealthy in-
dustrial villages where there are no civilized conditions — ^no churches, no
sewerage, no prospects of homes, only partial employment and the wages
of slavery. Young Americans refuse to do the hot, dirty, coarse and
dangerous work which formerly was left to the helpless and ignorant
outlander. Among all this great class of labor the teachings of trade
unionism are spreading, and the employing class is awake to the fact.
The least scrupulous among them are promoting the cry of a scarcity of
70
labor for the purpose of breaking: down the trade unions, of extending
the women's workday to hours beyond the strength of women and of
brinfnn? into the ranks of the wage-workers children of tender years.
"My experience/' writes the manager of one of the largest public employ-
ment system in America, ''has taught me that the average large em-
ployer of labor figures that in order that wages may be maintained to
the point of his satisfaction, there should be two workers for every job.**
This kind of manager is today manifesting his dissatisfaction of a better
state of things for the laborer by an attempt, skillfully conducted through
the press and otherwise, to deceive the entire country with respect to the
supply of labor.
With regard to particular calls for certain minor or strictly war-
time classiHrations of labor, no intelligent observer in the ranks of labor
will asseK that there is in every case an immediate and full supply. Of
course, there is sumewhut of a shortage of tool and die makers; of course,
there are not endless regiments of stenographers at Washington head-
f|uartc'rs; of course, there are not thousands of women ready to walk into
a factory to make time fuses for Russian shells; of course, there are not
within easy reaching distance the men fully instructed to act as fore-
men and workmen in aeroplane establishments; of course, shipbuilding
at certain points needs moi'e perfectly qualified men. And equally, of
course, the employers who ore calling for Mexican, Japanese, Hindoo and
(yhinesc labor are disappointed in not having their million of immigrants
from southeastern Europe in the year 1917. But for all the kinds of
labor to be performed in war needs, there are today seeking employment
somewhere in this country tens of thousands of men of the building and
other skilled trades whose training for the ordinary tasks of shipbuilding
or new machmcry would be only a matter of a few weeks or even a
few days.
These are outstanding facts of the case as collected and viewed
from the standpoint of American organized labor. Where else has any
person or any institution, public or private, gone to the trouble to get
at the facts broadly Who else has attempted to sum them up; to con-
sider the question as a whole, in a word, to get at the truth? The prob-
lem of labor supply and the conditions of American employment is the
very first question of the day in importance after, if indeed it does not
precede, that of our military organization. It is one of the urgent
71
patriotic duties of every citizen of the country to understand this prob-
lem, to work it out patiently in his mind, and reach in regard to it a
clear, just and honest conclusion.
The American Federation of Labor may therefore justifiably sound
a note of warning to the employers of this country, calling upon them
not to arouse too deeply the resentment of the laboring classes by the
promotion of an untruth which may affect the nation detrimentally for
years to come. Here is a call to duty. The truth in this case constitutes
in itself a call on every man in influential positfon to examine his con-
science and to act accordingly. The truth here calls on all the officials
of the Government not to countenance misstatements of selfish employers
meant to swell the cry of a scarcity of labor which does not exist. The
truth calls loudly to newspaper managers not to speak on the subject
without well grounded information; it calls on fair-minded employers
not to join wealth-seeking conspirators in misleading public opinion.
It call on every agent of publicity, on every man cherishing Ips recti-
tude as a citizen, on every employe, whether organized or unorganized,
lo perform the duty of helping to consolidate the country as a whole in
the presence of a world's disaster which menaces the democratic princi-
pies of our Republic. The hope of a future society founded upon eco-
nomic justice and the essential quality of man lies in the success of
democracy in this war. JOHN L. LEWIS,
JOHN F. TOBIN,
J. E. McCLORY,
MARGARET DALY, .
CHARLES FRY,
BENJAMIN SCHLESINGER,
JOHN J. McDEVITT.
Trusting that the information contained in this brief satistical
resume meets with the approval of the delegates, I am.
Fraternally yours,
JOHN L. LEWIS.
(
72
MINE WORKERS' JOURNAL.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Diennlal Convention of the United Mine Workers of America.
Greeting:
I herewith submit for the information of the delegates* and also the
entire membership, a report of the financial condition of the United Mine
Workers' Journal, accounting of which deals with my management for
tlie four and one-half months beginning July 15, 1917, and ending Novem-
^Mtr I'iO, 1917, which period includes twenty issues.
For the convenience of those who desire to inake comparisona of the
operation of the Journal from year to year, I have tabulated a statement
dhowing the annual income and expenditures of the Journal beginning
with December, 1909, as previous to that time no salaries, postage or
other expenses save printing were chargred against the Journal:
Dec. 1, 1909, to Nov. 30. 1910— Dec. 1, 1913, to Nov. 30, 1914—
Income $ 8,307.95 Income $23,043.79
Expense 13,947.33 Expense 80,731.48
Loss % 5,639.38 Loss % 7fiSl,e9
Dec. 1. 1910, to Nov. 30, 1911— Dec , 1914, to Nov. 30, 191S—
Income $7,810.64 Income $80,680.59
Expense 14,493.40 Expense 80,503.87
Loss $ 6,682.76 Loss $49322.78
Dec. 1. 1911, to Nov. 30, 1912— Dec. 1, 1915, to Nov. 80, 1916—
Income $ 7,025.82 Income $34,939.59
Expense 13,417.85 Expense 100,822.17
I^ss $ 6,392.03 Loss $65^82.58
Dec. 1, 1912, to Nov. 30, 1913— Dec. 1, 1916, to July 16, 1917—
Income $15,435.0S Income $28443.03
Expense 24,031.60 Expense 64,025.84
Loss $ 8,596.52 Loss $85^1.91
July 15, 1917, to November 30, 1917, audit and summary follows:
July 15, 1917, to November 30, 1917:
— Receipts —
Loans from Wm. Green, Secretary- Treasurer $ 4,000.00
Advertising 11,306.77
Subscriptions 7,981.27
Miscellaneous 22.48
ToUl receipts ; $23,810.52
73
— Expenditures —
Salaries, business office $ 1,193.42
Salaries and expenses, editorial 3,084.00
Miscellaneous printing, office supplies, telegrams, etc. 164.87
Postage, business office 62.41
Postage, mailing Journal 1,118.25
Advertising commissions 1,805.96
Miscellaneous advertising expense 48.15
Circulation commission paid where agents sent full
subscription price 228.96
Paper for Journal 8,678.72
Cornelius Printing Company, for Printing Journal,
presswork and composition 4,923.60
Total expenditures $21,808.34
Balance cash on hand November 30, 1917. . . $ 2,002.18
— Business Summary —
Paper on hand and paid for July 15, 1917, 487 reams, weight
42,142 pounds, at 8S cents per pound $ 3,529.43
Paper on hand and paid for November 30, 1917, 358 reams,
weight 81,862 pounds, at 71 cents per pound 2,358.83
Value of paper consumed, including purchase, storage and in-
surance, over amount purchased |1,170.60
0
— Liabilities —
Bills payable, commission due agents $ 1,014.13
Cornelius Printing Company, November printing... 1,790.18
Loans from International Union 4,000.00
Paper stock on hand July 15, 1917, in excess of
amount purchased 1,170.60
Total % 7,974.91
— Assets —
Balance cash on hand % 2,002.18
Bills receivable, current advertising (only good, no
old accounts included) 3,063.10
Total $5,065.28
Loss for 20 weeks, from July 15 to November 30,
1917, 4i months $2,909.63
Average loss per week for 20 weeks 145.31
74
TRADE UNION PUBLICATIONS.
More than 90 per cent, of the total number of all paUicatioiui started
In newspaper or magazine form fail. A large percentage of those who
(to nut actually go out of business due to financial failure operate at a
loHM which is made up through voluntary contributions in some instances
anil by reason of per capita arrangements to support an official organ
of an UHsooiation. trade union, political party or like organization. The
l)nitt«(l Mine Workers* Journal, like the great majority of official organs
of other trado unions, has not yet entered the dividend-paying class.
COMPARISON OF PUBUCATIONS.
In MM(). whtrn tho hit?h cost of paper was claiming the serious atten-
tion of c^vrry nowiipapor and magazine publication in the land, and con-
KrimH \\w\t was lu'siein^l with petitions from ererywhere to take de-
ilnivn notion to curb tho (mpor trust, which boosted prices frmn 200 to
MtH) |iiM' i'oni on praotio»Uy every known paper product, through the
illiiii'tlou of i*\ Pivsidont White h \)u^^tionnaire was sent to all inter-
iiMttiihiil ttndo uiuon> puMtshm^ an official organ to ascertain the fol-
lowliii) .
I rtiiiiUtton.
•-' M«noi!rt,'tuti«i: vv*t ^vt vvpv.
:\ Sut«*«vU|»noo l;llO
4 \»t\iM<\>o)t: »A^o and vvmi*v.s*'.on paid or. same.
.^ It lUo punns^s WAS vV!».',rAo:<vi tor Through a private firm or
|utut«s( \\\ \\w\\ oww sho)«
I* It opo\*<«si ,-41 A v'"**^' *^- ■*'^'**
\^\\\\ \\\\\{\ \\\ t ^^' . v;^'. . «* > : vs,--' \ ^v .' esft . : w *.: * r/ji jrtzine form of iHibli-
»iit»on \\\M xo\'.*.xi Iv ,.^4V. *> A :>an * ,*: »vvrv*r:-'j: ruKicaiion coats* etc,
I ( I o I ^to \ J ** A * ! ^ o *'. o «>: * • >f * * • ' »'^ " ^ * V Nrt:s > -. y • v-"^*^: *a ve t he fall bene-
m ot <h*» nHiVMUA«iov. s^;.:xv :^.^ ;o'\*w:»v»: 'AC'-i'* *i5',''wlr.j: iwelve of the
iv|«Uv'» ^-x'^'i: MAmo *\: v•■^■"*• *"* »'.^v;: a: o". Ar^vu.'::: of subscription
|Mi»%v AsUv\i;x>,t«< .V v'v. '.:<*.:, ^»» -^.^i;:*^;', \ ,».-' yv.y^'^Atv.T A^ aaaofactiir-
hK »o»i;'i v«*\ »v>»\. ^-^ x;.t';v..i:^^
^U.U^v A>M *.^\v> Wo.'Ac*. :* >V' »*v -A >, Xvv:r'?:vcr. ^ ciRtts per
usM)(^ j*«*;»'^^i ,v» ,-nv«;. > .< '. s ,v '.> is-.^ ,osL^\ \.*.?^ "Vr :<»• T^ars aver-
75
ages $1,721.15; monthly; circulation, 13,216; amount of subscription, 60
cents; agents' commission, advertising, 50 per cent.
Cigar Makers' Journal — Free to members and no ads are solicited,
but taken if offered; publication cost, 2h centS per copy; monthly; cir-
culation, 40,000; amount of subscription, |1 to non-members; agents'
commission, advertising, 50 per cent.
Barbers' Journal — Per capita subscription, fl per year; publication
cost, 6i cents per copy; monthly; circulation, 28,825; amount of subscrip-
tion, $1.
Painters and Decorators — ^Per capita subscription of 121 per cent, of
total revenue; publication cost, 34 cents per copy; monthly; circulation,
68,000; amount of subscription, $1; agents' commission, advertising, 45
per cent, of amount collected.
Bookbinders' Journal — Per capita subscription, 5 cents per month;
publication cost per copy, 3i cents; monthly; circulation, 11,000; amount
of subscription, 60 cents; agents' commission, advertising, 33 1/3 per
cent.
Carpenters' Journal — Per capita subscription, 5 cents per month;
publication cost, 2f cents per copy; profit of $11,000 during six months
ending September 1; monthly; circulation, 212,000; amount of subscrip-
tion, 60 cents; agents' conunission, advertising, 50 per cent.
Plumbers' and Steam Fitters' Journal — Per capita subscription; pub«
lication cost, 2.9 cents per copy; monthly; circulation, 45,000; amount of
subscription, $1; agents' commission, advertising, 50 per cent.
Stove Mounters' and Range Workers' Journal — Per capita, 5 cents
per month;. publication cost, 41 cents per copy; monthly; circulation,
2,000; amount of subscription, 60 cents; agent pays 5 cents per line,
makes his ovni rates to advertisers.
The Lather — Per capita subscription, 5 cents per month; publication
cost, 3 1/3 cents per copy; monthly; circulation, 6,500; amount of sub-
scription, 60 cents; no agents.
Brotherhood Railways Maintenance of Way Employes — Per capita
8ubscripti<m, $1 per year; publication cost, 4 cents per copy; monthly;
circulation, 20,000; amount of subscription, $1; agents' commission, ad-
vertising, 20 per cent
77
In a summary included in the financial statement, Secretary Mor-
rison estimated that the increased cost of paper over normal prices
amounted to $14,509.50 for the year.
PAPER COST FOR JOURNAL.
During 1915 the paper upon which the United Mine -Workers' Jour-
nal is printed could be bought f. o. b. Indianapolis for $3.75 per cwt.
The cost for the same paper during 1917 has amounted to $8,385.80 in
excess of the normal cost.
PUBLICATION COSTS OF THE UNITED MINE WORKERS'
JOURNAL.
The following is the exact manufacturing cost of the United Mine
Workers* Journal under the present pon tract prices for mechanical work
and paper, based on the circulation of 35,000 copies:
71 reams of paper at 89 lbs. per ream, 6,319 lbs. at 6.15 cents
per lb. and i cent per lb. for drayage, storage and insur-"
ance, making a total cost of paper per issue $ 412.31
Postage 63.19
Average printing costs per week 325.00
Total cost per week $ 800.50
Average cost per copy % ,\ 2.28 cents
Thus in comparison the United Mine Workers' Journal shows a
lower publication cost than any of the leading trade union publications
reporting, and the cost per copy of the Journal includes the postal mail-
ing charge.
Practically all official trade union publications are monthly, while
the Journal is published weekly.
POSSIBLE YEAR'S COST.
Manufacturing cost for 52 weeks at $800.50 per week $41,626.00
Income for year on 35,000 subscriptions less 50 per
cent, commission 17,500.00
Excess of manufacturing cost over subscription in-
come $24,126.00
Editorial salaries and expenses per week $ 184.69
Business office salaries per week 65.57
Total $ 250.26
Total salaries for year $13,013.52
Total excess expenses over subscription income. . $37»139.52
76
Railroad Telegraphers — Per capita subscription, (1 per year; publi-
cation cost, 8.4 cents per copy; monthly; circulation, 45,000; amount of
subscription, $1; agent pays for space used, makes own charge to adver-
tisers.
Locomotive Firemen's and Engineers' — Per capita subscription; pub-
lication cost, 6.6 cents per copy; monthly; circulation, 81,833; amount of
subscription, $1; agents' commission, advertising, 50 per cent.
AMERICAN FEDERATIONIST.
A striking comparison of the limited possibilities of successfully
(from a financial standpoint) publishing a trade union official organ is
contained in the report of Secretary Morrison of the American Federa-
tion of Labor, covering the business affairs of the American Federation-
ist for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1917:
Total receipts 166,388^0
Total expenses 81,800.83
Excess of expenses over receipts $15,417.68
— Receipts —
Advertising and subscription receipts $31,066.20
Tax received from local unions on account of subscription 35,327.00
Total $66,388.20
— Expenses —
Commission on advertising contracts and subscriptions $20,843.40
R. G. Dun & Co 100.00
Hauling • 15^
Postage, pound rate 2,401.80
Postage stamps 480.00
Printing regular edition American Federationist 10,333.30
Printing additional copies for local unions 45,601.46
Refunds 60.72
Salaries 1,964.65
Total $81300.83
Secretary Morrison, a printer by trade, thoroughly versed in the
publishing business, actively manages the American Federationist. Pres-
ident Gompers is the editorial head of the publication. No salaries are
charged other than clerk hire in the expenses of the Federationist.
77
In a summary included in the financial statement, Secretary Mor-
rison estimated that tho increased cost of paper over normal prices
amounted to $14,509.50 for the year.
PAPER COST FOR JOURNAL.
During 1915 the paper upon which the United Mine Workers' Jour-
nal is printed could be bought f. o. b. Indianapolis for $3.75 per cwt.
The cost for the same paper during 1917 has amounted to $8,385.80 in
excess of the normal cost.
PUBLICATION COSTS OF THE UNITED MINE WORKERS'
JOURNAL.
The following is the exact manufacturing cost of the United Mine
Workers' Journal under the present pontract prices for mechanical work
and paper, based on the circulation of 35,000 copies:
71 reams of paper at 89 lbs. per ream, 6,319 lbs. at 6.15 cents
per lb. and i cent per lb. for drayage, storage and insur-*
ance, making a total cost of paper per issue $ 412.31
Postage 63.19
Average printing costs per week 325.00
Total cost per week $ 800.50
Average cost per copy \ ,\ 2.28 cents
Thus in comparison the United Mine Workers' Journal shows a
lower publication cost than any of the leading trade union publications
reporting, and the cost per copy of the Journal includes the postal mail-
ing charge.
Practically all official trade union publications are monthly, while
the Journal is published weekly.
POSSIBLE YEAR'S COST.
Manufacturing cost for 52 weeks at $800.50 per week $41,626.00
Income for year on 35,000 subscriptions less 50 per
cent, conunission 17,500.00
Excess of manufacturing cost over subscription in-
come $24,126.00
Editorial salaries and expenses per week $ 184.69
Business office salaries per week 65.57
Total $ 250.26
Total salaries for year $13,013.52
Total excess expenses over subscription income. . $37»139.52
78
The only source of revenue available to offset this deficit, unless the
fonds be secured from the treasury of the International organization, is
that ot advertising. Based upon an average of ten pages of advertising
per week, at $70 per page, the weekly revenue would be $700. After
deducting agents' commission of 50 per cent., the net revenue would
amount to $350 per week, or $18,200 per year. Applying this income
from advertising on the deficit of $37,139.52 reduces it to $1SI»039.52.
COST OF PRINTING ADVERTISING.
There has been a great deal of speculation at various conv^itions
when the publication of the Journal was being debated as to just what
the cost of publishing advertising amounted to and what profits were
derived from advertising in the aggregate per year.
The total cost of manufactunng, mailing and all compositicm, in-
cluding advertising, was included in the previous figrure of manufactur-
ing cost of $41,626 per year.
In order that the delegates may have the full benefit of this infor-
mation I submit cost of publishing advertising, as follows:
Composition cost, based on average cost per ¥reek for twenty
weeks $ 10.00
Cost of paper, ten pages advertising per week 128.53
Cost of postage, mailing ten pages 19.70
Total of all costs (tjrpesetting, paper and postage) for
ten pages of advertising per week $ 158.23
Ni'i revenue from ten pages $ 350.00
Coui of ten pages 158J28
Net profit per week on ten pages advertising 191.77
Innumuch as the advertising manufacturing cost has already been
UtA'iuJtUid in the manufacturing cost as a whole, the above figures will
tft ;^/ WMy disturb the amount of $18,939.52 as being the actual loss per
^*n^r ou Uie present publication basis.
Nv incidental expenses are shown, for the reason that the single
• t^hkAiii/iiA^nu, for which $1 is paid and no commission paid thereon, to-
yjMi^y vnxki th<^ direct advertising received, will be sufficient to take care
'^^m Mudit of the Journal for the past four and one-half months,
>*^/)trAiV4M'/ uJu^w« that the loss did not reach the maximum indicated by the
79
^bove figures, as the entire loss for the four and one-half months was
^2,909.63, or an average cost per week for the twenty weeks of $145.31.
.Bfany favorable conditions, such as the collection of old accounts and a
large amount of direct advertising, made possible this favorable showing:
BASIS OF COMPUTING ADVERTISING RATES.
The following is the basis of computing advertising rates for the
<liiferent kinds and character of publications as compiled by the asso-
advertising agencies and upon which all advertising rates are
"Women's publications 4 5/6 cents per inch per thousand
Social and literary 8 2/3 cents per inch per thousand
.JCducational 10 1/2 cents per inch per thousand
Agricultural 8 2/3 cents per inch per thousand
IPratemal 6 3/7 cents per inch per thousand
Xabor 3 5/8 cents per inch per thousand
JUligions 10 cents per inch per thousand
Thus you will see that labor publications are computed upon the
lowest rate. Had we submitted to this standardization of low rates by
?diich the value of labor advertising is computed by large advertising
agencies, our present advertising rate would be $1.27 per inch, whereas
our charge per inch is $2.25.
FOREIGN LANGUAGES.
Prior to the war there was a steady inflow of immigrants to Amer-
ica. The coal mines, cotton mills and other like manufactures were the
industries to which the great majority of immigrants looked for employ-
ment. Operators in the non-union coal fields depended upon immigration
to stimulate and maintain their forces. New immigrants came faster than
it was possible for the United Mine Workers of America and the Ameri-
can Federaticm of I^bor to educate the newcomers to the necessity of
affiliating themselves with a strong labor organization as a means of
securing better working conditions and increased compensation.
To meet the growing need of educating the steadily increasing num-
ber of immigrants to the cause of trade unionism, the 1914 convention
of the International Union conferred upon the International Executive
Board authority to print the Journal in three lang^iages. December 7,
1914, the first issue of the Journal appeared in magazine form printed
in three languages — English, Italian and Slavish.
80
Immediately the Lithuanian and other nationalities complained that
they were being discriminated ag^ainst. At the start they demanded,
and have done so continuously since the adoption of the foreign lan-
guages, that a section be devoted to their language or the Italian and
Slavish languages be entirely eliminated.
Subscription agents of the Journal who have been engaged in solic-
iting subscriptions in the anthracite region, Illinois and elsewhere, have
reported much friction between the various nationalities and a great
lack of patronage for the Journal due to the steadfast belief on the part
of the Lithuanians and others that they were being discriminated
against.
Complaints have been numerous to the effect that articles appearing
in the foreign language section were but mere translations of what ap-
peared in the current and previous issues of the English section, thus
establishing proof that a large number, if not a majority, of those of
our subscribers who are reckoned with as patrons solely from the fact
that the Journal is printed in their native tongue are eminently capable
of reading English.
WAR BRINGS CHANGES.
The deplorable world-wide conflict has transformed the fundamental
exigency upon which the necessity for the foreign section was originally
predicated, namely, immigration, which has practically stopped, espe-
cially so as affecting new labor supply for the mining industries. The
entrance of the United States as an active combatant in the war has
brought about a serious condition which all publications printed wholly
or in part in foreign languages must recognize. Immediately fol-
lowing the declaration of war there was organized an Americanization
Committee, with Dr. Wheaton at its head. The purpose of this organ-
ization is to kill the market for foreign language papers in America.
The organization proposes by a system of night schools, visiting house-
to-house teachers, through moving pictures, and in fact resorting to
every possible plan of education, to teach the foreig^ners employed in
America to read and write English.
Dr. Wheaton has stated that this can be accomplished in a remark-
ably short space of time once the university, college and high school
teachers are enlisted in the work.
' - . ai
POSTAL DEPARTMENT OUT WITH A BAN.
It is apparent that the intent of Postmaster General Burleson, "who
is an avq^ed opponent to trade unionism/' intends to clamp the lid down
tight on foreign language publications. His department has adopted a
most rig^d censorship program. Mailing privileges are denied all pub-
lications violating the following rules:
1. Advocating or urging treason, insurrection, or forcible resistance
to any law of the United States.
2. Ck)nveying false reports or false statements intended to interfere
"with the operation or success of the military or naval forces of the
United States, or to promote the success of its enemies.
3. Intended to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal
of duty in the military or naval forces of the United States.
4. Intended to obstruct the recruiting or enlistment service of the
United States, to the injury of the service of the United States.
5. Matter, the circulation or the publication of which involves the
violation of any of the numerous other a'iminal provisions of the espio-
nage act, but which are not of special interest to publishers.
6. Any matter printed in a foreign language containing any news
item, editorial or other printed matter respecting the government of
the United States or of any nation engaged in the present war, its poH-
<nes, internal relations, the state or conduct of war, or any matter relat-
ing thereto, unless l^e publisher or distributers thereof, on or before
offering the same for mailing, or in any manner distributing it to the
public^ has filed with the postmaster at the place of publication, in the
form of an affidavit, a true and complete translation of the entire article
containing such matter proposed to be published.
If the war continues no one can forecast just where the censorship
will stop. New rules will be promulgated from time to time to meet
the viewpoint of the censorship, so the question with all publications
printing foreign languages naturally is whether the continuance of the
foreign lang^iages will meet the war-time demands of the government
censorship. This is a matter solely for the delegates to determine.
CIRCULATION.
Another question involved in the printing of the foreign languag^es
is that of circulation. When the foreign languages were inaugurated
the circulation of the Journal was 29,000. The present circulation is
82
around 36,000, including complimentaries, etc Thus it is plainly
dent that the addition of the foreig^n sections has not produced the v
spread demand for the Journal as was originally anticipated.
The following table, compiled and sworn to by a public accoun*
shows the actual circulation for the issue of November 29, ISl*]
nationalities:
STATEMENT SHOWING CIRCULATION BY NATIONALIl
ISSUE OF NOVEMBER 29, 1917, INCLUDING ALL MAIL LIST
State. Bundles Italians Slavs Balance 1
Washington . ^ 2 39 • 210
New York 34
Oklahoma 18 1 78
Tennessee 75 97
Texas 5 10 2 27
Wisconsin • 4
Maryland 390 69
Michigan 1 6 166
Kentucky 315 1 1 879
Kansas 25 16 1 67
Wyoming 139 3 254
Washington, D. C 16
West Virginia 549 35 51 1,237
Missouri 273 17 8 - 186
Montana 177 1 84 137
Iowa 143 66 123 1,049
Alabama 740 1 203
Arizona .... .... 3
Canada 9 61
Arkansas 15 84
Colorado 444 18 81 235
Pennsylvania 2,735 264 391 2,342
Ohio 7 60 628 1,920
Illinois 210 1,031 1,066 9,746 1
Indiana 107 154 147 4,381
Totals 6,358 1,688 2,629 23,473 3
(Signed) ALICE ANDERSC
State of Indiana, County of Marion, ss:
I, Alice Anderson, Notary Public in and for said county and S
hereby certify that the above is a correct and accurate account o
galley proof of mail list of the United Mine Workers' Journal subn
83
^or tabulation of issue of November 29, 1917, so far as I am able to
<J«teTmine, griving the items as outlined above as per the instructions
'it>m the management of the United Mine Workers' Journal.
(Signed) ALICE ANDERSON.
Subscribed and sworn to this 13th day of December, 1917.
My commission 'expires June 15, 1920.
(Signed) ELLA M. PYLE, Notary Public.
COST OF PUBLISHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES.
The cost of printing the two foreign sections per year, including
^^per, typesetting, postage, editors' salaries and expenses, is as follows:
i^kper, eight pages per week per year $5,709.92
IVpesetting, eight pages per week per year 1,497.60
-^itors' salaries (two) 5,000.00
Average expenses two foreign editors 1,402.10
X'ostage, extra eight pages per year 844.48
Total $14,454.10
In addition there would be numerous incidental expenses and a small
^make-ready printing cost saved.
PAPER SITUATION.
The paper question has been one that has disturbed the peace of mind
of every publisher in the land. Immediately following the inauguration
of the eight-hour day in the paper mills the manufacturers, true to form,
endeavored to treble profits under the guise of labor benefiting. True,
all of the raw materials used in the manufacture of paper have increased
in price, and the cost of practically every operation in connection with
paper manufacture has likewise increased.
The maximum high cost of paper during the latter part of 1916, and
in effect until the late fall of 1917, was an outrageous price. Paper for
the Journal which could be purchased for $3.75 per hundredweight in
1915 mounted to the high cost of $8.50 in the summer of this year.
By diligent tfort and by contracting directly for space in the mills,
eliminating all middlemen's profits, the Journal has succeded in con-
tracting for paper at $6.15 per hundredweight, f. o. b. Indianapolis^ for
the 1918 supply.
84
MAIL COMPLAINTS.
Since the beginning of the war complaints from subscribers of their
failure to receive the Journal on time have increased. To remedy this
situation we have made repeated attempts without material success.
The fact is, that the greatly increased use of the mail service for propa-
ganda of every character, the increased demand for railroad equipment
for war service, so crippled the efficiency of the postoffice department
as to make these delays assured for some time to come. The Journal
office is doing its best, however, to improve the situation.
JOURNAL PUBLICITY OF IMMEASURABLE VALUE.
The crisis of war time makes more apparent than ever the necessity
for trade unions to maintain on a high plane an official organ to safe-
guard and maintain the betterments already won in the field of trade
union endeavor and to establish in the public mind favorable support
for future advancements. Conditions are such as to menace the very
life of the liberal press now in existence. High cost of paper and print-
ing materials, increased overhead expenses, increased mailing charges,
all operate to increase to an almost prohibitive cost the continued pub-
lication of hundreds of uplift and labor publications in the United States.
If the war continues for three or four years — and every estimate of its
duration fails to entertain a shorter period — ^it is doubtful if but few of
the free lance liberal publications will survive. Labor publications,
always discriminated against by advertising agencies and efficiency ex-«
perts, will experience a more difficult time in securing advertising.
Although the pronounced business spirit of the time is to keep business
going as usual, the facts are that hoarding in advertising expenses by
merchants and manufacturers is being keenly felt by the more solid
publications.
Therefore, the duty of maintaining periodicals that will carry the
necessary publicity to keep the fundamental issues of trade unionism
alive in the breasts of the people devolves itself upon the powerful trade
unions of the nation. Now more than ever before the need fpr nation-
wide publicity is apparent. Labor must publicly refute accusations of
profiteering employers who would hide under the guise of loyalty and
patriotism to import Asiatic labor, to have the public believe that an
acute labor shortage exists, and the refusal of unions to tilt the lid of
I
' 86
union regulations and permit a return to the sweatshop system as being
responsible for every war-time failure.
The United Mine Workers of America, the largest trade union of the
world, must meet this duty in conserving the ideals of labor. The Jour-
nal should be made a real live publication. Its colunms should be awake
to the conditions of the times. No limit should be placed on possible
improvement. It should be and can be at the forefront of the labor
publications of the world.
JOURNAL TO EVERY MEMBER.
During the past year the membership defeated overwhelmingly by
referendum vote to place the Journal on a per capita tax basis, the
plan by which the great majority of the trade unions operate their
oflScial organs. Figures have been secured that prove beyond doubt
that the Journal can be delivered to every member of the United Mine
Workers of America every week for 60 cents per year per member, and
on this basis pay a profit.
For the adoption or rejection of such a plan I make no recommenda-
tion, leaving it with the delegates to determine whether or not the condi-
tions brought about by the war justify the adoption of the per capita tax
basis of circulating the official organ.
CONCLUSION.
In conclusion, however, I shall take the liberty of recommending that
the restrictive constitutional provisions which hamper the progress of
the Journal be eliminated, and full authority be given to the Interna-
tional Executive Board, who I believe will, after careful investigation,
be able to decide a business policy that will insure a great improvement
and larger success.
Trusting this report meets with the approval of the delegates, I am,
Fraternally yours,
JOHN L. LEWIS,
Manager.
86
REPORT OF SECRETARY-TREASURER WILLIAM GREEN.
Mr. President and Fellow Delegates:
We are assembled in International Convention in the midst of a " ""^
world war; at a time when war necessities have brought about changes
long established social customs, in the extension of governmental authorit^^^^i
over commerce and industry, and in the thoughts and actions of men — t
has added new and perplexing problems to various ever-present ones wil
which we are required to deal. Our vital interest in all that is transpirini
throughout the nation makes this the most important convention of th«
United Mine Workers of America ever held. As representatives of th<
employed in a basic industry producing a commodity so essential to Am«n —
ican success in this great world conflict, we are obliged to approach
consideration of all questions presented for action to this convention in
spirit of grave concern and with calm and mature deliberation.
Throughout all the period intervening since our own nation
engaged in war, we have maintained the standards of life and living estal
lished by our organization as a result of years of struggle and organixe^^
effort. We are unwilling to surrender what we have gained, but are eve -^
ready to respond to our nation's needs by giving the best service of whi(
we are capable. This thought, I am sure, will influence our acts and
throughout the sessions of this convention.
When the last International Convention of the United Mine Worker^
met two years ago, conditions in the mining industry were quite differenf
than now. The demand for coal at that time was much leas than it is
today. The ability to produce coal was far in excess of market require-
ments, consequently many mines were closed altogether and many mem-
bers of our organization were thrown out of employment. Now, all mines
are in operation, the mine workers everywhere are employed at least part
of the time and the production of coal is increasing to a remarkable degree.
The amount of coal produced at the present time is measured largely by
the transportation service furnished by the railroads. This condition is
reflected in the membership of our organization.
Whereap, the average paid-up membership of our union two years ago
for the year ending November 30, 1915, was 311,786, our average paid-up
membership now for the year ending November 30, 1917, is 367,381, and
87
whereas, the average number of members exonerated from the payment of
iues because of enforced idleness for the fiscal year ending November 30,
1915, was 49,241; the average number exonerated from the pajrment of dues
because of enforced idleness for the fiscal year ending November 30, 1917,
18 12,782. These figfures show that the average paid-up membership for
the fiscal year ending November 30, 1917, is 55,595 greater than for the
fiscal year ending November 30, 1915, while the average number exonerated
because of enforced idleness is 36,459 less during the fiscal year ending
November 30, 1917, than during the fiscal year ending November 30, 1915.
While this showing is most gratifying, indeed, I am fu-mly convinced
the increase in the paid-up membership would be far greater if all local
unions x>aid per capita tax on their full membership. I am of the
opinion that many local unions do not report their full membership, par-
ticularly in districts where dues are voluntarily paid. This opinion is
bued upon an increase in the number of local unions organized since the
to convention of the United Mine Workers of America. One thousand
ud sixty-two local unions have been organized and 288 have been aban-
doned, an increase in locals organized of 774. The number organized dur-
ing the year just ended, November 30, 1917, was 807, the number abandoned
102, an increase in the number of local unions added to the organization
during the last year of 705. This increase in local unions of itself should
^ow a far greater increase in the paid-up membership of our union than
the figures above quoted.
Offsetting this, however, are thousands of members of our union who
^ve enlisted for military service or who have been called through the
selective draft. From figures obtained from various local unions through-
oot the country, we find that approximately 20,000 members of the United
Mine Workers of America have left the mines to engage in military service.
Thase figures must be taken into consideration in determining the increase
in the present paid-up membership of our organization.
In order that our membership may know the total numerical strength
of the organization, I submit the following table, showing the number of
imid-up members and the number exonerated each month during the years
»f 1916 and 1917, and also the average paid-up membership as well as the
average membership exonerated.
You will observe that in November, 1917, the paid-up membership is
110,600. This is the largest paid-up membership for any month during the
88
last two years. It has been exceeded only once in the history of ou
ization in the month of December, 1913.
The number exonerated each month added to the number of
members is the actual membership of the organization. These tab]
the period intervening since my report to the last International Co
two years ago.
Month. Paid-up
1915. Membership. Exonerated.
December 35*5,216 20,884
1916:
January 326,284 19,146J
February 341,433 16,641
March 368,625 21,229i
April 317,883 55,179J
May 273,209 58,788
June 282,162i 50,106
July 287,843 33,837i
August 331,351J 26,476J
September 325,889J 22,153
October 328,035 18,154J
November 336,998 15,684
Average 322,911 29,857
Month. Paid-up
1916. Membership. Exonerated.
December 355,090 13,074
1917:
January 343,956 13,541i
February 346,738 14,450
March 385,038 14,672
April 322,708 15,184
May 358,729i 14,502J
June 350,011 11,273
July ." 356,871 11,392
August 388,958 17,666J
September 384.844i 17,589i
October 405,025]^ 6,264J
November 410,600 3,778
Average 367,381 12,782
89
In some districts under the jurisdiction of our organization, and espe-
cially in newly organized districts, local union officers do not seem to under-
stand the laws of our organization providing for the exoneration of members
frox)!! the payment of per capita tax and assessment. In many instances
they seem to be under the impression that the International Secretary-
Treasurer may exercise his own judgment in withholding or extending exon-
ersL'tion. Also, many fail to understand that it is necessary to make appli-
c&'^ion for exoneration in the manner prescribed by the international law,
wlien the members of a local union are idle during an entire month because
of idleness caused by strike or other causes over which they have no con-
trol. They seem to assume that the International Secretary-Treasurer
iu.atinctively knows when they are idle or when they are working. Such
ofl&cers of local unions are in error, because the laws of the organization
pzx>vide a local union may only be exonerated from the payment of t|ix
&n<i assessment when its members are idle during an entire month and
vlicn application for exoneration is made in the regrular way. Besides, a
local union should report to all the different branches of the organization
^^ch month, when its members are idle, just the same as when they are
voTldng. The constitution provides the method by which local unions may
^ exonerated from the payment of per capita tax and assessment. The
International Secretary-Treasurer cannot exercise his discretion, but instead
^^^t comply with the laws of the organization in exonerating local unions
^hen entitled to same. I suggest delegates to this convention impress
^'^^n the local union officers the necessity of reporting to the International
^cretary-Treasurer each and every month, regardless of whether the mem-
^*^hip of local unions is working or idle.
For the purpose of maintaining in our official reports, in consecutive
*^^r, a record of the yearly membership of the organization since its
^^^Ufiation in 1890 to the present time, the following table showing the
age paid-up membership is submitted:
1890 20,912
1891 17,044
1892 19,376
1893 14,244
1894 17,628
1895 10,871
1896 9,617
1897 39,731
L
V
90
1898 82^2
1899 61387
1900 115^21
1901 198,024
1902 176,367
1908 247,240
1904 251,006
1905 264,950
1906 230,667
1907 260,740
1908 252,018
1909 265,274
1910 231,392
1911 256,256
1912 289,269
1913 377,682
1914 333,333
1915 311,786
1916 322,911
1917 367,381
•AID.
As usual, strikes have occurred in various mining sections, ai
international organization has been called upon to supply financial
those of our members who have been thrown idle. However, the a
expended for aid during the period covered by this report, while
large, is not nearly so much as that expended for the period cove
my report to the last International Convention. During the two
ending November 30, 1917, we supplied as aid to those of our memb
strike, and their families dependent upon them, the sum of $735,
This amount of aid was furnished out of the funds we received f
capita tax, no assessment having been levied during the last two
for strike purposes.
The following figures show the amount of money paid out f
during the past two years and the districts wherein it was spent:
District No. 2 J 23,000.00
District No. 5 66,500.00
District No. 6 60,000.00
91
District No. 16 66,850.00
District No. 16 700.00
District No. 17 3,600.00
District No. 19 258,350.00
District No. 20 112,600.00
District No. 23 (Geo. Hargrove, Hopkins Co.) . . 120,500.00
District No. 23 (H. H. Vincent, Sec'y) 28,023.75
District No. 29 1,400.00
Individual 3,008.00
Thos. Haggerty, aid Fairmont (W. Va.) field. . . 500.00
Total $735,031.75
LOANS.
I reiK)rted to the last International Convention of the United Mine
^^I'kers of America that the international organization had been compelled
to borrow large sums of money from district organizations for ^e purpose
of supplying financial aid to those of our membership and their families
involved in long and bitter strikes in Colorado and eastern Ohio. The total
Maount loaned by districts to the international organization was $877,860.00.
The districts which loaned the international organization money at that
time and the amount each loaned is set forth in the following figures:
District No. 1 $ 55,000.00
District No. 2 25,000.00
District No. 5 60,000.00
District No. 7 5,000.00
District No. 9 45,000.00
District No. 11 25,000,00
District No. 12 250,000.00
District No. 13 75,000.00
District No. 14 125,000.00
District No. 21 75,000.00
District No. 22 85,000.00
District No. 26 40,000.00
District No. 27 12,860.00
Total $877,860.00
So that the international organization might return to each distx'i^^t
the amount of money borrowed therefrom, the last international conv^^*-
tion adopted the following resolution:
"That the International Executive Board be authorized to levy a two-
dollar per capita tax assessment to be collected in four separate allotmeritis
and that districts to which the International Union is now indebted 1>^
exonerated from the payment of that assessment to the amount of theix"
indebtedness."
Pursuant to this action, the International Executive Board, at a meetinii^
held at the headquarters of the organization in May, 1917, authorized tli^
International Secretary-Treasurer to put into operation the plan for th^
collection of the two-dollar assessment on the membership and the return of
loans to the various districts authorized by the convention, as outlined i«*
the foregoing resolution. By this action, $696,882.00 of the indebtedness^
of the international organization to the different districts has been |>ai<]-9
leaving a balance due of $180,978.00. This is a very creditable showin|2r«
and we hope and expect within a short time to be able to liquidate t^<^
balance of the amount due from the international organization tO tli>^
various districts from whom sums of money were borrowed.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION.
Experience in the department of the organization, which I have tto^
honor and privilege to supervise, suggests some amendments to severe*-
sections in the organic law of the organization. I will submit them in co**^
secutive order, as follows:
F^rst: In newly organized districts and others where the organi&J^'^
tion is not completely established, local unions occasionally lapse and f^-'*^^
to report to the international office for quite a long time. Later, inl
is again revived and a wish is expressed by the membership that the
union be reorganized. There is nothing in the law which provides a pto^
by which a local union which has lapsed may be reorganized. Such locJ»^
unions must account for all the months during which they were lapsed i**
order to place themselves in good standing again.
I suggest the law be amended so as to provide that lapsed local unions
in newly and poorly organized districts be reorganized by the payment of
per capita tax on a fixed number of members in such an amount as may
be fair and reasonable.
93
Second; A rule has been followed by my predecessors in office and
since I have been acting as International Secretary-Treasurer, in organizing
neiw local unions, which provides that all newly organized local unions
are exempt from the payment of tax on their membership for the month
in which they are organized. This has been done, because it has always
been recogpiized as the aim and purpose of the International Union to
encourage and foster newly organized local unions, to help them and start
them on their way. In order that this rule may be legalized, I suggest
that the law be amended providing that newly organized local unions are
exonerated from the payment of dues for the month in which they are
organized.
Third: The charter fees fixed in the laws of our organization, which
iiewly organized local unions are required to pay, have always been less
than the cost of the charter and supplies furnished them by the international
oi*Sanization. Until some time ago, when considerable increase in the cost
of material included in the supplies furnished local unions took place, the
'OS8 to the organization was comparatively small. Since war prices have
Pi'evailed ahd the cost of books, paper and other material furnished newly
^^^anized local unions has advanced in a remarkable manner, the inter-
'^^tional organization is losing altogether too much on the supplies furnished
'^^'wly organized locals. Added to this is the increased cost to the organiza-
^^n of the new standardized bookkeeping supplies furnished local unions.
^r these reasons I recommend that the charter fees for new local unions
increased from $8.00, the amount now fixed by the constitution, to at
St $15.00. While this will not cover the cost of furnishing supplies, we
II lose, of course, much less at this figure than the amount now provided
^^r by law.
Fourth: I have arranged a simplified, standard set of books for use
^^ local unions. These were arranged after consulting traveling auditors
'^ all the different districts. These books as arranged are the product of
^^e experience and best thought of the traveling auditors and myself. It
^^ our iwanimous opinion that as arranged they are best suited to the needs
^i the officers of local unions — simple, easily understood and thoroughly
Practical in every way. The traveling auditors have prevailed upon local
Unions to adopt the standard books as best they could when visiting local
Unions. They complain, however, that thej' lapk authority to require local
unions to use the books furnished by the international organization, and find
94
in many instances that local union officers purchase tablets from book stores,
in which they attempt to keep their accounts, and many times it is well
nigh impossible to audit them.
•
I recommend that the law provide that traveling auditors may require
local unions to use only the simple, standardized books and records fur-
nished by the international organization, for the purpose of keeping in a
proper manner the records and accounts of local unions.
Fifth: When traveling auditors report local unions have overpaid per
capita tax on their membership, I promptly return the amount overpaid.
When they report local unions hare failed to pay per capita tax on their
full membership and owe a certain amount to the international organiza-
tion, I write such local unions, acquainting them with the findings and
report of the traveling auditors, and requesting them to send the tax due.
In almost all instances local unions respond by paying the amount reported
due by the traveling auditors. While the law provides that local unions
must be placed upon the delinquent list if they are in arrears twa months
or more for tax, it does not provide that local unions must be placed upon
the delinquent list for failure to pay tax reported due by traveling auditors.
While it may be imposing a penalty altogether too severe by placing
local unions upon the delinquent list for failure to pay tax which traveling
auditors repoi*t is due, some amendment to the constitution should be
adopted by the convention which would require local unions to pay such
per capita tax within a reasonable length of time.
COLLECTION OF BACK ASSESSMENT.
At the last International Convention, delegates from local unions that
owed the fifty cents per month per member assessment levied during the
period between September, 1913, and June 80, 1916, for the purpose of
supplying aid to the members of our organization on strike in Colorado
and eastern Ohio, and their families who were dependent upon them, were
seated with the understanding that the International Secretary-Treasurer
would bring about settlements of this back assessment with local unions
that had not paid it. The convention in seating delegates from local unions
that owed back assessment adopted the recommendation of the Credential
Committee, which read as follows:
''Inasmuch as a majority of the local unions, which our report shows
95
to be in arrears for assessments, are in districts which have no check-off,
vre recommend that they be seated and that they make individual settle-
ments with the International Secretary, subject to the approval of the
Internaiional Board.''
In carrying into effect this action of the convention, the traveling
auditors have been utilized. They were instructed to visit local unions
^t owed back assessment, meet with them, explain the situation and
endeavor to reach final settlements. In this work the traveling auditors
iuLve rendered valuable service. Since July, 1917, they have brought about
settlements with local unions in various districts, by which $27,338.39 of
this back assessment due has been paid. Their work has been of the highest
order, and in its performance they have been required to exercise discre-
tion and patience to an unusual degree. I could not have collected this
money in any other way. With the help of the traveling auditors I have
succeeded m bringing about settlements with practically all local unions
that were in arrears for assessment on a basis that was fair to the local
union and just to the organization. Only a few have refused to settle
when called upon by the traveling auditors to do so.
TRAVELING AUDITORS.
Since the adjournment of the last International Convention two meet-
ings of traveling auditors have been held, oije in July, 1916, and the other
in July, 1917. These meetings were held for the purpose of systematizing
the work of traveling auditors, of bringing about collective co-operation
in their work, and of improving the methods by which local union officers
keep a record of local union affairs and their financial accounts. As pre-
viously explained, a simple standardized system of bookkeeping has been
arranged for local unions. In addition, a standardized method of auditing
the accounts of local unions and standard report blanks, upon which the
auditors make their reports to the international and district secretary-
treasurers, have been adopted. The traveling auditors have been, and are,
rendering splendid service. Many of them, working in districts where a
large number of local unions owed back assessment, have brought about
settlements with these local unions amounting in net returns to the inter-
national organization, many thousands of dollars in excess of the salaries
they have been paid. These meetings have proved to be of great benefit.
96
The results are shown in greater efficiency and better understanding in.
work being done by practically all the traveling auditors.
FINANCES. '
The balance on hand at the end of the last fiscal year was $417,01^
The income for the year 1917 was $1,759,727.34, and the expenditures
(1,966,999.20. There was a balance on hand December 1, 1917, of
745.05. The income for the two years since my repbrt was made to the
International Convention was $2,807,598.44, and the expenditures
$2,790,410.36. These figures are submitted so that the attention of
membership may be attracted to the large sums of money which j>
through the hands of the International Secretary-Treasurer during
periods between conventions.
While these sums of money seem quite large, experience shows that c
Income is quite insufficient to meet the growing demands which are c
stantly being made upon the organization. The appeals for help to f<
and clothe members who join our union in non-union fields, and th
families dependent upon them, are greater than we can meet, for it h^^
ever been the policy of the organization that the expense incurred whe^^
we respond to the appeals of non-union men for help must be borne by th -^
International Union and the money paid out of per capita tax received'
from the membership.
For instance, when in June of last summer 18,000 mine workers irC^
eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, included in District No. 19, and their^
families, amounting in all to more than 80,000 people, were suddenly made^
dependent for food and clothing each week on funds supplied by the Inter- -
national Union, because of a strike, the task of taking care of this vast ^
number of people out of per capita tax received each month from local J
unions was greater than we could bear. The situation had to be met. The '
men were idle and they and their families were without food. They could
look for help to no other source except the International Union of the
United Mine Workers of America. The need was so urgent and immediate
that sufficient time to call a meeting of the International Executive Board,
levy and collect an assessment, could not be spared, I was forced to issue
an appeal to local unions and district organizations for voluntary donations,
80 that this army of men, who were fighting for the right to belong to our
union, for higher wages and better living conditions, and their wives and
97
children dependent upon them could be fed while this industrial conflict
was being waged. Local unions and district organizations, responded quite
promptly by sending me a total of $60,764.10, which I in turn sent to eastern
Kentucky and Tennessee to buy food and clothing. By this means, our
members in this part of the Southland and their families were supplied
with barely enough with which to satisfy their urgent needs. They won
in WL most clean-cut and decisive manner, are now working under a union
(contract and union conditions, and the men who made this brave fight
deserve to be congratulated upon the heroic and loyal manner in which
^©y fought and upon the decisive victory which they gained. Altogether,
^e International Union supplied this district for aid alone with $258,350.00,
^'^d it was this money which enabled them to win.
It is mighty trying, fellow delegates, to meet situations of this kind
]^tliout sufficient funds in the international treasury. Imagine, if you
please, my feelings and sense of responsibility as the financial agent of
y^^r^ organization when suddenly 80,000 people become dependent upon the
^''^^si.nization for food and clothing, when I know the limited amount of
'^^on.cy I have on hand and which amount is totally inadequate to meet the
•^los-t urgent needs of the situation, conscious of the fact that unless the
^•^^ry needs of this vast army of people are met each week the men on strike
^^^11 be forced back to work, discouraged and defeated. Moments of this
^*^cl are full of anxiety beyond description. One can endure the thought
^^-t;. strong men are hungry, but not so of women and little children. Our
^^^i Rations in instances of this kind are very solemn and very great. A
vire to properly discharge them is little less than criminal. This being
^, if situations of this kind are to be successfully met by the Inter-
«nal Union, means must be provided by which a sufficient amount of
ey to do so is made available. This is a problem with which this con-
ion ought to deal.
Having sent all local unions an itemized statement^ of all moneys re-
^'^^ed and expended for the fiscal year ending November 30, 1916, I am
^Knitting at the end of this report an itemized statement of all moneys
eived and expended for the fiscal year ending November 30, 1917.
MONEYS IN COLORADO BANKS.
In my report to the convention two years ago I directed attention to
^^Tids of the organization deposited in certain banks in Colorado. These
^^^ou» sums of money had been placed in these banks to the credit of the
4 MPio.
I
t
i
98
United Mine Workers before I became International Secretary-Treasurer.
When I endeavored to withdraw them, at a time when we were bard pressed
for money, I was unable to do so.
In the meantime three of the banks in which sums of money belongring
to the organization had been deposited — ^namely, the Erie Bank of Erie,
Colo., the Louisville Bank of Louisville, Colo., and the Lafayette Bank and
Trust Company of Lafayette, Colo. — passed into the hands of a receiver.
Ordinarily the receiver would have paid our pro rata share of the money
we had deposited in these banks out of the available assets, but in this
instance he refused to do so, and, protected by an injunction issued by the
district court, refused to recognize in any way our certificates of deposit.
The sums of money which I found the international organization had
deposited in these banks are as follows:
Louisville Bank, Louisville, Colo $ 6,303.60
Lafayette Bank, Lafayette, Colo 41,665.60
Erie Bank, Erie, Colo 4,712.26
and $5,000.00 with one James P. Miller, cashier of the Lafayette Bank and
Trust Company, for which no certificate of deposit had ever been issued
and which, it was stated, was being held for some reason to be deposited
at Home time with the Interstate Savings Bank or some other bank in
Denver. These deposits amount to $57,581.35.
In addition, ex-Secretary McDonald of District No. 12, U. M, W. of A.,
deposited in these banks $50,000.00 belonging to District No. 12, divided
us follows:
Interstate Bank of Denver, Colo $25,000.00
Louisville Bank of Louisville, Colo 10,000.00
Lafayette Bank of Lafayette, Colo 10,000.00
Erie Bank of Erie, Colo 5,000.00
Besides, District No. 27, Montana, has $8,000.00 on deposit in the
Interstate Bank of Denver. The money belonging to District No. 12, I am
informed, the International Union obligated itself to return in case these
banks failed to do so for any reasons whatever. Our attorney, Mr.
Horace N. Hawkins, about one year and a half ago was instructed to insti-
tute legal proceedings in an effort to recover for the organization the money
deposited in these banks. A hearing was held during April, 1916, before
the Bank Commissioner at Denver, in an effort to collect this money. The
99
m
Bank Commissioner decided against our claim and Mr. Hawkins appealed
from his decision to the Supreme Court of Colorado, where the case is still
pending. For the purpose of making a report of the present status of this
case to this convention, I requested our attorney, Mr. Hawkins, to advise
me regarding it. He sent the following message:
"Denver, Colo., December 12, 1917.
"William Green, Secretary-Treasurer
United Mine Workers of America,
Indianapolis, Ind.
"Colorado Bank Commissioner held that the funds were de-
posited with the banks pursuant to an agreement with President
White that the moneys were to be loaned by the banks to the
American Fuel Company and not to be repaid by the banks to the
United Mine Workers unless the banks collected from the fuel
company. The banks having become insolvent, the Commissioner
held that the United Mine Workers could not compel repayment from
the banks. We appealed from the decision of the Commissioner
and case is now pending on appeal. Can not tell when decision
will be rendered. President White denied making any such agree-
ment, and we hope to reverse decision of Bank Commissioner.
In my judgment the decision was a rank outrage.
"HORACE N. HAWKINS."
I can not tell, of course, when a decision in this case will be rendered
by the Supreme Court of Colorado, nor what the decision may be. I am
firmly convinced, however, that even though the decision may be favorable
to our claims, that the assets of the Erie, Louisville and Lafayette Banks
are so worthless that very little, if any, of the moneys deposited by either
the International Union or District No. 12 will be recovered.
The money deposited by District No. 12 and District No. 27 in the
Interstate Bank and Trust Company of Denver will no doubt be paid if
the decision is favorable, because this bank is solvent. For the present, at
least, and until a decision is rendered by the court finally disposing of our
claims, we are carrying these sums of money as cash on hand. In reality
we do not have this amount of money to our credit available, therefore in
determining the actual amount of money we have, these sums of money
deposited in these Colorado banks, amounting to $57,581.35, as above stated,
must be deducted from the amount stated in my report as balance on hand.
Our attorney, Mr. Hawkins, has been instructed to press our claim for
final decision, and until this is done no definite action can be taken in the
final disposition of this transaction.
100
JOURNAL.
The cost of printing and publishing the Journal is greater than its
income. It has ever been thus, and the difference between the income and
expenditures has varied in accordance with the quality and character of
the publication. Experience shows that when, in accordance with instruc-
tions given by a former convention of the United Mine Workers, a diange .
in the official organ was made from newspaper to magazine form, that in
Bite and quality it was far superior to that of other labor organization
magazines furnished for the subscription price fixed for the United Mine
Workers' Journal. In other words, we gave too much for the price charged.
Beginning with December, 1916, the International Elxecutive Board
' decided to reduce the size of the Journal and change its character and
appearance so that the cost of publication would be less. Since that time
the magazine has been printed in its reduced size and present form.
My experience as manager of the Journal, whidi I relinquished on
July 15, 1917, has convinced me that the United Mine Workers' Journal
can not be published weekly in magazine form at the present subscription
price without costing the organization some money. The Bubacription price
of 11.00 per >'ear is not sufficient to cover the cost of printing, publication
and nmiling. The deficit resulting from the publication of the Journal
may W rtHlucetl, but it can not be altogether eliminated. But even so, in
my opinion the money spent in printing the Journal is wdl spent. Why
should not imrt of the money of the orgarazation be expended for educa-
tional purpotio^T Kiiuoation is knowledge and knowledge is power. Thou-
Mnd8 of iV(M( s of Journals have been sent into Maryland, Alabama, eastern
K<>ntuoKy aiul lVnn<^s*ee while organizing campaigns ww« being conducted.
TracticaUy every trade union tha; publisihes an official organ does so at ,a
finanoial lo»«<. The exception may be where the membership is assessed a
»uffieiet\t an\oiint to i\a>' the xNv^t of printing and publication. The money
whioh xw :^tvnd in f iviujr tin* form of education to our membership and
the puKw A* x^^lU thix^irh the .v.umn* of the United Mine Workers'
Jottn>a\ i* xvnnvftratiwly ,^mi^U when measured by the total expenses of
th« onniu!tisat)^>».
T!s^ vr,*.^t;r4r -^^rm whu*h h^a Nvn v^^^^tiivg the United Mine Workers'
Jo;:ma^ wNw *.i wt^:^ oSai\i:v^I to u\air*s«,^^ fx\nn appaxetitly oTerdiarged
a«^ fa;*.W, v.^ A>«^ys^' fu-\,\ w^.th the ANs\tr*ot they made with os^ Tlie matter
wm* jvvrse ^r.r,^ wv»*^ e\SAx^*t,\^ly ana \\ wa* fs^un^ li^«* was due the Inter-
101
national Union $7^77.14. The printing firm returned this money to the
organization, and their representatives explained that this was caused by
an extraordinary situation in the print paper market resulting from war
conditions.
Figures showing the income and expenses of the Journal for the year
1915 were included in my report sent the membership for that year. The
income and expenses are submitted in this report for the period between
December 1, 1916, and July 15, 1917. During the period between July 15,
1917, and November 30, 1917, $4,000.00 was paid to Vice-President John L.
Lewis, present manager of the Journal, for the purpose of meeting such
deficiency as may have been caused in publishing the Journal during that
period.
COURT DECISIONS.
While it is neither expected^ nor required that the International Secre-
tary-Treasurer would report upon questions which properly come within
the constitutional supervision and authority of the President of the organ-
ization, I feel sure I can, with perfect propriety, make exception in refer-
ring to the recent decisions in the Federal Court at Fort Smith, Ark.,
in the Coronado Coal Company vs. United Mine Workers case and the
Supreme Court of the United States in the Hitchman Coal and Coke Com-
pany vs. the United Mine Workers injunction case, because the courts'
decisions are so extraordinary and they so vitally affect the very life and
future of our organization.
In the Hitchman Coal and Coke Company case the Supreme Court of
the United States reversed the decision of the Federal Court of Appeals by
affirming the action of Judge Dajrton in granting an injunction against
the officers of the orgaimation restraining them from soliciting men em-
ployed in tha mines of the Hitchman Coal and Coke Company to join the
United Mine Workers of America. This case has been pending in the
different courts since 1906, a period of eleven years. The decision, stripped
of legal technicalities and legal verbiage, is that if coal miners enter into
a contract with their employer at any mine, agreeing to work as non-union
men, that the coal operator with whom they make this agreement is entitled
to an injunction restraining representatives of the organization from re-
questing, soliciting or in the most peaceful manner persuading them to
become members of the union. The far-reaching consequences of this de-
104
Our attorneys inform us that after the case had been submitted to the
ry and thoy were out for two days, evidently unable to agree upon a
T«i>il;ct« Jud)?!' Elliott, who tried the case, called them into court and aaked
ib^m if they dosireii further instruction upon either the law or evidence
» the case. The foreman of the jury replied they did not; that their
failunp to reach a verdict was due to a difference of opinion. Not with-
SitandinK this reply. Jud>re Elliott addressed the jury as follows:
**You are adviseii that this court is of the opinion that the
facta in this case justify you in the conclusion overwhelmingly
that it was the (H>licy ami therefore the agreement for years of
this national oi-|runir.ation to prevent mining of non-union coal for
the unlawful purposes named in the complaint, that it might not
\vn^e into competition ^ith union mined coal, that there is no
question ii\ this c\Hirt*s mind but that that strike was ordered
down ther\« for that puriH^se. to prevent the mining of non-union
\^^l m these plaint iff s* mines: that the strike was called by those
who wore the instrumentality of the irreater organixation, the gen-
eral orisauieation. the defendants, and their act was its act, and that
they put into ntotion ihe foiw which destivyed this property, and
that that for\v was put into monon for the purpose of preventing
the mining: of that v^^aU the shipping of that coal, now that is the
jud^sment of ihis vvurc. and if it werv my duty to decide it I
The jury ther. rt*v.rt\l. and within four hours brought in a verdict
!I»;aiv.s*, :h.e I'r.iuv. M'.t»e NVorWer* and m favor of the coal company for
fi\V.\SVS\v I'Nio* the pr\*MsioPs v*f the Shernian anti-trust law this
amouv.t ».s au:v*:»v*:*vA".\ trv*o'e\l. svi^s^xjucrtly ;h^ judgment in effect
\\e v^'Vv^e :o avv*^''** •^■* -A*e :o the ^.jr^er courts for final decision.
N.vv:\ 0A>* s ji:\»wv\'. t>vvi No\vt«^er i*:. th* iate on which the verdict
>fcA* v^slvrevv :,* xv :^-: av av,v<<- a*v- N'^»rv e\VN:«:on of the judgment
w<\ '^<^ y"^,v. v\r *::,\!"c>* a,'.\ Ne u>^ '.hji: uvVs* ar, appeal bond is filed
>fc:^ *i •:'"^: ■. •.»•s^ ><fv..- -,: :^^ is*\— ^:". x^ -..v* :A.-^r=«c:. together with
,v*:s jL'v. ji.wv^Ni '.ccxr*:. •;. A>Nv:rvi.*\< -.v' ■, v ruVr^^c oi" J'JCge EDiott, may
>f WW * ;^fNi. ^> A : : A , * ■• X -, ^ v *" v: ^ c> s * • ,* ■,- v ;v : > .' f :£* international
^v'^Tk .^ c;' xc .».***; v.->^ .-;*,• ;' A-o x,X' x- .,; .v'-i:!- :jl: IOCS* moneys and
^t-vi*^*-:,. X c ."ta: .*: -.kjl ./ ,-. * a> >ikv. V *v ajsv**" XTvi which w« will
■ i ;vri!v:'-*.v.. »«jC "J * :*.-•;? ,,■ a wa ,nn'-,'w.x -,:■ ",*%* jk'-"??!-:^ '"j^^es of policy
105
First, as above explained, an appeal bond may be given which will
stay the execution of the judgment until the case is decided by the court
of last resort. In this instance, should the verdict of the lower court be
affirmed, the bond will serve to guarantee payment of the judgment, court
costs and accrued interest.
Second, the case may be appealed without a surety bond being given,
guaranteeing payment of the judgment and costs. In this instance, col-
lection of th» judgment and costs through attachment proceedings may be
begun within ninety days after the verdict was rendered. The convention
should decide which course our organization will pursue.
I have consulted the representatives of a number of bonding com-
panies regarding an appeal bond, and each and all of them have stated
that we must furnish collateral in money, liberty loan or other bonds in
an amount equal to the judgment and costs in this case before an appeal
bond can be executed. This collateral must be given in order to indemnify
the bonding company in case the higher court sustains the verdict rendered
against us and they are required to pay it. The financial condition of
the international organization is such that we are unable to meet this re-
quirement We only have about $150,000.00 in the international treasury,
so that if collateral to the amount of $800,000.00 is to be given in this case,
either the membership or district organizations must supply it.
•
This is a very serious question, and one which the convention should
act upon. I hope and believe that the higher courts will set aside this
verdict. The attorneys who represent us in this case are of that opinion.
I do not believe the jury would have returned this verdict if it had not
been for the instructions given them by the court, and I do not believe
that such an unjust and unfair verdict will be sustained. If it is, our
organization will no doubt be called upon to defend itself against innumer-
able damage suite of this kind, and if they are decided as this case has
been, our membership will be unable to earn enough money to pay the judg-
ments rendered against us. No labor organization can exist if such is
the law of the land.
By this decision the officers and members of the United Mine Workers
who have been officers and members since 1898 are conspirators, guilty of
violation of law. Included in this list are ex-President Mitchell, who is
now serving as chairman of the Industrial Commission of New York and
108
Naturally at this time the attention of the people of our land is cen-
tered upon this convention. It is the first time we have met in convention
since our nation declared war. We will speak for the men who mine the
coal and America will listen with interest to hear what the message shall be.
There must be no misunderstanding, no doubt as to where the miners stand.
Like a rugged rock, unshakable and immovable, we must stand squarely
with our country and behind our soldiers on the battlefield.
If the twenty thousand or more members of our union whQ have pre-
sented themselves for service on the world's battlefield are willing to give
their lives in this fight for democracy against autocracy, we at home with
whom they worked and with whom they associated must give our labor and
our service in full measure. They expect this from us. We must not dis-
appoint them or falter in the performance of our duty. We must help make
it possible for those who have gone to fight to strike swiftly and successfully.
Let the message which goes out from this convention be clear and
unmistakable. We can not be pacifists now. The war is on and there is
no choice for true, loyal Americans except to stand with the government
and for the defense of democratic ideals and democratic principles. After
the war is over and the battle has been won, when the right of free peoples
to establish their own forms of government has been assured, when au-
tocracy, either military or otherwise, has been destroyed, and when the
future peace of the people of all nations in the world is made secure, we
can then take up for solution the economic, social and industrial problems
which were occupying our attention when this awful wat* was forced
upon us.
In clear and ringing tones let this convention proclaim to all groups
of citizens within our own land, to our workers across the sea and our blood
and kin in the trenches of Europe that the miners of America are heart
and soul, body and mind, without reservation, behind our government in
the piosecution of this war, and we pledge to it a full measure of service
until the battles are over and a decisive victory is won.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM GREEN,
Secretary-Treasurer.
109
INCOME.
Amount received from each local union for per capita tax and assess-
ment from December 1, 1916, to November 30, 1917, inclusive:
L.U. Location.
20 Plymouth,
Pa. $
36 Forest City
61 Forest City
131 Old Forge
147 Peckville .
151 Scranton
182 Parsons .
213 Scranton
265 Dupont . .
306 Rendham
311 Plymouth
336 Ehiryea ..
400 Wanamie
402 Duryea .
439 Mildred .
446 Sugar
Notch
452 Luzerne
454 Luzerne
458 Swoyers-
ville . .
460 Scranton
466 Wilkes
Barre .
484 Wilkes
Barre .
490 Shick-
shinny
495 Peckville
512 Parsons
519 Scranton
DISTRICT NO. 1.
Tax. Assessm't. L.U. Location.
526 Scranton .
512.49 /532 Lopez ....
26.00 599 Glen Lyon.
1,057.50 $ 262.00 622 Wyoming .
113.25 623 Wilkes
217.00 Barre ..
1,599.25 637 Scranton .
20.25 699 Edwards-
1,525.00 500.00 ville ...
42.50 727 Wilkes
152.75 Barre ..
787.50 767 Pittston . .
188.25 778 Duryea ..
1,277.00 100.00 808 Scranton .
242.50 838 Nanticoke
1'354.50 844 Carbon-
dale . . .
^^'^'^^ 846 Alden
539.00 ^^ ^.
Station .
175.00 „^^ „
862 Scranton .
1.165.61 ''" P'^**"***
760.60 56.00 *''' Carbondale
879 Dunmore .
1,838.75 250.00 ^^"^ Nanticoke
898 Nanticoke
589.00 ^^^ Nanticoke
900 Nanticoke
801.15 255.00 901 Taylor . . .
285.00 917 Qliphant .
212.75 925 Archbald .
441.50 25.00 957 Glen Lyon.
Tax. Assesam't.
1,036.00 365.75
679.75
324.00
49.00
327.00
733.00
1,595.50 10.00
. 127.75
87.50
21.00
733.25 100.00
387.90
1,588.50 79.50
1,080.13
71.25
1,247.25
127.50 35.00
484.50
78.00 .!....
639.34
208.55
499.78 300.00
1,808.90
277.00
138.50
606.75
110
LU. Looition.
»«9 Ourbon-
dftlo ....
975 Olyphant .
988 Marsh-
wood . .
996 Wilkes
B«rre . .
001 Plymouth..
004 Throop . . .
005 Jessup . . .
010 Oliphant .
012 Eynon . . .
013 Taylor . . .
016 Soranton .
024 MayAeia .
025 Jermyn . .
055 Forest City
056 Mimx^ka .
052 Soranton .
069 Plymouth .
072 Soranton .
OT^ P'vTT.outh
i>5sl lV.:*:or. ..
1-S Avooa ..
i:it2 r:yTr.ou:h .
I?.:; ray\T
IfK! Avvoa
IldT OVr ly-r
Barry
Tax. Assessm't.
570.00 35.00
297.00
250.00
885.26
849.8T
1.268.50
407.(H1
468.00
194.25
608.25
I42.5t)
8l>9.25
1.252.80
884.50
257.5l>
1.865.89
192.75
788,01^
li>6.l2
:-■'» .V
-o. ,•.
-.»
.■•^. •.
S.V .^t!
L.U.
1174
1192
1217
1221
1229
100.00 1278
125.00 1296
450.0l> 1800
1311
165,00 1831
1853
1860
40.00 186.S
1867
1889
1407
1418
14*J8
14;^-:
i4>-:
150.00
Location.
Plymouth
Exeter . .
Luzerne .
Dorrance-
ton . . .
Scranton
Soranton
Old Forcre
Carbondale
Scranton
Soranton
Laflin . . .
Soranton
Miners
Mills .
Pittston .
Wyoming
Wilkes
Barre .
Scrar.tor.
Ash>y . .
P'.s:r.s . .
Sucar
V >- -v
P:::*:or
Av.'oi
.4VO
:4>T
.4y>
Tax. Assessi
1,008.00
13.50
573.74
339^5
876.50
178.52
394.75
47.75
130.00
1 ^77.50
60.00
451^
33.50
15.00
342.75
1.3S-2JJ5
556.75
1.373.00
l.iV>4.So
70.75
.2iiS.75
::'■: v»
:?^.>j
■ * ■ •
•..•4 .•
i. .<-4- :•
io<
41
5<
•■>!
10
8:
>.>
:-:;: .'^"i^a,
IbU. Location.
1685 Plymouth . .
1644 Scranton . .
1645 Luzerne ...
1649 Scranton . .
1656 Scranton . .
1670 Dunmore ..
^«72 01yphant ..
^«79 Peckville . .
^^ Scranton . .
^681 Scranton . .
1682Archbald ..
^««5 Parsons ...
^^^^ Olyphant ..
^«^3 Scranton . .
1694 Schick.
Bhinny . .
1700 V^^dling . .
1703Pit^ton ...
IW P^kviUe . .
1^32 I>^eley . . . .
17^0 S<,^nton . .
Ill
Tax. Assessm't. L.U. Location.
372.00 1756 Duryea ..
572.50 1760 Dunmore .
940.75 1766 Dupont ..
1^94.00 191.38 , 1877 Olyphant .
615.00 1996 Hudson . .
557.60 1997 Laflin ....
626.50 315.00 2202 Nanticoke.
166.75 2298 Olyphant .
808.25 400.00 2407 Scranton .
783.50 ...... 2439 Nanticoke.
741.00 30.00 2444 Nanticoke.
1,168*78 2519 -Scranton .
719.50 306.81 3076 Wilkes
34.50 Barre ..
3088 Mayiield .
88.39 3145 Scranton .
462.50 3638 Moosic . . .
86.25 Spec. Assessm't.
117.20 21.00 Jno. Mack, Secy.
26.60
247.00 Total...
Tax. Assessm't.
51.75
166.50
28.25 -
379.25 120.00
33.75
310.00
362.00
90.00 6.00
66.25
440.00
219.75
69.60
65.00
51.00
163.60
11.00
48,826.00
District No. 1.
$75,888.44 $66,740.94
DISTRICT NO. 2.
-Creation. Tax. Assessm't. L.U. Location.
^ S^cpedite, 176 Winbume. .
Pa $ 308.53 199 Creekaide. .
^^ ^liiUips- 293 Iselin
burg 1,286,98 339 Hawk Run .
^^ H:outBdale. . 351.14 $ 50.00 375 Madera . . .
^^ ^^rwinadale 14.00 378 Glen Richy.
^^Isopple . 466.25 395 De Lancey.
^^ S-barford . . 596.16 472 South Fork.
^^ ^^^fSance . . 608.60 480 Chambers-
1^ -^-^adia . . . 1,278.00 ville ....
144 Spangler . . 359.76 521 Portage . . .
146 Hopewell .. 273.26 523 Du Bois . . .
Tax. Assessm't.
1,193.00
1,250.00 15.00
615.50 126.00
541.25 60.00
1,434.64 250.00
311.88
982.38 170.00
3,175.60
371.56
1,200.88
574.25 50.00
112
L.U. Location.
538 Phillips-
burs: . . .
Ml Helvetia .
570 Portage . .
577 Widnoon .
596 Sattamon .
601 Love Joy .
609 Morriadale.
616 HastinKS .
617 Barnesboro
626 Desire . . .
65S Coalmont .
678 Soldier ...
7S8 Coal Glen.
801 Munson . .
819 New Beth-
lehem . .
880 Dunlo
881 Ernest ...
837 New Beth>
lehem
842 Patton ...
861 Cresson . .
865 Amot ....
871 Benezett .
924 Carroll-
town . . ,
930 Mayport ..
935 Cassandra.
937 Glen white.
1020 Creekside.
1031 Roberts-
dale ...
1043 Portage .
1056 Gallitzin .
1071 ESirenfield
Tax. Asscssm't.
ioa.88
1,495.27
597.75
(U)5.50
1,808.(>3
(?r>8.12
724.50
1.9UU8
8,679.13
899.50
71.00
1.086.93
235.75
569.26
1.186.76
1.4»=i0.75
1.2S8.S7
265.40
2.207.25
590 JJ5
868.04
282.90
218.62
5T0j!o
2.433.ST
363.50
470.74
2.164.01
M2.3S
1.505.37
1.113.63
200.00
2.000.00
100.00
100.00
50.00
150.00
7W.0l^
500.00
450.00
100.«>>
rfOM
lOO.Oi)
L.U. Location.
081 Ashville ..
086 Morann . .
106 Numine . .
134 Grass Flat
139 Grampian.
186 W. Mon-
terey . . .
218 Anita
269 Elmora . .
294 Lilly
295 Glen Camp
bell ....
304 Kittanningr
805 Rimersburg:
310 Waist on .
347 Xanty Glo
370 Morris Run
386 Xanty Glo
402 Coalport ..
415 Furnace
Run . . .
441 Tyler
445 Broad Top
468 St. Boniface
4S9 Ciymer . . .
Mo Pixonvir.e.
529 Cam war h .
532 Du Bois .
5c9 Punsu-
ta^^-Rev .
I5?3 Madera ..
15^7 Homer Ci-
1627 Moshar^or.
1»?.>4 Elk Li-k .
l-jo^ M?rar.r .
:r.S3 Six M:Ie
Tax. As8(
133.28
50.50
755.75
1,287.15
146.00
222.35
555.80
1,667.25 1
556.25
493.88
396.01
1,013.06
437.12
767.50
1.951.25
1.912.00
1.097.50
430.94
932.72
236.25
305.00
1j222,00
1.006.25
352.14
119.50
525.C<'
340.01
•'-O -''v:
^ ^ « ^^m »
.^.'.
113
LU. Location.
1731 Sligo
1736 Rossiter . .
1785 Yatesboro .
1798 Ramsay-
town . . .
1848 Saxman . . .
^855 Emeigh . . .
857 Fallen
Timber . .
^5» Catfish ...
'^ Clarence . .
79 Brockway-
ville
•^ Bit;umen . .
"^ Isomer City
^2 A^nisbry . .
)5 Dudley ....
C>8 St, Bene-
dict ....
*10 Cymbria
Mines . . .
^7 Berlin ....
^0 Byrnes-
dale
^ Osceola
Mills . . .
O Clearfield . .
X Blossburgr .
S Wishaw . . .
< Dagrua
Mines . . .
5 Force
•4 Coupon
U Frugality
t5 Langdon-
dale . .
• • •
Tax. Assessm't. L.U.
168.00 2092
1,390.51 2098
1,666.75 2153
774.75 100.00 2179
610.13 320.00 2200
930.00
2233
542.49 2246
257.77 2248
930.25 100.00 2265
2279
274.00 2288
850.89
390.07 2292
545.25 2295
663.00
2296
963.14 2297
915.00 425.00 2303
126.00
2305
625.25 2308
1,312.00 2310
31.50 2342
285.00
1,145.92 ' 50.00 2345
1,100.35 2351
608.54
332.55 2370
510.50
2408
319.78
Location.
Blandburg. .
Antrim . . .
New Beth-
lehem . . .
Lilly
Six Mile
Run . . . f
Beaverdale .
Bamesboro .
Portage . . .
Red Bank..
Elbon
McCart-
ney .
Penfield . . .
Curwens-
ville
Crenshaw .
Brockway-
ville
W. Mon-
terey . . .
Boardman. .
Parkers
Landing.
Shawmut ..
Lawson-
ham ....
Cherry
X ree . . • •
Phillips-
burg
Marion
Center . .
Sykes-
ville
Tax. Assessm't.
125.99
870.64 400.00
555.75
450.50
128.30
2,284.63
862.26 83.25
782.25
529.35
363.50
136.37
113.25
533.77
109.00
427.00
325.74
165.50
244.70
119.87
608.88 60.00
344.60
201.76
48.00
1,060.60 100.00
114
LkU. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Jjocation..
Tax. Assi
2426 Gallitxin . .
544.50
3067 Strattons-
2428 Homer
ville
69.75
City ....
1,876.38
3068 Dysart
96.50
2480 Rochester
3071 Dudley ....
534.40
Mills ...
54.23
3072 Six Mile
2463 Morann ...
23.38
Run
587.25
2484 Eriton ....
1,499.08
100.00
3074 Onnalinda .
334.26
2527 Osceola
3075 Brisbin . . .
216.50
Mills ...
94.77
3077 Parkers
2601 Conifer . . .
957.25
Landing .
185.29
2604 Lochvale . .
173.48
3078 Meyers-
2629 Cowans-
dale
207.38
ville
168.53
3080 Hyde
123.50
2688 Wilgus ....
279.05
3083 Garrett . . .
573.87
2658 Huey
283.47
50.00
3084 Six Mile
2722 DuBois....
1,378.50
50.00
Run
221.50
2730 Kittan-
3087 Coupon . . .
36.00
a
3089 Beccarria .
90.50
ning:
53.50
2739 Gipsy
433.62
3126 Boynton . .
3127 Smoke Run
206.76
156.00
2744 Punxsu-
3142 Lecontes
tawney ..
171.00
«
2774 Meyers-
Mills ...
3163 Macdon-
135.25
dale
510.00
aldton . .
120.00
2776 Reed
313.00
25.00
3168 Macdon-
2778 Listie ....
94.75
aldton . .
216.00
2789 Blackfield .
191.00
^ %^ ^m \# Vr
3202 Boardman.
69.50
2809 Wigton . . .
302.50
3401 Homer
2859 Utahville . .
183.50
City ....
105.50
2956 Smith
3433 Johnstown.
15.00
Mills ...
334.00
3442 Force
8.88
2970 Anita
197.00
3467 Kearney . .
22.25
2986 Johnstown .
55.00
3519 Gallitzin . .
36.50
3000 Puritan . . .
855.64
711.00
75.00
Total... $11
3036 Cadogen . .
.5.352.16 S 9
E
LU. Location.
^1 Mononga-
hela, Pa. I
79 Webster...
92 Fayette
City ....
96 West New-
ton
108 Bridge-
ville ....
187 AUenport .
235 Mononga-
hela . . .
260 Moon Ran .
269Ha2xard ..
274 Elizabeth..
280 New Eagle
316 Belle
Vernon
376 Arnold ...
^^ Mononga-
hela
^10 Yoho-
ghany
322 Coal Blnff.
^24 Smith
Ferry
428 Glassmere.
524 Harwick .
^» Ploreffe ..
549 Elizabeth .
558 Belle
Vernon .
5»3 Charleroi .
595 Burgetta-
town . .
• •
115
DISTRICT NO. 5.
Tax. Asseasm't. L.U. Location.
615 Fayette
851.25 City
846.75 688 Frederick-
town . . .
974.50 718 Shoring . . .
725 Cliff Mine.
627.50 762 Vestaburg.
797 Carnegie ..
176.00 813 Gallatin . . .
175.75 816 Johnetta . .
818 W. New-
486.25 ton
1,717.50 827 Homing . . .
138.75 849 Browns-
211.25 ville ....
194.00 854 Roscoe ....
864 Sturgeon ..
833.25 873 Broughton .
959.00 904 Bruceton ..
911 Meadow-
1,070.75 lands . . .
963 Mononga-
423.00 hela
550.75 1046 Tyre
1098 Burgetts-
147.85 town . . .
302.50 1143 Meadow-
951.25 lands . . .
573.75 1147 Beadling . .
915.25 1165 Ellsworth .
1180 Coal
135.75 Centre . .
968.50 1188 Kaylor
1190 Ellsworth .
590.00 1197 Cokesburg .
Tax. Assessm't
889.70
518.76
97.75
503.50
2,781.00 $ 100.00
547.50
581.75
72.50
352.75
1,485.50
160.75
1,063.25
970.80
758.50
254.00
0
366.75
715.50
1,129.50 280.00
1
315.00
557.50
1,018.75
1,302.00
178.50
712.50
1,268.25
1,055.75
116
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U.
Location;
Ti^x. Assessm't
1198 Lawrence .
697.75
10.00
1664
Cuddy
324.25
1201 Mononga-
1678 Sunny Side
795.75
hela
214.00
1712
Rodfield ...
467.50
1208 S. Burgetts.
1718
Homestead .
26.00
town ....
744.50
1724
Houston .. .
855.50
1214 Canons-
1730 Amyville ..
847.50
burg
202.75
1787 Calif or-
1230 Arnold ....
84.75
nia
2,589.75
1247 Sturgeon ..
730.00
1794
Studa
401.75
1254 Epton
306.20
1809 Willock . . .
460.00
1266 Courtney ..
495.00
1812
Fair
1319 Roscoe
343.75
Haven . .
212.50
1380 Meadow-
/
1826
Canons-
lands . . .
97.50
burg
1,044.00
1339 Castle
1829 Meadow-
Shannon .
1,379.75
lands . . .
1,118.00
1346 Bruceton ..
1,326.25
1830
W. Browns-
1349 Suterville .
894.75
ville
287.50
1352 Manifold ..
961.75
1898
Imperial . .
705.50
1355 Avella
315.75
1917
Burgetts-
1359 Canons-
town
441.50
burg
321.95
1943
Carnegie . .
175.00
1361 Califor-
1947
Elizabeth ..
663.50
nia
42.75
1965
Clifton-
1372 Cecil
1,354.25
ville
171.25
1382 Nobles-
1969
Boyers ....
117.00
town
681.75
1973
Bulger
585.00
1446 Arden
2000
Cecil
123.50
Mines . . .
698.00
2007
Cherry
1447 W. Browns-
Valley ..
200.25
ville
725.50
2012
Midway .. .
860.00
1477 Monongra-
2025 Van
hela
705.30
Meter . . .
439.75
1589 McDonald .
251.50
2026 Westland . .
515:87
•
1647 Avella
301.25
155.00
2029 Van
1648 Fair
Voorhis. .
687.25
Haven . . .
378.75
143.00
2049
Midway . . .
668.25
117
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
2050 Southview .
1,072.25
2057 Whitsett . .
1,262.00
2065 Cherry
Valley ..
431.25
2086 Browns-
ville
286.75
2087 W. Browns-
ville
277.00 90.00
2091 Cherry
Valley ..
317.50
2102 Fayette
City ....
671.50
2104 Bridge-
ville
761.00
2105 Federal . . .
965.50
2107 Avella ....
364.50
2125 Houston ..
100.50
2128 Houston ..
109.25
2144 Elizabeth ..
363.50
2147 Morsran ...
821.00
2148 Belle
Vernon ..
875.00
2206 Walkers
Mills....
60.00
2210 Virgin-
ville, W.
Va
210.00
2230 W. Browns-
ville, Pa.
710.25
2232 W. Browns-
ville
172.50
2241 Joffre
692.50
2242 Curtis-
ville ....
694.50
2244 Courtney ..
606.25
2249 Bunola i. . .
66.00
•
L.U. Location.
2250 Browns-
ville . . ,
2252 Fayette
City . . .
2258 Claytonia
2267 Large ....
2271 Smithton
2272 Hickman
2273 Smithton
2278 Bentley-
ville i . .
2338 Federal . .
2353 Fitz Henry
2354 Belle
Vernon . .
2363 Mollen-
auer
2364 Elizabeth . .
2367 Mononga-
hela . . . ,
2394 Craf ton . . .
2396 Fayette
City
2397 Belle
Vernon ..
2398 Van
Voorhis .
2399 Daisytown .
2401 Sturgeon ..
2424 Finley-
ville
2500 Large
2501 Van Meter.
2506 Scott
Haven . .
2545 Frederick,
town .. . .
Tax. Assessm't.
79.00
92.00
31.40
90.00
324.00
89.25 15.00
564.75
1,477.75
43.25
251.75
88.25
1,425.25
1,421.00
94.00
57.50
762.50
128.25
460.75
3,245.25
120.00
165.50
1,341.25
617.25
972.50
195.25
118
L.U. Location.
2608 Cuddy ....
2671 Fayette
City . . .
2597 Jacobs
Creek .
2626 Atlas-
burg . . .
2721 Stoneboro.
2728 S.Burgett8-
town . ..
2782 Deegan ...
2874 Marianna..
2881 Avella . . .
2899 Burgetts-
town . . .
2905 Salina ...
2950 Clifton-
ville, W.
Va
2959 Jacobs
Creek, Pa
2962 Evans
City . .
3057 Apollo . .
3073 Leechburg
3081 Leechburg
3111 Leechburg
3113 Vander-
grift .
3115 Shenley
3116 Leechburg
3118 Moween
3119 Jacobs
Creek .
8120 Apollo . .
8121 Saltsburg
Tax. Assessm't. L.U. Location.
767.15 3128 East
Brady ..
443,50 3135 Russell-
ton ....
ggQ^ 3136 Russell-
ton ....
cAiv en 3137 Bairdford .
OUl>.OU
^^^„^ 3138 Leechburg.
566.25 _ . ^
3139 Curtis-
ville . . .
^^^•^^ 3140 Vander-
24»-26 ^t...
^'^'^ 3141 Avonmore.
2^^-^ 3143 Nowry-
town . . .
112.50 3146 Leechburg.
62^ 3147 Apollo . . .
3151 Freeport ..
3156 Freeport .
48.50 3167 Braebum .
3195 Salts-
84.50 burg ...
3206 Kelley
24.00 Station .
96.50 3214 Kelley
134.25 Station .
125.00 3257 Wyano . . .
166.00 3258 Kites ....
3365 McDonald.
25.00 3366 Yukon . . .
62.50 3368 Yukon . . .
33.50 3405 Irwin
230.51 3406 Herminie .
3407 Herminie .
39.25 3422 Ellsworth . .
20.75 3424 Arnold . . .
61.50 3443 Bowerton .
Tax. Assess!
267.00
1,132.30
590.75
758.75
110.00
1,134.49
174.25
132.00
465.00
76.63
143.50
184.25
54.75
133.75
22.50
56.75
112.12
442 J25
29.25
108.00
4.25
39.88
15.00
57.25
51.50
2.50
14.50
40.00
U. Location.
06 Russell-
ton ....
•16 Logsns-
port ...
>»3 Midway . .
-U. Location.
5 New Phil-
adelphia.,
13 Bridgft-
port . ..
36 Mineral
Gty ...
38 Cambridge.
« Key ......
« NdBon-
TiUe ...
50 Jobs
«• Tracey ...
•S Cambridge.
^ Murray , .
'1 Nartins
Ferry . .
'3 Roiwell
'6 Co»!ton ...
'1 Congo . . . . ,
** FluBhing .
*3 Sladyaide.
^6 Wimock
^8 Nelson-
vilte .
^»l Buffalo .
^23 May^rd
^« Mineral
City .
Tax. ABsessm't.
26.76
37.00
6.25
Location,
paid
Tax. Assesamt.
63,172.00
Secy.,
Totals. .1102,006.90 263,965.00
DISTRICT NO. 6.
Tax. Assessm't.
I 418.00
1,221.25
87.66
657.86
605.25
131.75
58.60
69.00
791.50
61.60
506.25
57.50
93.75
1,152.60
88.00
17.00
212.00
47.76
506.00
149.25
L.U. Location.
163 East Pal-
162 Doanville .
170 Saline-
ville ...
183 Hopedale . .
193 Neff
202 Holliater .
208 Byesville .
211 Carbon
Hill ....
212 Cambridge..
216 Hillfield ..
218 Glen Roy..
222 Oak Hill...
231 Roawell ...
245 Barton ...
270 New Plym.
outh . . .
276 Glouster ..
284 Martin's
Perry ..
290 Jobs
292 Maynard .
296 Glouster ..
314 Fairpoint .
319 Barton ...
324 Rose Farm.
Tax. Assessm't.
106.76
462.00
188.00
811.50
347.26
673.50
74.26
38.26
859.26
10.25
36.00
223.26
973.75
133.50
1,046.00
624.00
441.26
790.60
618.76
120
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. As
327 Buchtel ...
674.75
489 N. Lawrence
128.25
335 Wellston . .
97.25
499 Stewarts.
338 Jacksonville
630.75
ville
149.75
353 Jackson ...
136.13
502 Deerfield . .
370.50
357 Waynes-
509 Roswell . . .
112.75
burg
49.40
515 Conesville .
194.00
358 Channcey .
574.25
540 Buchtel ...
413.50
359 Somerdale .
123.25
552r Kipling . . .
418.50
365 Hollister . .
735.65
566 Crooksville.
600.75
369 Saltillo....
202.00
568 NewStraits-
371 New Straits.
ville
67.50
ville
138.25
569 Coming . . .
56.50
379 Coshocton .
127.75
673 Nelsonville.
255.50
383 Robins
571.50
580 Coalton . . .
114.00
385 Wainwright
656.50
592 The Plains.
870.75
389 Chauncey .
1,028.00 ......
608 Doanville . .
146.25
394 Murray . . .
856.50 $75.00
614 Conesville.
112.25
397 Tiltonville .
372.25
619 Ramsey ...
432.50
416 St. Clairs.
624 Caldwell . .
1,065.50
ville
387.50
628 Coshocton .
171.00
417 Carbondale
339.25
'632 Nelsonville.
16.75
425 Flushing . .
81.50
643 S. Zanesville
65.00
429 Flushing . .
314.75
648 Glouster . .
639.75
430 Bellaire ...
953.50
652 Klee
145.75
435 Washing.
657 Nelsonville.
17.50
tonville . .
171.00
689 Parlett ....
31.00
436 Longstreth.
96.00
717 New Lex.
441 CrooksvUle.
33.25
ington . .
76.25
443 Massillon .
53.50
741 Nelsonville.
26.25
450 Adena
90.00
774 Shawnee . .
32.25
455 Byesville ..
44.00
778 Bellaire . . .
547.50
457 Ironton . . .
60.50
802 Glouster . .
116.00
459 Lafferty ..
378.00
814 Rogers
133.55
462 Jackson . . .
148.50
839 Nelsonville.
543.00
464 Wellston . .
286.25
867 Stewarts.
471 Bamhill...
232.75
ville
489.25
479 Byesville ..
38.50
881 Wellston . .
487.25
121
LU. Location.
885 Buchtel . . .
88C Darlington.
891 Nelsonville
907 New Straits-
ville . . .
932 Corning ..
964 Crooksville
965 Salineville
966 Flushing .
971 Yorkville .
973 Jackson ..
976 Conesville
978 Barnhill .
983 Nelsonville
985 Leesville .
^1 New Phila-
delphia
1029 Buchtel . .
WWeems ...
1075 Pomeroy .
1077Bellaire ..
10«3 Pedro....
1107 New Phila-
delphia .
1145 Rend ville .
1156 Jacksonville
1163 Middleport.
1172 Buchtel .
1181 Clarion .
1184 Carbondale.
1204Pariett..
1205MiUfield .
1206 Nelsonville
i210Tracey ..
1215 Tippecanoe.
1216 Brilliant
1220 Crooksville
Tax. Assessm't.
275.75
122.25
136.00
134.25
185.35
242.06
125.25
302.00
602.50
165.00
42.75
49.25
314.00
169.00
185.25
308.50
112.75
194.00
1,281.50
69.75
47.25
356.90
367.00
189.75
70.25
274.61
565.75
272.25
612.75
47.25
156.50
271.25
313.50
149.75
L.U. Location.
1235 Bergholz ..
1238 Derwent ..
1249 Zanesville .
1252 New Straits-
ville
1256 Dilles Hot-
torn
1262 Wellston . .
1270 Oak Hill. . .
1271 Martins
Ferry . . .
1272 Martins
Ferry . . .
1275 Cannelville.
1279 Martins
Ferry . . .
1286 Stewarts,
ville
1297 Piney Fork
1299 Wheeling . .
1302 St. Clairs-
ville
1323 No. Law-
rence . . .
1334 Athens . . .
1336 E. Palestine
1338 Wilkesville
1342 St. Clairs-
ville . . .
1348 Midvale ..
1351 Murray ..
1373 McArthur
1375 Pomeroy .
1378 Cambridge
1390 Broadwell
1392 Adena ...
1395 Nelsonville
Tax. Assessm't.
442.75
445.75
550.50
465.25 ......
216.26
78.50
78.00
366.00
506.00
192.50
373.00
669.00
150.00
654.35
211.50
780.00
65.00
66.50
161.75
164.10
690.50 250.00
85.00
356.75
288.00
5.00
70.00
38.75
122
L.U. IxKsation.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
1396 Bannock . .
275.00
1744 Baileys
1899 Syracuse . .
415.50
MUls....
271.00
1404 Maffnolia ..
82.75
1748 Robins ....
664.00
141 A McLuney ..
70.50
1750 Byesville ..
72.00
141H N6W Phila.
1758 Byesville ..
855.25
dolphia ..
208.00
1758 Murray . . .
88.50
1422 Coaltx>n ...
77.00
1762 Adena
564.00
14H0 Ray land ...
606.00
1801 New PhiU-
14.S1 Crookiville.
11.26
delt^ia ..
251.00
Uaa NewStraiU-
1808 Coshocton .
886.76
ville
4.76
1804 So. Zanes-
148r) Amsterdam
791.60
viUe
259.25
14a7 Shawnee ..
80.60
1805 Fairpoint .
50.50
1474 Nelsonville.
296.25
1818 Pomeroy ..
1815 Junction
584.25
U8t^ Lore City..
797.76
City ....
210it5
148$ Martins
1817 NewStrmita-
1
Ferry . . .
86.25
ville
122.00
1492 Rutland ...
51.25
1826 Nelsonville.
72.50
149S Creola
59.75
1888 Maynard ..
897.75
1496 Midvjde ...
414.25
1884 McMechen .
140.00
1581 Pcvjton
1.025.75
1885 Cambridge.
19.75
KM>6 Pe^iro
141.25
1840 Shady Side
1,320.75
ir»T5 Bellaire .. .
28.75
1866 Jacksonville
960.25
!f>76 B>-esviUe . .
669.80
1881 Salineville..
784.00
ir>7S Rayland ...
195.25
1887 Benrholz ..
775.25
lf»90 SalineviUe .
282.25
1888 Cambridge .
119.75
hi09 lnn»in>r .. .
842.75
19iX> Nelsonville.
98.89
\i\V\ IVn Roy ..
UV?.iH>
1955 Glouster . .
682.00
ifua \\vn*tou ..
9.25
I9t^ Rayland ...
497-50
ItihO HoiH»daW ..
8l.5v>
19tU I>aIton
89.25
\iUM\ Mo\ii\dMiUo
652.45
19T2 Coshocton .
28.75
liifiV NoUoHviUo
27 75
19TS Shady Side
1.042.50
IfiiMi Mill t inn
19T9 Nelsonville.
18.50
I'Vrry .
.\5S 00
1980 UsS-h:
465.75
IVOii hillonvalo
5^>:.:."^ ... .
198^ Aien*
425.75
I7'ja llUnnumt
505 ao
2'"02 Murray . . .
86l75
123
^cation.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't
shocton .
1.00
2186 Canaanville
909.84
lie
2188 Corning ...
158.75
/alley . .
530.75
2190 Cutler
471.25
yland . . .
355.00
2191 Wellston . .
310.25
lonvale
718.75
2193 Conesville..
138.76
w Phila-
2194 Hemlock . .
277.81
lelphia ..
50.63
2195 Nelsonville.
418.00
lesville .
168.75
2203 Cheshire ..
50.75
mble . . .
161.00
2225 Roseville .
427.60
^sport ..
103.35
2247 Amsterdam
739.10
idley . . .
766.00 ......
2260 Baileys
stus . . . .
106.60
Mills ...
247.26
neroy . .
533.75
2261 Wellston . .
11.25
lonvale
34.75
2262 Jacobsburg.
943.76
k Hill . .
19.75
2266 Alice
52.76
scarawat
J 29.50
2268 Bellaire . . .
20.80
ffalo . . .
946.00
2276 Bellaire . . .
467.50
k Hill . .
69.00
2284 Crooksville.
392.76
o ••••*•
1,036.00
2285 Barton
3.76
w Straiti
j-
2286 McCuneville
60.60
rille . . . .
34.00
2290 Coshocton..
56.60
fferty . . .
44.25
2300 Glouster ..
282.26 40.00
tbon . . . .
68.50
2313 Nelsonville.
49.66
lesville .
59.50
2349 Nelsonville.
196.26
ishing ..
433.49
2379 Dalton ....
242.76
erfield ..
18.50
2380 Bellaire . . .
371.00
.jmard ..
1,299.50
2386 Glencoe . . .
454.76
mbridge
593.00
2387 Fairpoint .
931.50
illston . .
238.30
2389 New Phila-
Idgreport
896.50
delphia ..
252.76
ver
211.14
2390 Dalton ....
223.96
racuse ..
274.75
2393 Wellston ..
86.62
lonvale
638.75
2400 Rush Run..
334.00
msey . . .
632.00
2421 Middleport.
84.75
rwent . .
591.25
2449 Pleasant
ley Fori
i 691.25
City ....
748.50
ilo
128.25
2450 Middleport.
191.50
124
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Ass
essm't
2451 Senecaville
518.26
2688 Martins
2452 New Lex-
Ferry ...
45.00
ingfton . .
325.25
2696 Cheshire ..
58.25
2453 Nelsonville
14.00
2723 Mineral
2454 Bellaire ...
60.25
City
89.60
4
2457 Pedro
21.25
2724 Dalton ....
194.75
2458 Pomeroy ..
423.75
2729 Wellston . .
191.50
2459 New Phila-
.
2731 Murray . . .
12.00
1 .... *
delphia ..
356.00
2736 Weems
611.26
.....
2461 Roswell ...
341.00
2736 Nelsonville.
32.00
. . . . ^
2481 Wellston ..
49.00
2737 Chauncey .
351.60
. . . • •
2486 Cheshire . .
246.25
2740 Coshocton..
1.26
. . . . •
2526 Steel
1,145.50
2768 Germano ..
176.26
2528 Roseville ..
158.75
2807 Leetonia ..
202.40
2529 Maynard ..
416.00
2810 Wellston . .
40.00
. • • • •
2530 San Toy...
715.00
2815 Oak Hill . .
26.00
2531 Cadiz
.50
2872 Shawnee . . .
61.75
. . . . •
2558 Lisbon
195.50
2873 Coshocton..
27.76
• . . . •
2559 Longstreth
116.50
2878 Wellston . .
268.60
. . . . »
2560 Massillon .
11.00
2879 Pleasant
2580 Mineral
City ....
626.26
1 . . . . .
City ....
83.25
2883 Longstreth.
39.00
2581 Amsterdam
613.00
2932 Coming ...
42.00
2584 Jackson . . .
122.50 ......
2936 Roseville ..
36.60
2591 Flushing ..
80.70
2937 Saltillo ....
179.60
2592 Bridgeport
142.50
2938 Roseville ..
49.26
2593 Flushing ..
470.50
2967 Doanville . .
57.75
2594 Jackson . . .
165.68
2978 New Straits.
2595 Dennison ..
3.00
ville
26.60
2603 Pomeroy . .
337.00
2979 Dillonvale .
136.86
2617 Nelsonville
476.45 25.00
3011 Nelsonville.
8.26
2618 Darlington
21.00
3015 Buchtel . . .
26.26
2640 Ironton . ,
402.25
3056 Jobs
.27.76
2641 Clinton ...
69.75
3065 Blairmont .
66.75
2642 Buffalo ...
935.00
3066 Bergholz . .
120.76
2674 Shawnee .
370.00
3092 Glouster . .
82.76
2677 Carbon Hil
1 15.00
3114 Nelsonville.
76.76
Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
Wellston . .
36.00
Lore City .
38.50
New Lex-
in^n . .
15.00
Nelsonville .
42.50
Bellaire . . .
28.00
. Roswell . . .
53.05
i Carbon Hill
14.00
) Murray . . .
18.00
') Shawnee . .
18.50
) Elm Grove.
77.75*
1 Triadelphia
66.25
) Bladen . . .
11.75
) Powhatan
Point . . .
11.50
) So. Zanes-
ville
18.25
Carbon Hill
22.75
' New Marsh-
field
21.25
Barton . . .
30.00
Cheshire . .
11.25
Uhrichsville
21.25
Wellsburg.
77.50
Follansbee,
W. Va. .
30.00
Nelsonville,
Ohio
12.75
Brilliant . .
53.25
Coalton . . .
28.00 ......
Tiltonville .
17.00
Collier ....
152.50
Crescent . .
34.25
Sherodsville
30.50
New Phila-
delphia .
7.50
Shawnee . .
14.50
Coshocton
12.26
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
3462 Uhrichsville
23.50
3480 Rendville .
14.25
3482 Yorkville .
7.00
3483 Bellaire . . .
12.00
3488 New Phila-
delphia .
8.25
3489 Moundsville
87.00
3490 Cambridge
13.75
3493 Coshocton .
4.75
3494 Ironton . . .
5.25
3522 Baileys
Mills . . .
4.50
3523 Shady Side
16.25
3537 Moundsville
49.26
3538 Wellston . .
14.10
3540 Nelsonville.
20.75
3546 Jackson
24.45
3550 Tiltonville .
11.00
3556 Wellston . .
14.87
3657 East Liver-
pool
3.75
3561 Lisbon
7.75
3562 Neflf
12.00
3568 Cambridge.
2.00
3579 Pedro
3.62
3596 Nelsonville
10.00
3640 Steel
7.50 .......
3641 Harrisville
4.25
3671 Neflf
2.50
3680 Roseville . .
2.00
Ass. paid by Dist.
6, Geo. W. Say-
age, Secy., be-
ing special $2
assess
37,962.00
Totals. $113,980.65 $38,368.00
126
DISTRICT NO. 7.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U.
Location.
Tax. Assei
69 McAdoo,
1521
Upper
Pa. %
154.00
Lehigh
614.25
82 Audenreid.
414.74
1527
Sheppton .
510.97
166 McAdoo . .
113.23
1536 Coal Dale .
726.75 ]
169 Kelayres ..
222.75
1548 Hazle Brook
514.75
178 Beaver
1549 Tresckow .
22.75
Brook . . .
635.05
$300.00
1554
McAdoo
202.63
185 Sugar Loaf
307.26
1571
Tamaqua
923.00
189 Hazelton ..
3.50
1572
Lan^ord
1,765.75
190 Kelayres . .
185.95
1595 Mauch
236 Hazleton ..
57.26
Chunk . .
27.00
250 Milnesville.
2,450.75
730.00
1652 Freeland ..
558.25
251 Tresckow .
220.75
7.50
1653
Sandy Run
693.20
288 Oneida . . .
295.25
100.00
1657
Stockton . .
235.00
809 Freeland ..
889.84
1665
Summit Hill
848.50
461 Coal Dale. .
499.08
402.75
1671
Lansford . .
149.75
700 Hauto
72.00
50.00
1687 Coal Dale .
154.50
803 Hazleton . .
882.00
1704
Nesque-
926 McAdoo . .
51.50
•
honing . .
2,337.15 1
961 Jeanesville.
829.25
1,000.00
1719
Lansford . .
518.00
1200 Nuremburg
349.50
75.00
1738
Lansford . .
693.86
1376 Hazleton . .
1,236.25
500.00
1831
Hazleton . .
1,176.75
1381 Freeland ..
70.50
1902
Ebervale . .
351.25
1434 Hazleton . .
967.13
550.00
1998
Beaver
143(8 Hazleton . .
180.00
Meadow .
524.25
1476 Hazleton . .
184.99
300.00
2033
Coal Dale..
192.00
1494 Beaver
2077
Hazleton . .
625.25
2095
Freeland . .
217.75
Meadow .
1,127.75
2135
Fern Glen .
25.37
1505 Harwood
2168
McAdoo
274.50
Mines
782.00
1,000.00
2339
Hazleton . .
993.75
1507 Eckley
584.25
2477
Freeland . .
515.50
1513 Fern Glen.
354.25
2547
Tamaqua
459.89
1518 Jeddo
942.50
1,000.00
2631
Oneida . . .
365.00
1519 Drifton . . .
732.16
2647
Beaver
1520 Hazleton . .
349.00
Meadow .
256.00
127
LU. Location.
2718 Hazelton .
2806McAdoo .
2857Fre€land .
3069 Hazleton .
L.U. Location.
48 Clay City,
Ind. . .
136 Carbon .
216 Brazil ..
244 Brazil ..
246 Diamond
249BrazU .,
301 Aahboro
337 Diamond
629 Brazil ..
697 Center
Point .
769 Brazil ..
771 Perth .. ,
776 Harmony
779 Brazil ..
883 Coal Bluff
1211 Pontanet
$
^U. Location.
32 Mahanoy
City, Pa.$
^ Reckscher-
ville ....
l^Mt Carmel
110 Ranahaw .
112 Bxcelsior .
113 Shenandoah
Tax. Asaessm't.
167.26 120.00
88.00
259.55
135.25
L.U. Liocation.
3289 Audenried .
3292 McAdoo . .
3311 Zehner ...
Tax. Agsessm't.
410.25
329.75
21.88
ToUls .$34,979.68 $9,133.75
DISTRICT NO. 8.
Tax. Assessm't
79.39
173.87
47.00
1,022.50
66.00
54.88
28.25
198.13
47.00
69.77
105.85
182.25
66.25
81.10
54.00
52.75
L.U. Location.
1251 Brazil
1325 Diamond ..
2716 Perth
2794 Clay City. .
3100 Coal City. .
3112 Clay City. .
3174 Carbon . . .
3182 Patricks-
burg . . .
3535 SaUne City
3665 Jessup ....
Assess, paid by
Dist, being $2
spe. assess, for-
warded by Ed.
H a V e r k amp,
Secy., Dist. 8. .
Tax. Assessm't.
90.63
163.50
41.51
69.50
20.25 ....;.
43.00
56.51
53.00
9.00
5.00
$1,200.00
Total .. $2,880.89 $1,200.00
DISTRICT NO. 9,
Tax. Assessm't.
166.51
110.00
681.87
250.50
374.00
238.03
$50.00
25.00
100.00
L.U. Location.
115 Shamokin .
124 Trevorton .
160 Shamokin .
192 Mt. Carmel
198 Keiser
204 Shamokin .
205 Shenandoah
233 Cumbola . .
Tax. Assessm't.
336.81 150.00
1,711.72 200.00
430.72
179.25
194.62 75.00
104.66
54.25
80.45
128
I«.U. Ix>cation.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U.
Location.
Tax. Assei
272 Shenandoah
106.00
1398
Shaft
584.86
1
506 Locust Gap
1.725.72
1409
New Boston
438.51
•
6A5 StronK . • .
104.15
1414
Shenandoah
311.86
]
661 Shamokin .
462.76
250.00
1427
Blackwood .
570.15
•
570 Mt. Carmel
1,298.60
50.00
1443
Shenandoah
877.75
f
807 Shonandoah
969.13
1451
Connerton .
329.25
•
86» Mineravillo .
58.50
1455
Shamokin .
3;71.52
860 Mahanoy
• r
1464 Girardville.
790.24
•
City ....
910.13
75.00
1465
Shenandoah
82:75
•
910 Sa|^>n ....
128.25
1467
Shenandoah
353.27
•
918 C.iranlville.
619.00
1479 Centralia .
1,190.79
$
920 Tortt^arlvon
147.05
1500
Mahanoy
988 Mt. Carmol
218.04
25.00
City
1,600.66
•
967 Mt. Carmel
219.75
50.00
1509
Shenandoah
331.90
2
968 Shamokin .
182.27
1510
Mahanoy
984 Shamokin .
2i>6.50
City
345.00
•
1028 Shan\okin .
89tKl4
50.00
1511
Mahanoy
UV49 Kanshaw
825,90
75.00
City
514.34
•
U>62 Wivvni*vv .
1,5558.10
1514
Lost Creek.
256.38
•
UW Hrvvkton .
U4.tU^
1516
Lost Creek.
423.73
•
I UK^ Moiva —
495.52
824.82
1517
Ashland
1,972.23
•
\U'^ Mahanoy
1588
St. Clair . .
581.24
2
riano . . .
I07.5i5
1584
Heckscher-
Ui:^ MuM;<^lHxrt.
UHV:.H>
ville
74.00
•
USS ^Va^ur^xn
M8.S0
5i\(H^
1585
Shamokin .
94.77
•
tx'Iti Mahanoy
1587
T\2soarora .
392.25
•
v^ty . .
ir^MV
UMO
Buok
li^l ro>*^T v^5y
\.5KM:^4
iWiS^
Mountaiir.
555 j25
•
i:fcX^ VaKasK^y
i>4:
iif.Sfrtor. .
426.25
•
ri:*^
ir:4-5^T
1>U*
Mjihar.x^y
:WJ Ma^A:s.\x
r:*:^ .
1.074-37
1
•
v^Xy
l.-^^jji
:>4.<
^- -^v . -
5>$.59
tWJ >U>>*>.\v
l>4'
V>N>*i
v^xy
.^*'N 'S
25i<xOCi
•
15:^4 :^dk;tK>^^
: •w*/
*>:v
W : ji- .<^
:i» v^^iNN-cw
**4;c
:.>:ie.:.>
*«J l,«j; v>^ii
^;->
^\ ,V
. s> .
*?i.i2
129
LU. Location.
1552 Aristes
1553 St. Nicholas
1558 Pine Grove.
1560 Tremont . . .
1561 Donaldson. .
1563 Mahanoy
City
1564 Shenandoah
1568 Silver Creek
1577 Girardville. .
1582 Shaft
1584 Locust Dale
1588 Lost Creek .
1592 Cumbola . . .
1593 Shenandoah.
1594 Frackville..
1596 Cumbola ...
1597 Outwood . . .
1598 Middleport.
1599 Joliett
1600 Ravine ....
1618 Shenandoah.
1619 Shenandoah.
1621 Centralia ..
l626Mt.Carmel.
1628Hegins ....
1629 Park Place.
l<^7Joliett ....
1638 Glen Carbon
1640 Minersville.
^^1 Peoples ....
^^2 Minersville.
1660 Valley View
^^^Shamokin..
^^ Minersville.
1685 Shenandoah.
l^Wade
3"-M. Pro.
Tax. Assessm't.
226.00
174.25
1,230.17
941.64 200.00
639.49
296.75 50.00
211.40 50.00
487.00
571.52
381.61 150.00
1,207.76 260.00
98.67 10.00
141.60 76.00
51.13
390.60 75.00
61.26
427.00 100.00
106.62
130.76
529.56
106.27 26.00
78.63 10.00
168.64
187.75
493.25
328.89
238.96
47.60
44.26 ......
142.75 50.00
206.41
684.37
1,160.00 50.00
47.00 4.00
727.54
441.36
L.U. Location.
688 Duncott ...
709 Excelsior ..
711 Gratz
721 Pottsville ..
725 Shamokin ..
768 Wilburton..
763 Atlas
767 Silver Creek
781 Mt. Carmel.
796 Mt. Carmel.
838 Gilberton ..
850 Middleport..
867 Gilberton ..
868 Mahanoy
City
876 Shenandoah.
886 Mahanoy
City
889 Shamokin..
906 Minersville.
936 Branchdale.
946 Silver Creek
954 Minersville.
966 Sagon
960 Cumbola . . .
961 Minersville.
999 Minersville.
2006 Shamokin..
2199 Keiser
2239 Shenandoah.
2270 Maryd
2305 Shenandoah.
2319 Kulpmont. .
2346 Shenandoah.
2350 St. Clair...
2420 Ranshaw ...
1435 Centralia ..
Tax. Assessm't.
72.76
337.65 100.00
462.99
201.51 50.00
221.60 100.00
342.13 25.00
296.76 25.00
306.73
821.65
812.60
323.00
86.50
149.20
351.16
202.00
328.15
75.40 10.00
41.25
852.76
220.60
154.25
330.75
63.73
240.50
8.76
214.50
60.60
159.26
123.64
259.00
314.81 26.00
479.60 50.00
111.88
112.00 15.00
664.00 200.00
180
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Asse
2438 Trevorton..
193.76
25.00
2780 Minersville.
33.50
2539 Girardville.
136.25
2825 St Clair ...
99.80 . .
2540 Lost Creek.
226.74
2836 Ranshaw . . .
436.37
2565 Shamokin..
321.37
2838 Mahanoy
2577 Mt. Carmel.
571.25
City
304.00
2678 St Clair ...
414.50
2844 Zerbe
293.92
2587 Raven Run.
464.81
50.00
2848 Mt Carmel.
851.65
2596 Shamokin. .
1,205.60
2854 Pottsville...
43.75
2602 St. Clair ...
217.75
2861 Frackville..
106.86
2611 Shenandoah
2667 Girardville.
2701 Kulpmont .
2713 Shenandoah
2745 Shamokin..
2764 St. Nich-
551.08
209.67
253.50
18.38
130.42
167.91
200.00
2890 Llewellyn ..
2928 Pottsville...
3551 Pottsville. . .
Jas. McAndrew,
Special Assess-
ment
Total.... $
102.35
189.75
13.50
45,
olas
72,544.34 $51,
DISTRICT NO. 10.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Ass€
227 Roslyn,
2510 Roslyn
829.25
Wash. ...$
793.75
•;
2512 Cle Elum ..
1,215.75
984 Carbonado..
1,291.50
2583 Roslyn
775.00
1044 Cumberland
126.07
2634 Wilkeson ..
834.75
1717 Tono
347.25
2682 Cle Elum ..
391.25
1853 Palmer . . .
190.75
2717 Cumberland
260.50
1863 Chehalis ...
87.00
2747 Issaquah ...
222.33
1890 Cumberland
156.55
2869 Spiketon . .
158.50
1911 Palmer ....
174.88
2871 Roslyn
754.50
1994 Bayne
257.00
2963 Melmont ...
36.75
2157 Taylor
150.75
3055 Kopiah ....
51.75
2257 Black
3179 Fairfax ....
58.00
Diamond .
1,293.50
3458 Ronton ....
128.50
2269 Roslyn
250.00
Wm. Short, Secy.,
2362 New Castle.
1,112.03
Dist. 10, Special
1
2369 Mendota ...
163.40
$2 assessment.
$ 8
2373 Burnett . . .
837.37
274.00
Total $
2413 Issaquah ...
13,222.63 S 8
131
• • • •
• •
■ • •
• •
l-V. Location
19 Terre Haute,
Ind $
21 Princeton
23 Terre Haute
24 Jasonville.
28 Clinton ...
89 Clinton
42 Staunton
46 Petersburg
54 Linton
74 Clinton
75 SulUvan
n4 Elberfeld
117 Terre Haute
1S4 Clinton ...
141 Dugger ...
165Bicknell ..
184 Jasonville .
195 Sullivan
214 Brazil
217 Boonville
223 Staunton
228 Sullivan
2^ Terre Haute
^ Brazil ....
287 Newburg
2^9 Winslow .
^^ Coal Bluff,
308 N. Terre
Haute.
^ Clinton .
^2 Bicknell .
^^5 W. Terre
Haute. .
^1 Clinton . .
^2 Qinton . .
. .
....
. . I
DISTRICT NO.
Tax. Assesscn't. L.U.
390
80.40 399
704.75 412
1,043.26 437
250.50 463
454.18 , 496
889.50 508
292.96 516
496.63 525
363.00 582
531.50 590
743.63 604
177.25 610
605.63 625
406.25 647
104.00
613.05 656
185.50 1 670
852.92 690
271.64 713
72.91 752
57.63 764
631.26 770
477.63 884
149.64 906
167.50 942
985.40
458.70 ...... 953
1019
371*75 1022
259.00 1045
763.01 1065
1095
410.50 1099
898.00 1109
506.13 1111
11.
Location.
Evansville.
Linton . . .
Hymera . .
Jasonville .
Jasonville .
Jasonville .
Terre Haute
Newburg
Terre Haute
Augusta .
Terre Haute
Clinton . .
Washington
Linton . . .
W. Terre
Haute . .
Jasonville .
Terre Haute
Augusta .
Winslow .
Newburg
Littles . .
Linton . .
Bicknell .
Clinton . .
Montgom.
ery . . .
Terre Haute
Universal .
Chandler .
Clinton . . .
Evansville.
Francisco .
Sullivan . .
Evansville.
Shelbum . <
Tax. Asseesm't.
300.45
853.00
915.16
331.95 $ 106.70
691.50 22.50
235.50
686.25
49.50
695.50
139.23
75.89
862.80 85.00
46.00
682.25
41.90
111.25
638.83
168.01 3.00
375.43 3.25
X«/ 1 .xo ......
550.75
111.89
1,533.25 25.00
1,182.00
321.50
1,190.63 V
633.87
156.35
636.00
241.25
127.25
67.75
222.11 97.50
468.95 ......
132
L.U. Location.
1187 Rosedale ...
1243 Boonville ..
1244 Boonville . .
1277 Sullivan ...
1301 Linton
1326 Bicknell ...
1328 Linton
1368 Bruceville . .
1371 Chandler ...
1383 Linton
1394 W. Terre
Haute. . .
1452 Evansville..
1539 Universal ..
1555 Carlisle . . .
1634 Vincennes . .
1636 Terre Haute
1646 Clinton ....
1658 Winslow ...
1676 Linton
1698 Bicknell ...
1702 W. Terre
Haute. . .
1713 Dugger ...
1742 Linton
1743 Jasonville . .
1755 Boonville ..
1839 Clinton ....
1895 Linton ....
1901 Terre Haute
1919 Jasonville. .
1967 Edwards-
port
1984 Covington.. .
2011 Clinton
2024 Jasonville ..
2061 Clinton —
Tax. Assessm't.
869.25
258.15
161.00
515.52
152.50
183.75
865.63
620.25
274.00
567.13
534.13
492.25
1^12.03
365.65
1,272.12
708.50
360.75
496.41
433.50
821.93
527.25
679.75
28.25
597.49 4.00
362.61
239.82
681.87
91.00
549.25
121.50
56.75
1,182.25
861.40
862.50
L.U. Location.
2062 Sullivan ...
2075 Terre Haute
2090 Linton . . .
2121 Jasonville .
2122 Midland ..
2134 Linton . . .
2151 Cannelburg
2152 New Goshen
2196 Terre Haute
2245 W. Terre
Haute. .
2274 Clinton ...
2343 Boonville .
2382 Shelbum .
2410 Oakland
City ...
2411 Bicknell ..
2412 Hymera ..
2422 Clinton ...
2423 Vicksburg.
2427 Paxton . . .
2431 Coalmont .
2446 Clinton ...
2475 Shelbum .
2521 Wheatland.
2522 W. Terre
Haute. .
2544 Shelbum .
2549 Coal Bluff.
2550 Boonville .
2598 Farmers-
burg . . .
2607 Newburg .
2632 Terre Haute
2646 Terre Haute
2648 Paris, 111...
2758 Shelbum,
Ind
Tax. Assess]
215.50
615.90
340.95
576.00
166.76
297.36
69.95
119.75
530.40
90.83
471.50
228.38
612.98
313.55
825.13
153.75
993.25
475.25
606.60
304.85
722.50
252.75
460.26
774.52
251.50
816.70
170.50
146.25
208.47
457.00
199.87
883.60
429.76
-Oi
133
^U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
777 Ft. Branch.
321.00
18.50
3426 Staunton ..
67.75
892 Dugger ....
17.25
3468 Brazil
.8.00
971 Brazil
89.75
3485 Boonville ..
20.45 ......
976 Staunton ..
167.26
3492 Brazil
15.00
989 Linton . . . .
30.25
3517 Clinton ....
15.25
991 Jasonville ..
29.25
3552 W. Terre
009 Brazil
95.00
Haute ..
31.25
041 Blanford ...
815.25
3553 Blanford ..
10.00
070 Brazil ....
101.50
3566 Jasonville
6.50
097 Terre Haut<
I 460.75
3567 Petersburg.
8.01
159 Cannelburg.
46.00
3572 Clinton . .
8.25
;211 Shelburn .
80.63
3578 Washington
I 15.25
;261 Montgom-
3584 Terre Haute 5.00
ery
23.00
3589 Seelyville .
3604 Brazil
9.00
10.00
;331 Boonville . .
30.75
3614 Dugger ..
4.00
1363 Winslow ,.
21.75
3624 Oakland
t383 Petersburg.
28.50
/
City . . .
6.00
t384 Farmen-
20.25
Total...
burg . . .
.$65,009.87 $ 825.45
DISTRICT NO. 12.
U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
1 Braidwood,
67 Breese ....
701.75
ni $
121.25
78 Breese ....
695.25
2 Farmington.
489.40
86 Millstadt . .
102.00
3 Sandoval . .
3.00
88 Eldorado ..
714.00
4 Harrisburg.
435.45
91 Johnston
11 Coal City. .
701.00
City
1,017.25
12 Logan ....
1,111.25 $
53.84
94 Moweaqua..
362.50
22 Pontiac —
183.75
99 Belleville ..
1,144.50
30 Lovington. .
622.25
100 Mapleton ..
158.50
41 Catlin
223.00
101 Pana
829.25
43 Spring
106 Canton ....
744.00
Valley ...
1,773.75
107 Sunfield ...
159.75
52 Centralia . .
1,760.75
109 Assumption.
388.00 86.75
58 Kewanee . .
60.00
122 Pocahontas.
427.00
134
L.U. Location.
125 Mt. Olive...
146 Divemon . .
165 Willis ville..
167 Witt
179 Sparland . .
221 Peoria
224 Lincoln . . .
232 Christopher.
238 Belleyille . .
240 Marseilles..
247 Minonk . . .
264 Collinsville.
275 Fairview . .
291 Toluca
297 New Baden.
308 Orient
304 Belleville . .
305 Rentchler ..
317 Springrfleld.
822 Danville . . .
329 West
Frankfort
331 Springfield.
341 Lenzburg ..
361 Niantic
362 Coal Valley.
366 Cutler
368 Cuba
388 Clifford ....
409 Duquoin ...
413 Springrfleld.
419 Craig
420 Grayson ...
438 Equality ...
448 Springfield.
467 Farmington
468 Fairbury ...
Tax. Assessm't.
1348.00 244.50
1^2.25
1,015.50
698.00
110.25
538.70
584.50
2^15.25
1,270.00
202.00
349.25
1,236.00
105.50 2.25
1,741.00
1,431.25
2,271.50
1,003.75 35.50
269.50
571.75
296.25
1,312.00
377.12
322.50 3.25
130.00
207.50
277.15
1,118.25
1388.75
1,483.25 18.00
959.25
265.50
799.15
211.50
860.00
270.50
171.87 .50
30(
L.U. Location. Tax. Assessi
473 LaSalle .... 951.00
474 BeUeviUe .. 541.25
478 Duquoin ... 1,600.00
492 Springfield. 814.75
493 Nokomis ... 1,496.75
494 Spnngfield. 713.25
503 Westville . . 2^84.75
511 Tilden 439.50
517 Tovey 1,243.50
518 Marion .... 94.75
522 Pekin 186.50
528 Springfield. 455.25
563 Peoria 268.25
565 Equality ... 285.87
572 Dubois 127.00
575 Pinckney-
ville 675.00
578 Benton, 111. . 1,608.40
598 Lincoln .... 476.15
600 Cantrall , . . . 335.75
605 Murphys-
boro .... 575.75
611 Sparta 638.50
618 Peru 416.50
620 LaSalle . . . 437.50
621 Sandoval .. 955.25
633 Athens .... 501.25
644 Hillsboro . 825.75
646 Taylorville. 5.00
649 Peru 662.75
650 Edwards . . 429.25
651 Rutland .... 202.50
665 Herrin 1,754.75
658 Percy 940.75
659 SparU 850.75
661 Hanna City. 385.25
663 Coulterville . 426.73
135
>.U. Locati<m.
C68 Worden . . .
<72 Petersburg.
C75 Glasford ...
C8d Murpbys-
boro ....
€85 CoUinsviUe.
C86 Glen Carbon
€87 Freeburg *..
€91 Troy
€94 Girard
€96 Galatia ....
€98 Pittsburg ..
702 Carllnville. .
705 O'Fallon ...
706 Caseyville. .
707 Peoria
710 Pana
711 Johnston
City
712 Edinburg . .
714 Flatt
715 Odin
720 Staunton . .
721 Pana
726 Wenona ...
728 Mt Olive...
m
730 Gillespie ...
731 Springfield.
732 PeorTa
734 Peoria
736 Dalzell ....
737 Millstadt ..
743 Lebanon ...
745 Pawnee ... .
748 Torino
753 Blooming-
ton
Tax. Assessm't.
928.00
111.25
* 444.50
356.50 . 4.00
1,461.25
1,089.00
815.25
846.50
942.25
235.75
254.25
535.00
1,284.50 220.00
192.75
531.50
.25
657.26
47.00
132.75
763.50
1345.50
907.50
833.25
805.50
2,048.75
1,209.50
649.25
923.75 44.50
1,812.50
76.50
110.50
858.75
496.75
495.25
L.U. Location.
754 Riverton ..
755 Staunton .
757 Elkville ...
758 Ledford ...
765 Breese . . .
766 Energy ...
781 Decatur ..
782 Belleville .
784 Marissa ..
789 Frankfort
Heights.
792 Norris ....
794 Eldorado .
798 Harrisburg
800 Streator ..
815 Lincoln ...
820 Edwards-
ville ....
821 Oakwood .
822 Pana
826 CoUinsville
843 Muddy ...
848 CoUinsville
850 Dawson . .
859 Belleville .
860 St. David.
892 Kingston
Mines . .
893 Canton ...
895 Roanoke ..
912 0Tallon ..
923 Herrin . . .
929 Oglesby ..
931 Spring
Valley ..
944 Herrin . . .
946 Farmington.
Tax. Assessm't.
1,462.25 15.00
4,156.50
1,037.75
558.75 181.68
548.00
980.75
652.75
327.00
1,000.75
2,244.00 33.93
483.50
1,019.25
676.75
464.50
794.50
464.25 47.50
269.25
674.50 24.50
492.50
940.75
1,192.50
351.50
731.50
1,070.00
156.59
1,073.25
628.75
409.00
132.25
1,038.25
3.50
1,135.00
506.00
136
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. AMeasmt
948 Danville ...
831.00
1391 Thayer ....
1,620.65
959 W. Frank-
1397 Centralia . .
1,881.00 l,S0OJ0
fort
2,083.50
1401 Matherville.*
341.50
980 Coif een ....
520.40
1421 Buckner ...
1,976.76
986 Herrin
1^51.75
1426 Johnston
992 Zeigler ....
2,555.75
City
538.00
997 Springfield.
507.75
1440 Taylor
,
999 Springfield.
958.25
Springs ..
398.75
1000 Herrin ....
729.50
10.00
1449 Wasson ....
1,035.25
1011 Colfax
101.00
1458 Duquoin ...
1,833.00
1040 Harrisburg.
605.25
1470 Benton
1.087.75 ......
1051 Ladd
1,515.26
1471 Springfield.
407.75
1053 Ellisville ...
416.90
14.25
1475 Panama . . .
1,718.50
1055 Cambria ...
632.25
1484 Nokomis ...
1,785.25
1059 Carrier
1491 Herrin ....
424.00
Mills ....
758.25
1523 Cedar Point
1,030.50 . . c . . .
1090 New Athens
419.00
1606 Carrier
«
1103 Westville .
1,151.50
Mills
566.26
1104 Sherrard ...
145.50
1624 Seneca
92.50
1108 Standard ..
376.25
1632 Springfield.
350.75
1115 Springfield.
653.00
1677 Eldorado ...
957.60
1117 Marion
665.50
1722 Oglesby ...
303.50
1144 Colp
1,462.50
1769 Equality ...
33.50
1146 Carterville. .
631.25
150.00
1776 Herrin ....
729.84
1151 Rend
1,219.25
1782 Royalton . .
1,549.75
1193 Brereton ...
646.75
1795 Herrin
921.50
1202 Tildcn
367.65
1797 Belleville ..
774.25
1207 Tamaroa ...
347.25
1800 Peoria
898.60
1213 Farmington.
407.50
45.25
1802 Maryville . .
1,834.25
1228 Dewmaine. .
1,203.55
1806 Coulterville.
471.00 61.00
1237 Sesser
1,455.75
22.50
1807 Kincaid ....
1,614.00
1239 Johnston
1865 Eldorado ...
984.75
City
1,148.25
1880 Marion ....
1,862.50 42.60
1248 Herrin ....
1,371.25
1893 Witt
1,841.50
1285 Mascoutah..
961.50
1908 Auburn ....
549.25 19.00
1356 Georgetown.
2,913.25
1910 Harrisburg.
1,416.50
1380 Marion ....
598.75
1927 Farmington.
695.50
187
XS44
XS48
XS59
X$71
X986
2109
2129
2133
^158
219
307
376
418
467
25&3
^556
2556
2562
Location.
Whiteash . .
Westville ..
Pekin
Benton ....
W. Frank-
fort
Norris
Nashville . .
Marion ....
DeSoto ....
Tower Hill.
Johnston
City
Gillespie ...
Granville . .
Murphys-
boro
Christopher.
Matherville.
Springfield.
Springrfield.
Virden ....
Bush
Virden ....
Springfield .
Danville . . .
Christopher.
Herrin ....
Fairmount. .
Taylorville.
Belleville ..
Dorrisville. .
Fairmount. .
Springfield .
Bush
Carterville.
Springfield.
Tax. Assessm't.
720.25
1,608.00
491.00
795.50
880.00
497.00 43.50
185.60
764.75
122.50
196.00
1,639.25
2,167.25
1,898.00
844.95
1,544.00
505.50 2.50
665.75
697.57
1,520.25
831.25
517.25
1,064.50
197.76
1,517.00
642.75
60.00
1,141.25 28.00
1,158.25
1,490.50
51.50
1,823.25
686.00
773.75
112.75
L.U. Location.
2619 Beckemeyer
2621 Herrin
2622 Decatur ...
2650 Harrisburg.
2654 Auburn ....
2656 Livingston..
2657 W. Frank-
fort
2676 Danville ...
2678 Johnston
City
2679 Hillsboro . .
2703 Edgemont
Station ..
2704 Mariom
2705 Stonington.
2706 S. Wilming-
ton . . .
2707 Benld . . .
2708 Belleville
2709 Norris City.
2710 Whiteash
2711 Cherry ..
2837 Carrier
Mills . .
2840 Middle
Grove .
2897 Girard ...
3160 Sesser ...
3192 Johnston
City ..
3221 Pittsburg
3222 Danville .
3313 Harrisburg.
3317 Tallula . .
3353 Carrier
Mills . .
Tax. Assessm't.
850.25
651.25
703.00
602,50
1,058.00
2,007.75 14.00
1,082.50
142,00
670.25
1,138.25
626.99
234.00
1,107.25 86.50
1,546.50 13.00
2,128.50
1,725.50
353.25
451.75
1,550.00 8.50
918.00
548.00 15.50
100.75
141.75
30.50
47.25
68.00
13.10
ir.40
10.00
138
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
3447 Raleigh . . .
61.75
8617 Spring
3451 Grape
Valley ...
1,684.00
Creek . . .
18.00
W. Nesbit, Secy.,
3459 Nilwood . . .
43.00
Dist. 12, special
3465 DeSoto ....
52.50
$2 assess
$154,950.00
3542 Marion ....
3554 Bissell ....
11.50
12.50
'
Totals . . . $237,716.83|158»125.45
3586 Mascoutah..
34.75
DISTRICT NO. 13.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tfeix. Assessm't.
10 Valley
662 Lovilia ....
191.11
Junction,
671 Seevers —
289.50
Iowa ....$
451.74
692 Fredric ....
448.64
47 Eddyvillc . .
597.71
709 Madrid ....
759.12
55 Des Moines
672.61
775 Cincinnati. .
1,120.21
56 Colfax
977.75
783 Mendota,
97 OskalooBa . .
43.25
Mo
76.64
152 Ottumwa . .
221.25
790 Whiteburg,
154 Newton —
76.00
Iowa
838.26
172 Foster
401.00
793 Albia
764.00
178 Beacon —
21.00
799 Lucas
36.25
201 Brazil
532.88
812 Exline
629.24
206 Seymour ...
724.22
840 Madrid ....
563.12
239 Clarkdale . .
197.75
845 Centerville.
494.07
242 Avery
557.76
851 Des Moines.
371.26
318 Des Moines.
1,140.87
855 Lehigh ....
139.60
372 Rathbun ...
774.00
869 Boone
1,352.26
384 Des Moines.
580.14
875 Numa
763.60
387 Jerome ....
425.99
903 I^dsdale. .
93.60
392 Ft. Dodge..
88.61
916 Hiteman...
874.39
407 Albia
317.75
958 Unionville,
426 Evans
75.00
Mo
86.60
534 Knoxville ..
9.50
981 Everist, la.
399.87 '
550 Tipperary. .
1,188.24
1039 Fraser
31.76
553 Centerville
2,118.63
1042 Lovilia ....
212.68
684 Mystic ....
2,316.89
1047 Des Moines.
531.76 $ 62.01
139
X^.U. Location,
loes Centerville.
XllO Dawson ....
1 121 Hocking . . .
X140 Des Moines.
1169 Bear Creek.
1.178 Buxton
1265 Otley
1318 Eddyville ..
1504 Melcher . . .
1573 Des Moines.
1603 Des Moines.
S.616 Coal City....
1655 Knoxville ..
1761 Woodward..
799 Buxton
1854 Cainesville,
Mo
L873 Centerville»
Iowa ....
.907 Ankeny ....
.933 Chariton ...
.958 Knoxville ..
!035 Spring HiU.
Tax. Assessm't.
1,078.35
36.00
920.00
180.75
595.00
16.75
8.00
60.75
1,057.97
1,060.88
370.50
97.00
461.30
710.15
2,208.00
365.14
656.67
685.50
1,265.90
593.15
242.86
L.U. Location.
2433 Ogden ...
2460 Madrid . . .
2470 Ankeny ...
2482 Hamilton .
2485 Valley
Junction
2496 Des Moines
2511 Enterprise.
2652 Centerville
2830 Ward ....
2876 Melbourne,
Mo
2988 Piano, la . .
3039 Bidwell ...
3281 Russell . . .
3571 Pt Dodge.
3593 Lovilia ...
John Gay, Sec
Dist. 13, spec
$2 assess. . .
Tax. Assessm't.
326.00
484.90
656.75
769.25
487.00
57.25
563.75
134.49
585.89
53.50
105.25
709.01
35.50
6.75
5.75
31,040.00
Totals.... $43,227.20 $31,102.01
U. Location.
33 Mulberry,
Kans. ...$
40 Mulberry ..
53 Girard
57 E. Mineral.
59 Liberal, Mo.
70 Frontenac,
xLans. ....
85 Columbus ..
87 Mulberry . .
127 Pitteburg ..
DISTRICT NO. 14.
Tax. Assessm't. L.U. Location.
133 Mulberry . .
509.15 135 Frontenac.
888.75 161 Pittsburg ..
154.25 164 Arcadia . . .
239.40 210 Weir
170.00 219 Pittsburg . .
267 Mulberry . .
204.50 273 Columbus . .
100.75 283 Pittsburg . .
497.00 310 Cherokee . .
316.00 $28.00 393 Pittsburg ..
Tax. Assessmt.
44.75
834.50
162.10
64.65
794.00
179.75
279.25
202.25
209.25
87.80
162.25
140
L.U. Location.
406 Radley
411 Arma
414 Gross
434 W. Mineral.
445 Arcadia . . .
447 Arcadia . . .
498 Scammon ..
633 Pittsburg ..
544 Scranton . .
551 Oskaloosa,
Mo
559 Arcadia,
Kans. . . .
588 Mulberry . .
589 Mulberry . .
597 Scammon . .
723 Croweburg.
785 Pittsburg . .
768 Arma
836 Pittsburg ..
857 Cherokee . .
902 Rich Hill,
Mo
951 Arcadia,
Kans. . . .
960 Mulberry . .
1009 Osage City.
1038 Minden-
mines,
Mo
1048 W. Mineral,
Kans. . . .
1064 Mulberry . .
1074 Burling^me.
1088 Cherokee . .
1093 Pittsburg. .
1094 Scammon .
Tax. Assessm't.
115.25
182.50
400.25
121.25
290.50
201.00
488.38
237.00
190.28 7.00
48.40
99.25
478.50
96.26
659.26 26.00
674.75 108.00
436.14
371.26
28.00
62.60
248.86
120.75
380.80
267.37
99.00
70.75
266.25
117.50
218.00
196.50
326.50
L.U. Location.
1149 Gross
1171 Pittsburg .
1194 Mulberry .
1212 Croweburg
1224 Rich Hill,
Mo
1283 Girard,
Kans. . .
1429 Pittsburg .
1466 Pittsburg .
1680 Arcadia . .
1607 Girard ...
1701 Osage City
1766 Stone City
1790 Pittsburg .
1820 Roseland ..
1821 Arma
1870 Minden-
mines,
Mo
1896 Croweburg,
Kans. . . •
1922 Croweburg.
1963 Mineral ....
1990 Mulberry . .
1991 Frontenac ..
2212 Franklin . .
2289 Cherokee ..
2302 Mulberry . .
2330 Mulberry . .
2333 Arcadia . . .
2369 Frontenac ..
2377 Burlingame.
2392 Minden-
mines.
Mo
2455 Franklin,
Kans. . . .
Tax. ABsessm't
248.75
155.25
476.75
302.95
194.12
645.00
41.00
65.00
50.25
813.25
44.00
192.43
415.50 • . . .^ •
329.25
779.50
657.50
16.25
460.75
488.75
241.25
274.00 40.00
352.74
785.50
86.75
22.50
450.35
152.00
496.80
166.00
122:75
685.00 1.50
141
2&37
2714
2765
2771
2798
2S52
2858
2864
2867
3017
3019
3042
3059
3060
3062
3063
3064
3101
Location.
Pittsburg .
Liberal,
Mo
Cherokee,
Kans. . .
Pittsburg .
Girard . . .
Pittsburg .
Cherokee .
Pittsburg. .
Ringo
Carona . . .
Radley . . .
Girard ....
Pittsburg .
Franklin ..
Scammon .
Mulberry .
Frontenac .
Mulberry .
Frontenac .
Frontenac .
Pittsburg .
Mulberry .
Pleasanton
Liberal,
Mo
Girard,
Kans. . .
Tax. Assessm't
276.75
56.00
131.00
468.75
604.50
426.20
207.75
9.50
924.80
116.90
308.75
523.28
317.00
579.45
234.25
461.20
51.25
215.00
240.00
352.75
546.75
57.75
10.00
291.50
303.75
L.U. Location.
3106 Roseland .
3107 Pittsburg
3108 Pittsburg
3123 Pittsburg
3130 Oskaloosa,
Mo.
3152 Hume ...
3153 Liberal . .
3154 Pittsburg,
Kans. . .
3322 Liberal,
Mo. . . .
3452 Mulberry,
Kans. . .
3453 Arcadia .
3513 Rich Hill,
Mo.
3524 Mulberry,
Kans. . .
3563 Mulberry
3565 Arcadia
3602 Minden,
mines,
Mo
Thos. Harvey,
Secy., Dist. 14,
spec. $2 assess.
Tax. Assessm't.
277.77
94.60
194.00
123.75
151.50
47.25
148.75
174.00
16.75
7.50
8.75
16.75
8.00
1.50
12.50
7.50
22,238.00
Total . . $32,075.66 $22,463.75
DISTRICT NO. 15.
L..U. Location.
84 Superior,
Colo. ... $
186 Rockvale ..
259 Berwind . .
Tax. Assessm't. L.U. Location.
363 Williams-
66.00 burg .
405.75 423 Toltec . . .
173.60 834 Firestone
Tax. Assessm't.
243.75
43.50
66.25
142
L.U. Location.
876 Oakview .
1082 Denver ..
1388 Lafayette
1662 Colorado
Springs.
1668 Louisville
1772 Palisade .
1878 Delagua .
1884 Hastings .
1894 Oak Creek
1920 Gray Creek
2060 Aguilar .
2170 Colorado
Springs
2189 Pyrolite
2224 Gibson,
N. M. . ,
2395 Bowen,
Colo. .
2409 Coal Creek
2483 Gorham
2546 Canon City
2662 Heaton,
N. M. ...
2663 Gibson
2753 Frederick,
Colo. . . .
2850 Canon City
2868 Morley . . .
2885 Oak Creek.
3001 Maitland ..
3003 Denver ...
8006 Oak Creek.
8008 Walsenburg
8010 Segundo . .
8014 Strong
8016 Trinidad . .
Tax. Assessm't. L.U.
349.75 3018
5.50 3020
44.00 3022
3023
127.75 3024
442.25 3025
88.75 3028
819.00 3030
226.63 3033
159.25 3034
92.75 3035
368.75 3038
3040
31.00 3043
144.50 3044
3045
64.50 3048
3051
71.40 3052
201.50 3053
268.75 3094
425.75 3095
3098
'^^•25 3102
^^•^^ 3104
3105
«^2«0 3109
Zll 8110
260.25
105.15 3^24
90.00 ^^^^
10.25 3216
51.25
80.25 3227
23.75 3256
90.00
9.00
Location.
Tax. Assec
Ojo
131.00
Oak Creek.
146.45
Florence . .
16.00
McGregor .
30.50
Tioga ....
169.00
Shumway .
266.63
Pool
11.00
Mt. Harris.
178.60
Rouse ....
120.25
Starkville .
356.50
Rapson . . .
280.50
Walsenburg
13.50
Sopris ....
115.00
Bear River
39.60
Tollerburg,
360.00
Bear River
42.60
Sopris ....
381.76
Mt. Harris.
11.25
Primero . .
23.75
Tioga
78.50
Trinidad . .
8.00
Bowen ....
179.25
Solar
97.03
Toltec
189.50
Walsenburg
17.50
Raven wood .
249.00
Erie
260.00
Ludlow . . .
226.58
Strong . . .
198.50
Bear River
70.85
Gallup,
N. M. ...
39.25
Madrid . . .
83.25
Crested
Butte,
Colo. . . .
246.50
143
L-XJ.
3332
33S8
3351
3393
3439
LfOeation.
Ludlow .
Gallup,
N. M. .
Rapson,
Colo.
'A.^ilar
Helper,
Utah
Tax. Assessm't.
9.00
• • •
• • •
96.50
6.76
58.75
22.50
L.U. Location.
3464 Delcarbon,
Colo. . . .
3518 Rugby
3575 Pictou
Tax. Assessm't.
20.00
14.50
4:25
Total ...$11,243.87
DISTRICT NO. 16.
L>.U. liocation.
1097 Beryl, W.
Va. $
2027 Vale Sum-
mit, Md..
2471 Kit Savage
2478 Bayard, W.
V a. ....
2528 Barton, Md.
2«19 Krostburg . 1,164.00
^^ Lonacon-
ing, Md..
Tax. Assessm't.
518.75
216.75
369.25
123.88
584.50
971.00
L.U. Location.
2851 Midland . .
3334 Davis, W.
Va
3335 Frostburg,
Md. ....
3336 Benbush . .
3337 Pierce, W.
Va
Tax. Assessm't.
363.25
63.50
114.50
50.75
55.26
Total ... $ 4,585.38
DISTRICT NO. 17.
liocation.
^^^ Kimberly,
W. Va...$
f^ Eagle ....
g Blair
Livingston.
^ Montgomery
^ndepend-
ence ...
^e-wburg
^ Mammoth
Sixnpson .
^^ Carbondale
^ Hemshaw
Tax. Assessm't.
96.00 $
143.00
181.75
165.25
52.25
122.20
78.50
445.50
158.90
372.26
457.00
8.50
19.53
L.U. Location.
636 Handley . .
676 Chelyan . .
677 Hugheston.
704 Hiorra
722 Standard .
750 Kayford . .
760 Laing
763 Howesville
841 Tunnelton.
887 Flemington.
936 Wake Forest
974 Milbum . . .
1007 Eagle ....
Tax. Assessm't.
160.75
95.75
326.60
101.88
251.75
322.50
134.74
56.00
283.63
334.75
72.75
218.75
264.50
166.00
144
L.U. Location.
1037 Carbondale
1067 Garrison .
1101 Seiferst ..
1166 Jochin . . .
1179 Olcott . . .
1209 Hansford
1227 Montgomery
1255 Hartford .
1267 Bumwell .
1270 Boomer ..
1292 Cannelton
1314 Olcott ...
ISan Poca
1»74 Hartford .
142r> Ohloy ...
144H Loniracro
14(19 Aunt on ..
14H() KlominRton
1499 Storlinir .
lOna Konda . . .
16(11 SImnm .
1678 llnrtford
1674 Marfork
1697 Tunnrlton
1 70S M(MU)^«lno^y
174) I^M^wood , .
17V; Warrior .
1764 (;al1ault«'i
1791 OUvtt
ISiV'i Klk KidK0
ISIS IVy Uranoh
1S46 Whittaki^r
1S61 IWnli^#
1S6^ l.«M\Kra«M^
\^U INva
1*1S KunlN^rly
Tax. Assessm't. L.U. Location.
303.75 2.20 1931 Donwood ..
135.50 1932 Boomer . . .
54.25 1950 Montgomery
121.25 1952 Blooming
93.00 Rose ...
185.00 1977 Eagle
53.50 1982 Ivaton
283.00 1989 Wakeforest
498.88 1993 Independ-
321.75 ence
940.50 2014 Raymond
808.50 City
365.25 2015 PljTnouth .
88.25 2018 Harewood .
84.63 2022 Rosemont .
194.75 2032 Prfwellton .
400,50 2038 Coalbury . .
52.75 2063 Grafton . . .
228.75 2115 Donwood ..
"4.iH> 21 15" West Co-
8U?.50 35.50 lumbia ..
l'^*^'"'^ 2120 Black
'^^^'^^^ Betsey ..
'^'I*^^ 2140 Gallagher .
^^'^•*'*^^ 2161 Simpson .,
'^^"'''^ 2172 Marling . .
217o Hiorra
.^6.7^
^^^^^,^^ 2175 Lewiston ..
:wIm> ["[][ ;^^ ■ ^;^"*^^^ • ■
S. ..o 2204 Riaine ....
^^;^^> 2221 l.<*w\x>d ..
»>I,\S: — ^* h-a:on ....
4SS ff.N •^^'^«^ W:r.:fTW?e ,
U4S: *.**.*^: IxTiton
li^v:,N ;S44 NANNb . .
Tax. Ass
124.00
186.25
105.00
158.35
168.78
96.50
96.00
68.51
298.50
292.75
219.25
204.75
342.25
282.50
142.00
18.75
127.50
215.00
254,25
30.50
362.75
56.50
105.75
123.25
1,026.75
38.50
160.13
851.00
31.50
41,50
51.00
145
• ■ •
LuXJ. location.
2347 Putney
2348 Vanghan . .
2356 Crown Hill
2429 Big Chim-
ney
2445 Carbon
2488 Decota
2493 WhitesviUe.
2508 East Bank.
2537 Kayford
2542 High Coal
2570 Lanham
2573 Dorothy
2575 Jarrolds
Valley
2586 Mahan .
2609 Wevaco
2639 Cranberry,
2681 Ward
2849 Tomsburg
2882 Wevaco .
2887 Blair ...
^ Cannelton
2»01 Ramage
2»02Peytona
2^3 Eskdale .
^^ I>ry Branch
2^7 Cedar Grove
2^11 Vevaco
^15 Boomer
2»16 Boomer
2^17 Chiles ..
2»24 Quick .
^^ Clothier
»^ Clothier
^1 Warrior
Tax. Assessm't. L.U.
591.36 2981
41.50 2999
289.75 3029
3046
62.20 3049
48.25 3096
185.00 3132
247.02 3133
96.25 3134
503.50 3171
147.75 3173
316.44 30.00 3184
820.00 3218
3219
121.50 3288
236.88 93.00
193.50 3300
12.00 3301
775.25 3303
130.25 3304
65.75 3352
176.75 3420
925.62 3449
211.25 3456
123.87 3471
461.75 . . 3472
187.50 3505
122.75 3.00 3508
266.63 3511
202.75 3532
147.75 3558
104.76 8559
95.00 3587
189.75 3588
110.00 3639
288.75 3660
Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
Winifrede
15.00
Grafton . ,
. 1,422.50
Cedar Grove 43.75
Sovereign
128.25
Blair
133.00
Flemingrton
131.38 *
Chesapeake
81.26
Blakeley .
70.25
Ward ....
155.25
Clifton . .
39.00
Tad
. , 50.25
Tunnelton .
30.25
Ottawa . . .
57.00
Tunnelton .
23.75
Independ-
ence . . .
22.25
Greenview.
22.50
Clothier .
7.50
Gilmer . . .
51.65
Tunnelton
30.00
Howesville
26.00
Mason
8.75
Riverside .
11.50
Flemington
42.50
Quincy . .
32.50
Riverview .
11.00
Shrewsbury
14.50
Olcott
5.00
Miami ....
6.50
Rosemont ,
19.00
Boomer . . .
10.00
Altman . . .
7.50
Mahan . . .
4.75
Coal Bloon
1 7.00
Blair
4.25
Ohley . . .
9.00
146
L.U. Location.
Cards d e p osited
in District Of-
fice
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
F. Mooney, Secy.»
Dist. 17, spec.
$2 assess
Tax. A
1.25
Totals... $29,817.39
Note — Per capita tax from local unions in District No. 29 for
April, May, June and July, amounting to $2,319.16, transferred to '.
No. 17.
DISTRICT NO. 18.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. A
29 Bankhead,
2163 Blairmore .
479.00
Alberta,
2227 Coleman ..
642.62
Canada
.$ 377.25
2314 Femie, B. C.
943.00
102 Taber . . .
433.50
2334 Michel ....
802.50
431 Bellevue .
764.37
2615 Oliphant,
•
574 Lethbridge.
1,129.00
Alta. ...
45.50
1054 Brule
244.00
2633 Coleman ..
624.25
1058 Hillcrest .
701.86
2655 Mountain
1087 Nordegg .
650.50
Park . . .
165.00
1126 Diamond
2877 Corbin, B. C.
109.25
City ...
307.95
2949 Coalspur,
1185 Lethbridge.
31.25
AlU. ...
56.50
1189 Coalhurst
605.75
3170 Pocahontas.
81.02
1263 Frank
448.00
3249 Lovett
38.75
1387 Canmore ..
465.00
3576 Aerial
23.25
1559 Drumheller
47.00
^b^^V^VF ^k^ A VBflM AVS^tf AA^tf 4k
1562 Wayne . . .
198.00
Totals ..$11,030.57
1746 Drumheller
616.50
DISTRICT NO. 19.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm*t.
L.U. Location.
Tax. A
119 Newcomb,
587 Pine>-ille,
iv^ • ...
.$ .50
Ky
51.65
ISO Wallsend
17.50
890 Soddy.
157 Wooldridge
t
Tenn. . . .
1.387.75
Tenn. . . .
90.00
945 Arjay, Ky..
164.00
253 Jellico . . .
121.25
1264 Harrison . .
104.00
147
L.U. Location.
i08 Pittsburg .
127 Davisburg.
062 Gary
M7 Elys ;
^72 Coalmont,
Tcnn. . . .
2673 Tracy City.
2687 Meldrum,
Ky
2884 BriceyUle,
Tcnn. . . .
2914 Gravity ...
2»25 Gravity ...
^ Lopnont . .
^^ Chenoa, Ky.
^ Bennett,
Tcnn. ...
^ ^Wmiams.
burg . . .
>5 Straight
Creek, Ky.
'^ Tinsley . . .
'1 Collings-
worth
•2 Beaming,
Tenn. • . .
>* Coal Creek
55 firyson ...
66 iCensee, Ky.
67 Rim
^69 Shamrock .
"6 Bartranft,
Tenn. . . .
^ Fork Ridge
^^ ^estboume
l«8 Duff
^^ Harlan, Ky.
Tax. Assessm't. L.U.
12.50 3190
47.75 3191
115.51 3193
80.75
3200
231.25
839.75 3201
3228
47.50
3230
154.50 3241
42.75 3251
101.85
38.25 3252
50.00
3262
36.75 3263
3264
87.65 3295
3297
87.50
43.50 3319
3323
81.75 3340
3341
90.00 33^2
111.75 ''''
^^•^ 3345
^•^^ 3347
^•'^^ 3348
^'^'^^ 3371
3377
24.60
81.00 3378
26.00 3381
125.25 3387
53.50 3389
Location.
Ages . . .
Kitts . . .
Fork Ridge
Tenn. . .
Middlesboro
Ky. . . .
Gravity . .
LaFollette,
Tenn. . .
Newcomb
Blanche, Ky
Kettle
Island .
Peabody,
Tenn. . .
Eagan . . ,
Pruden . .
Caryville .
Morley . .
Shamrock,
Ky. . .
Kentenia .
Balkan
Varilla . .
Colmar . ,
Arjay . . .
Jellico,
Tenn. . ,
Chaska . ,
Gatliff, Ky
Packard
Ingram . .
Wallins
Creek .
Hosman
Wilton ...
Red Ash. .
Tinsley . .
Tax. Assessm't.
65.50
77.50
13.25
68.75
25.40
58.00
63.00
48.00
55.25
56.50
57.50
69.50
26.25
42.75
35.25
20.50
74.50
26.63
26.00
3.00
85.25
59.25
58.75
33.75
20.13
33.25
19.50
43.75
16.25
10.75
148
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U.
Location.
Tax. Assessm't
3390 Bell Jellico
28.00
3498 WiUiams-
3392 Meldrum . .
9.45
burg . . .
5.75
3396 Clairfield,
3501
Elk Valley,
Tenn. . . .
19.00
Tenn. . .
51.50
3397 Pleasant
3509 Tatesville .
5.00
View, Ky.
39.63
3525 Rockhold .
12.00
3398 Burchfield.
3.25
3528
Miracle . . .
3.00
3399 Poor Fork.
28.50
3581
Hulen, Ky..
8.25
3423 Wallins
3585
Caryville,
Tenn. . . .
3.75
Creek . . .
8.75
3591
Turley
17.76
3446 Williams-
3594
Anthras . .
13.00
burg . . .
9.25
3597
Shamrock,
3463 Cupp,Tenn.
72.75
... %^ .
Ky
5.63
3469 Varilla, Ky.
18.50
3609
Cupp, Tenn
10.75
3481 Jellico,
3615
•
Pruden . . .
28.25
Tenn. . . .
17.25
3642
Caryville ..
16.00
3486 Grays, Ky..
14.75
3643
Caryville ..
10.50
3487 Wasioto . .
9.00
3651
Kitts, Ky. .
14.50
3491 Anchor ...
20.75
Cards deposited
m
District . . .
1.00
3496 White Star
4.50
3.50
Totals
3497 Polleyton .
$5,912.63
,
DISTRICT NO.
20.
*
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U.
Location.
Tax. Assessm't
823 Coal City,
3234
Blocton . . .
167.50
Ala $
52.50
3235
Hargrove .
51.25
952 Carbon Hill
352.00
3236
Birmingham
12.00
1182 Piper
421.25
3237
Wylam . . .
159.25
1424 Warrior . .
55.75
3238
Pratt City .
318.00
1525 Birmingham
100.00 {
; 80.00
3239
Maylene . .
11.25
1734 Altoona ...
110.00
3240
Maylene . .
55.00
3223 Besmer . . .
126.00
3245
W. Blocton
149.00
3224 Straven . . .
48.00
3246
Adger
90.50
3225 Maylene . .
48.50
3255
Birmingham
75.00
3226 Straven ...
18.25
3266
Sayre .....
178.75
3283 W. Blocton
138.65
3267
Cardiff ...
80.45
149
:ation.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U.
Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
iiff ...
216.26
3356
Morris . . .
46.00
ningham
48.75
3357
Trafford ..
2.60
3kside .
193.50
3359
Quinton . . .
25.25
isburg .
72.00
3360 Quinton . . .
7.50
:son . . .
68.00
3361
Adamsville.
26.50
thton ..
57.00
3364
Quinton . . .
22.26
vel . . .
246.50
3373
Brook wood
166.25
e Ellen.
57.62
3374 Kellerman.
112.76
e Ellen.
52.00
3375
Oakman . .
145.26
nsey . .
147.00
3376
Oakman . .
32.76
msville.
18.76
3380
Morris . . . .
20.00
ublic . .
181.76
3388 Wylam ...
62.00
on ....
63.75
3396
Gamble
•rior . .
14.50
Mines . . .
20.00
berly. .
274.00
3409
New Castle 18.00
inde . .
122.25
3410
Natural
^castle.
3.50
Bridge . . .
40.60
3on Hill
88.00
3411
Jasper ....
64.76
sas . . .
46.25
3412
Oakman . .
28.00
jire . . .
138.25
3413
Bankhead .
26.86
a
201.15
3414
Oakman . .
62.90
oset . .
30.00
3415
Corona . . .
67.76
^a . • « •
21.25
3416
Patton ....
176.25
Star . .
8.00
3417
Nauvoo . . .
70.50
s
76.25
3428
Empire . . .
29.76
ipect . .
43.75
3429
Corona . . .
107.66
len ....
lova . .
3it ....
trica . .
155.00
40.00
31.00
48.00
3430
3431
3456
Underwood
Quinton . . .
Trafford ..
10.00
38.76
14.26
rish . . .
161.00
3476
Lynn
8.00
nley . .
194.25
79.75
151.25
3515
Brilliant .
99.90
^L • • ■ •
rior . .
Totals . .
. $7,687.72 $80.00
150
DISTRICT NO. 21.
L.U. Location.
17 Alderson,
Okla $
31 Craig
197 Henryetta.
241 Coal Hill,
Ark
340 Midland . .
374 Greenwood.
398 Red Oak,
Okla
451 Coalgate ..
476 Midland,
Ark
486 Poteau,
Okla
514 Schulter ..
520 Schulter ..
543 Lehigh ....
560 Hartford,
Ark
586 Huntington
613 Bates
719 Dewar,
Okla.....
742 Williams . .
746 Dow
751 Tulsa
787 Bridgeport,
894 Lyra
989 Henryetta,
Okla
1006 Carbon . . .
1026 Coalgate . .
1116 Paris, Ark.
1125 Hartshome,
Okla
Tax. Assessm't.
142.50
29.00
517.00
119.90
478.98
119.44
119.00
23.75
65.96
6.00
45.00
85.25
50.50
49.52
863.90
96.25
595.75
252.65
522.64
240.50
391.00
618.00
222.28
218.05
625.50
379.50
420.75
L.U. Location.-
1127 Wilburton.
1130 Hackett,
Ark....
1131 Coalton,
Okla....
1164 Savanna .
1170 McCurtain
1176 Haileyville
1191 Coalgate,
Okla..
1258 Alderson
1303 Savanna
1306 Adamson
1315 Ft. Smith
Ark...
1366 Lehigh,
Okla...
1419 Howe ...
1526 Hartford,
Ark...
1530 Hartford
1556 Russelville
1565 Midland
1567 Hartford
1720 Lehigh,
Okla...
1777 Gowen ..
1780 Krebs ..
1810 Jenny Lind
Ark...
1811 Phillips,
Okla...
1814 Denning,
Ark...
1816 Alderson,
Okla . . .
Tax. Assessi
819.62
271.95
128.90
165.12
805.25
360.00
186.95
286.97
439.80
88.25
288.88
974.76
78.88
524.23
220.76
818.31
121.97
150.00
146.50
436.80
281.00
882.76
406.25
219.10
610.50
. . • • I
• • • • ■
• • • •
• . * •
. . • •
• . • •
. « • •
. . • •
151
location,
hi^h ....
•alton . . .
'eenwood.
Ark
ttsbarg,
}kla
ilburt<Hi.
artford,
Ark
itale,
)kla
)we, Okla.
utman.
Ark
ontana.
Ark
ow, Okla.
aghes . . .
eirtshome.
idland.
Ark
itie, Okla
anco ....
irbon ...
yant . . .
tlhoun .. .
denon ..
inryetta. .
irbon . . .
I wen ....
fWfWLx ....
llton ....
c Alester. .
rebs
mryettsL .
»irk, Ark
Tax. Assessm't. L.U.
832.90 2415
69.76
2442
595.34 2466
.75 2492
183.50
2494
119.53
2535
''^•^^ 2538
18''-4« 2557
^^^•^3 2566
2567
1)329.50 2579
219.25
87.00 2590
882.25 $42.00 2608
92.67 2660
284.00 2748
22.25 2749
273.50 2763
535.84
668.00 2766
49.50
25.00 2769
72.88 2770
952.00 2772
856.25 2841
143.88 2®^^
2^^-^^ 2856
489.75 70.00
344.25 2880
362.14
Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
Coalton,
Okla
509.75
Henryetta. .
280.48
Bridgeport,
Texas
98.00
Adamson,
Okla
170.76
Midland,
Ark
135.63
Strawn,
Texas
852.14
Thurber . .
1,365.50
Henryetta,
Okla
138.75
Alix, Ark..
652.00
Alix
57.64
Scbulter,
Okla
47.50
Haileyville.
188.00
North Mc-
Alester. . .
62.00
Bokoshe . .
425.18
Coalgate . .
161.74
Wilburton. .
671.00
Thurber,
Texas. . . .
2,862.00
Greenwood,
Ark
9.00
Hartford ..
.75
W. Hartford
250.75
Greenwood .
149.88 .......
Huntington
741.49
Newcastle,
Texas . .
548.25
Henryetta,
Okla
127.00
Bonanza,
Ark
254.30
152
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U.
Location.
Tax. Assess
2906 Adamson,
3209
Morris ....
11.00
Okla
326.00
3210 Tulsa
35.75
2951 Bache
95.03
3310 Greenwood,
2955 Clarksville,
Ark
15.25
Ark
174.75
3425 Craig, Okla
1.25
2990 Henryetta,
3475
Scranton,
Okla
103.75
Ark
1.75
3007 Coalgate ..
128.88
E. F
. Ross, Sec-
3021 Henryetta..
63.25
retary District
3047 Alderson ..
136.90
20.50
No
. 21, special
3058 Coal Hill,
$2 assessment.
24,35
Ark
8061 Henryetta,
107.30
Totals... $38,694.46 $24,4C
Okla
207.40
DISTRICT NO.
22.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U.
Location.
Tax. Assesi
177 Frontier,
2318 Cumberland
782.65
Wyo $
66.75
2328
Superior ..
1,038.18
230 Monarch ..
773.65
2331
Oakley ....
609.80
356 Kemmerer.
77.50
2335
Hanna ....
1,707.47
488 Sublet
543.50
$57.00
2336
Diamond-
905 Reliance ..
1,187.62
ville
488.15
908 Rock
2337 Cumberland
145.00
Springs . .
643.18
2360
Frontier . .
709.60
1307 Elkol
253.75
2361
Glencoe . . .
481.50
1715 Carneyville.
137.50
2365
Kooi
544.85
2055 Acme
652.75
11.75
2516
Rock
2174 Rock
Springs .
408.10
Springs . .
1,050.25
2532
Cambria . .
1,060.00
2282 Rock
2616
Superior ..
836.25
Springs..
764.50
2630
Hudson . . .
533.55
2293 Rock
2671
Gebo
683.77
Springs. .
516.55
2700
Crosby
732.25
2309 Rock
2702
Gunn
458.00
Springs..
421.86
2742
Carneyville.
660.60
2312 Dietz
652.76
2752
Sublet ....
651.85
153
•cation,
inston .
)erior . .
nt of
l/CKS • • • •
Morgan,
ary Dis-
Tax. Assessm't. L.U. Location.
148.20 trict No. 22,
10.00 special $2 as-
ment
o cA Cards deposited
m District ....
Tax. Assessm't.
26.65
14,578.00
Total.... $20,467.03 $14,646.76
Dcation.
uality,
Cy $
and ....
iaton . . .
ech Creek
rydon . .
nderson .
nmons . .
llside . . .
ntral City
jrcer . . .
owder . .
aver Dam
and ....
ovidence .
iaton . . .
hols ,, . .
akesboro.
llside . . .
wderly .
>rgan field
taton . . .
tdisonville
Henry ..
irg^is . . .
:kport ..
nderson .
DISTRICT NO. 23.
Tax. Assessm't. L.U. Location.
1091 Waverly . .
139.75 1124 Dekoven . .
92.54 1136 Island ....
536.75 1152 Baskett ...
557.00 1282 Dekoven . .
17.25 1289 Central City
24.33 1309 Morganfield
448.25 1630 Luzerne ..
194.00 1735 Midland ..
589.00 1773 Uniontown.
624.25 1793 McHenry .
129.75 1844 SpottsvUle.
631.45 1862 Mercer ...
85.00 2166 Hillside ...
45.50 2214 Nortonville.
686.51 2503 Beech Creek
332.13 2504 Martwick .
439.50 2600 Uniontown.
137.75 2613 Graham ..
497.88 2783 Nelson ....
106.40 $5.00 2870 Drakesboro
488.50 3013 DeaneAeld.
25.75 3180 Spottsville.
675.25 3404 Providence.
12.13 3440 Hillside ...
345.25 3441 Henderson.
152.61 3514 Hawesville.
Tax. Assessm't.
173.78
748.88 4.00
135.14
319.10
329.63
352.50
111.00
737.00 ......
457.26
75.91
308.00
47.00
307.79
186.63
46.50
236.25'
441.50
123.40
1,164.75
462.25
307.25
31.75
18.25
9.50
4.25
23.50
22.00
154
L.U. Location.
3534 Beaver Dam
3544 Beech Creek
3583 Owensboro.
3590 Owensboro.
H. H. Vincent,
Tax. Assessm't. L.U. Location.
19,25 Secretary Dis-
IQAQ trict No. 23,
* special |2 as-
sessment ....
15.00
Tax. Aueaim'
9,400.0
Totals . . . $15,254.14 $9,409.0
DISTRICT NO. 24.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. i
uuessmi
921 Owosso,
2664 Bay City. .
440.50
Mich $
15.50
2808 Bay City. .
689.25
1018 St. Charles
738.50
2822 Saginaw ..
876.50
1203 Bay City. .
472.25
2945 St. Charles
39.00
1444 Saginaw . .
256.75
2946 Saginaw ..
88.75
1574 Bay City. .
584.50
3298 Saginaw ..
18.25
1620 Bay City. .
539.75
3448 Jackson ...
14.75
1690 Saginaw ..
336.75
3530 Bay City..
17.76
2304 Unionville.
392.75
3531 St. Charles
46.26
a a . . I
2366 Flint
150.00
3605 Saginaw . .
9.00
• a . .
2414 Saginaw . .
480.38
2564 Saginaw ..
430.25
Totals...
$6,509.76
• • a .
2636 W. Bay City
423.38
DISTRICT NO. 25.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. .
Aasessm
65 Bevier, Mo.$ 1,037.50
956 Ardmore ..
1,666.70
a a a a
171 Lexington..
3,649.65
1032 Macon ....
307.66
....
258 Bucklin ...
104.13
1041 Elliott ....
1.40
a . . a
286 Higginsville
791.06
1067 Dover
.76
....
298 Richmond..
2,774.00
1073 Deepwater.
283.89
a a . a
377 Higginsville
162.46
1089 Waverly ..
446.66
$64.
380 Missouri
1135 Huntsville..
873.26
....
City
213.92
1226 Novinger .
667.80
....
749 Higbee . . .
924.50
1231 Wellington.
274.16
• . a a
919 Bevier
988.82
1400 Corder
389.60
24.
947 Orrick
364.25
1442 Novinger ..
1,288.43
• •am
954 Higbee . . .
459.68
1472 Napoleon .
46.18
a . a a
155
Location. Tax. Assessm't.
1 Leavenworth,
Kas 745.39 36.00
7 Lexington,
Mo 989.75
8 Leavenworth,
Kas. 601.24
4 Richmond . 181.88
5 Brookfield.. 195.71 28.43
8 Camden . . . 138.20 30.00
2 Novinger . . 179.92 * .
3 Marceline.. 859.04
0 Stahl 29.75 1.50 .
4 Windsor . . 88.68 t.
L.U. Location.
Tax.
Assessm't
2669 Bowen ....
154.73
2686 Kirksville .
978.61
2695 Trenton . . .
134.76
2855 Kirksville .
104.51
2862 Napoleon .
34.00
3450 Wellington.
39.65
Geo. Hepple, Sec-
retary District
No. 25, special
$2 assessment.
15,744.00
Totals... $23,070.53 $15,918.40
DISTRICT NO. 26.
L.U. Location.
469 Springhill,
N. S.,
Canada . .
Tax. Assessm't.
$15.00
Total $15.00
DISTRICT NO. 27.
. Location. Tax. Assessm't. L.U. Location.
) Belt, Mont.$ 344.25 1771 Red Lodge.
I Lehigh .... 875.00 2020 Sand Coulee
) Bearcreek.. 544.75 2301 Stockett ..
i Klein 1,119.60 2628 Chimpey
) Fromberg . 18.25 Rock
) Bridger ... 1.23 2659 Washoe ...
i Carpenter ' 2860 Musselshell.
Credc... 468.00 2866 Roundup ..
7 Bearcredc. 238.25 $49.00 2875 Fromberg .
I Bearcreek. . 538.25 3478 Roundup . .
) Bearcredc. . 226.00 3574 Klein
Tax. Assessm't.
2,380.50
1,396.25 4.50
825.45
4.50
597.00
35.50 22.00
921.50
31.75
7.75
117.00
156
L.U. Location.
Tax. .
^.ssessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Ass€
3598 Burlingrton,
special $2 as-
N. D
36.50
sessment
7,
Roherli dondon
Secretary Dis-
Totals... $10,844.05 $7,
trict No. 27,
• DISTRICT NO. 28.
L.U. Location.
Tax. .
Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Asse
872 S. Welling-
2388 Ladysmith.
151.50
ton, B. C,
2824 Nanaimo ..
15.00
Canada. .$
2299 Ciimberland
362 75
120.00
Totals...
$649.25
DISTRICT NO. 29.
L.U. Looetion.
Tax. .
Assessm't.
L.U. Location.
Tax. Asse
87 Elmo,
2016 Wickham .
284.00
W. Va..$
77.25
2039 Dubree ...
24.75
150 Glen Jean.
2.00
2046 Concho ...
152.75
262 Terry
45.75
2205 Sprague ..
84.50
302 Wright . . .
101.77
2321 Sullivan ..
27.75
312 Jodie
305.25
2325 Warden . . .
92.00
321 Lansing ...
48.89
2357 Harvey . . .
67.50
348 Nuttallburg
41.50
2639 Cranberry..
82.24
654 Scarbro . . .
112.25
2645 Ft. Defiance
43.00
693 Ansted
598.05
2651 Prudence ..
74.25
701 Royal
1.75
2670 Eccles
203.75
847 Stone Cliff.
38.75
2839 Fayetteville
547.47
1222 Mt. Hope..
27.87
2865 Thayer ...
80.50
1454 Ansted ....
72.52
2894 Marvel . . .
171.25
1522 Gatewood..
44.00
2898 Fayetteville
75.40
1749 Rush Run..
10.00
2939 Stanaford..
7.75
1770 Elverton ..
39.75
2941 Page
608.75
1788 Wyndal ...
64.59
2942 Carlisle . . .
142.50
1899 Gamoca ...
34.25
2944 Fire Creek.
1.50
1985 Lansing . .
87.50
2953 Edmond ..
65.50
1938 Grandview.
89.38
2957 Oak Hill . .
33.00
2009 Gatewood .
75.75
2958 Sanger ...
35.50
157
luU. Location.
2^ Winona ...
Tax. Assessm't.
14.50
6.25
304.25
80.50
213.25
117.99
4.25
53.00
71.00
114.26
44.25
123.25
11.00
101.75
66.25
178.75
18.00
54.42
16.26
83.00
33.00
57.00
43.75
20.00
95.50
22.25
L.U. Location.
3243 Glen White
3247 Raleigh ...
3248 Blue Jay..
3253 Cliff Top..
3254 Sunmierlee.
3282 Oswald . . .
3283 Pax
3435 Lawton . . .
3460 Lochgelly .
3474 Winona . . .
3502 Nuttallburg
3503 Winona ...
3504 Boone ....
3545 Hawksnest.
3549 Laurel
Creek. . . .
3560 Slabfork ..
3612 Export ...
Cards deposited
in district office
Totals... $
Note : Per cap
months of March,
and July from loc
district amounting
transferred to Dist
Tax. Asses
52.50
108.25
18.25
31.90
69.00
29.00
85.00
57.25
44.50
10.50
14.75
9.63
8.00
2.00
18.50
41.75
5.00
17.50
sm't.
2966 Export . . .
2968 Minden . . .
2969 Harvey . . .
2972 Layland . .
^73 ML Hope . .
297^ Bachman ..
29BO Pemberton.
2982 Thayer . . ,
^82 Lansing . .
31X7 Dunloop ..
31*72 Mt Hope..
31 S3 Derryhale.
313-4 Scarbro .. .
3106 Red SUr ..
3X^7 Sun
3X98 McDonald.
3^03 Glen Jean.,
^^04 Edmond . ,
3206 Tamroy ...
3207 Affinity . . .
7,395.39
ita tax for
April, May,
:al unions in
to $2,319.16
rict No. 17.
3212 Stanaford.
3213 Skelton . . .
3217 Fire Creek
3220 Cirtsville .,
3242 Lanark . .
the
June
this
was
INDIVIDUAL LOCAL UNION.
L.U. Location. Tax. Assessm't.
828 Indianapolis,
Ind $ 86.53
1916.
ec.
2
2
4
4
5
6
8
11
19
23
2G
26
158
MISCELLANEOUS INCOME.
L. U. 2247, District 6, returned check made good $ 64.00
Alexander Kilpatrick, return on loan 25.00
L. U. 388, District 12, returned check made good 119.00
Indiana National Bank, interest on 2 per cent, time deposit 109.28
John A. Lamb, secretary, protested check made good 56.06
R. F. Robinson, expense money returned 85.00
L. U. 2147, District 5, Jas. T. McCluskey, returned check
made good 87.50
Local Union 1720, District 21, returned check made good. . 13.00
Alexander Kilpatrick, return on loan 25.00
H. P. RuIofT, secretary, returned check made good 8.50
Local Union 2872, District 6, returned check made good. . . . 3.00
John McLennan, payment on money advanced by Interna-
tional Representative charge strike affairs in District 15 20.15
'* 30 Walter Ncsbit, balance in treasury Local Union No. 3, Dis-
trict 12 81.30
*' 30 Overpayments returned in stamps during December 1.61
1917.
Jan. 2 Indiana National Bank, interest on 2 per cent, time deposit 158.46
*' 3 Alexander Kilpatrick, return on loan 25.00
" 6 Jas. Cornish, secretary L. U. 1632, District 12, returned
check made good 26.50
" 8 Chas. Cantral, secretary L. U. 1098, District 5, returned
check made good 29.75
E. L. Doyle, sale of Ludlow pamphlets 23.56
O. L. Lord, secretary L. U. 2838, District 9, returned check
made good hJSTt
Neal J. Ferry, expense money returned 40.00
Jas. Morgan, secretary District 22, bound volume of Jour-
nal 2.50
'' 25 John R. Galyran, secretary L. U. 17, District 21, check
made good 25.60
** 31 Overpayments returned in stamps during January 1^0
Feb. 1 Local Union 2059, District 6, returned check made good .... 65.00
" 3 Indiana National Bank, interest on 2 per cent, time deposit 17534
5 Local Union 3059, District 14, delinquent fine 4.00
ii
8
it
12
«<
19
f<
24
M
€4
44
€4
Ma»T.
««
««
«c
159
^. 9 Local Union 777, District 5, balance in treasury $ 22,00
14 Local Union 151, District 1, returned check made good . . . 99.25
16 Local Union 1904, District 29, balance in treasury 18.43
19 John Ramsay, payment on money loaned by District 15 office 25.00
19 Louis Zancanelli, overpaid expense money returned 11.00
20 Local Union 2159, District 6, protested check made good. . 73.90
20 John R. Lawson, overpaid expense money returned 1.00
23 Local Union 3016, District 15, balance in treasury 19.75
Indianapolis Engraving Company, refund on account of er-
ror in billing 58.00
Local Union 3123, District 14, delinquent fine 2.00
Wm. Green, mgr., to correct Australian money order error 5.00
8 Overpayments returned in stamps during February 2.90
2 Indiana National Bank, interest on 2 per cent, time deposit 153.43
3 John Ramsay, payment on money loaned by District 15 office 25.00
6 Walter Nesbit, balance in treasury of Local Union 931, Dis-
trict 12 2.00
7 Central Bank, Coshocton, Ohio, interest on time deposit end-
ing March 2, 1917 150.00
Jos. Allister, secretary L. U. 70, District 14, returned check
made good 14.00
^5 Local Union 470, District 12, balance in treasury 28.76
116 Adam Wilkinson, expense money returned 6.50
^9 John Ramsay, payment on money loaned by District 15 office 25.00
SO Bookwalter-Ball Printing Company, reimbursed for errors
in overcharge on paper for Journals 2,945.69
Geo. J. Mayer & Company, sale of old seals 29.20
Local Union 1097, Individual, returned check made good . . . 8.75
26 Robt G. Bolton, balance in treasury L. U. 1408, District 29 2.00
50 Noble Ault, balance in treasury L. U. 2448, District 6 11.87
51 Overpajrments returned in stamps during March .85
3 Local Union 1483, District 1, returned check made good . . 4.00
3 Local Union 521, District 2, returned check made good 125.50
8 Local Union 1307, District 22, delinquent fine 4.50
3 Indiana National Bank, interest on 2 per cent, time deposit 162.59
4 John Ramsay, payment on loan made by District 15 office . . 10.00
k
1917.
Apr.
10
<i
12
tt
30
May
3
«
12
«
18
«
22
i<
24
II
24
ti
31
June
2
u
9
ti
16
II
20
n
30
July
3
II
6
II
II
16
II
16
II
18
II
24
II
26
II
28
II
30
II
31
Aug.
2
II
3
H
3
II
6
II
6
II
6
160
Wm. F. Johnson Lumber Company, refund on overcharge. .$ 1.78
Local Union 758, District 12, returned check made good. . 51.10
Overpayments returned in stamps during April .40
Indiana National Bank, interest on 2 per cent, time deposit 169.86
Hugh Wood, secretary L. U. 1808, District 17, returned
check made good 25.00
E. T. Fitzgibbons, expense money returned 35.00
Local Union 1437, District 6, returned check made good. . . 3.00
Local Union 1348, District 6, delinquent fine 2.00
Thos. M. Gann, balance in treasury L. U. 1258, District 19 21.85
Overpayments returned in stamps during May .85
Indiana National Bank, interest on deposit for May 169.86
Returned check made good. Local Union 1765, District 14. . 19.25
Returned check made good. Local Union 2317, District 21 . . 21.00
Corrected check returned Local Union 2159, District 5. . . . 72.50
Overpayments returned in stamps during June 4.09
Balance due National office from branch office. District 23 . . 2.00
Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., reimbursed in full for errors
in overcharge on paper for Journals, accepted by Miners'
Committee 4,631.45
Indiana National Bank, interest on deposit, November 10,
1916; July 6, 1917 2,950.05
Balance in treasury, Local Union 2518, District 21 12.50
Ed. R. Smith, refund on express charged May 9 1.90
E. T. Fitzgibbons, part payment on overcharged expenses.. 18.00
Horace N. Hawkins, attorney, refund of cost in strike cases.
Las Animas, Colorado 143.22
Robert Harlin, expense money returned .08
John T. Dempsey, return on loan 49.24
Fred Mooney, return of loan made District 17 l,o5o.OO
Overpayments returned by stamps during July 2.50
Wm. Hargest, return of loan to F. P. Hanaway 50.00
Delinquent fine, Local Union 252, District 17 2.50
E. T. Fitzgibbons, expense money returned 17.00
Returned check made good, Local Union 2204, District 17. . 86.75
Returned check made good, Local Union 253, District 19. . . 3.00
Returned check made good, Local Union 945, District 19. . . 27^5
161 (
1917.
Aug. 8 Returned check made g^ood, Local Union 88, District 12 2.50
8 Returned check made good, Local Union 2473, District 11. . 16.50
11 Balance in treasury, Local Union 2595, District 6 6.70
14 Wm. Short, secretary District 10, overpaid traveling audi-
tor's expenses 41.00
15 Returned check made good, Local Union 2774, District 2. . . 10.00
17 Returned checks made good, Local Union 1229, District 1 . . . 116.^62
*' 17 Returned check made good. Local Union 1794, District 5. . . 1.00
17 Geo. Baker, overpaid expense money .10
18 John L. Britton, return on loan 1 5.00
22 Delinquent fine, Local Union 2397, District 5 2.00
24 Returned check made good, Local Union 2768, District 6 . . 121.80
24 Returned check made good, Local Union 1048, District 14. 5.75
25 Balance in treasury, Local Union 2614, District 25 2.00
27 Jas. F. Moran, refund on amount sent Jas. Moran to settle
with Mrs. Hoffmire 50.00
28 Check made good/ Local Union 3328, District 20 14.25
28 Geo. Hargrove, sale of office furniture, Madisonville, Ky. . 14.00
" 28 Check made good, Local Union 3033, District 15 43.50
30 Balance in treasury, Local Union 2789, District 16 23.00
31 Overpayments returned in stamps during August 2.95
Sept. 1 Horace N. Hawkins, refund of costs paid in strike cases. . . 50.62
4 John L. Britton, payment on loan 5.00
4 Central Bank, Coshocton, Ohio, interest on time deposit. . . 150.00
7 Indiana National Bank, interest on 3 per cent, time deposit. 516.70
7 Wm. SuUivan, returned check made good 6.00
10 Check made good, Local Union 413, District 12 5.00
13 John Wilson, expense money returned 4.34
17 E. T. Fitzgibbons, payment on account overdrawn 15.00
18 John L. Britton, return of loan 5.00
24 L. E. Shelton, balance of treasury, Local Union 1847, Dis-
trict 25 1.80
25 Returned check made good. Local Union 3020, District 15. . 37.00
28 Geo. Hargrove, balance returned from strike fund 46.51
29 Overpayment returned in stamps during September .70
Oct. 2 Balance fund for relief men deported from Gallup, N. M. . 9.05
4 Returned check made good, Local Union 2881, District 5 37.50
6 -M Pro.
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162
Returned check made good, Local Union 3130, District 5. . . $101.85
Jno. L. Britton, return of loan 5.00
Balance in treasury, Local Union 1892, District 5 ^-03
Leo Miorelli, expense money returned '^^
Geo. Hargrove, balance on hand advanced for Hopkins
County Court Auditors ^^-^
Returned check made good. Local Union 2638, bistrict 2 . . . 19.50
John L. Britton, return of loan 5.00
Returned check made good, Local Union 1478, District 2. . . , 17.75
Returned check made good, Local Union 3197, District 29. . 23.37
Ed. R. Smith, postage refund on returned binders .45
Check made good, Local Union 3076, District 1 12.60
Local Union 2321, District 29, delinquent fines. 2.00
Overpayment returned in stamps during October 3.00
Check made good. Local Union 2602, District 9 67.50
Check made good, Local Union 2152, District 11 23.33
John L. Britton, return of loan 5.00
Stephen Herink, overpayment on expense account 9.00
Check made good, Local Union 3139, District 5 194.35
Check made good, Local Union 579, District 9 88.25
Joe Parris, money order unaccounted for 1.50
Geo. Audi, money order unaccounted for 1.00
John L. Britton, return of loan 5.00
Returned check made good, Local Union 2146, District 21 . . 4.75
Returned check made good, Local Union 296, District 6. 52.50
Overpayment returned in stamps during November 2.30
Total $16,934.00
LUDLOW MEMORIAL FUND.
1917.
June 20 Local Union 553, District 13 $87.60
" 20 J. M. Webb, Knoxville, Tenn .50
21 Local Union 22, District 12 8.00
21 Local Union 859, District 12 13.20
21 Local Union 1893, District 12 26.00
" 21 Local Union 956, District 25 25.00
1917.
Oct.
4
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4
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5
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19
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Nov.
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168
1917.
Jnne Zl Local Union 1124, District 23... $15.00
" 21 Local Union 3048, District 15 25.00
" 22 Local Union 686, District 12 20.00
" 22 Local Union 726, District 12 13.50
" 22 Local Union 742, District 21 4.75
" 22 Local Union 297, District 12 23.00
" 22 Local Union 8617, District 12 26.75
" 23 Local Union 1210, District 6 10.00
" 23 Local Union 626, District 2 5.00
" 23 Local Union IBIB, District 2 5.00
" 23 Local Union 1062, District 9 5.00
" 23 Local Union 100, District 12 2.65
" 23 Local Union 122, District 12 6.85
" 28 Local Union 563, District 12 6.00
'• 23 Local Union 1458, District 12 31.30
" 23 Local Union 1800, District 12 15.00
•• 23 Local Union 1865, District 12 25.00
" 23 Local Union 1958, District 13 10.00
" 23 Local Union 55, District 13 25.00
" 23 Local Union 2312, District 22 10.00
" 25 Locsl Union 176, District 2 6.00
" 25 Local Union 1295, District 2 10.00
" 25 Local Union 2098, District 2 14.35
" 25 Local Union 2Z96, District 2 10.00
" 26 Local Union 2722, District 2 20.00
" 25 Local Union 3078, District 2 5.45
" 25 Local Union 3091, District 2 3.30
" 25 Local Union 71, District 6 10.00
" 25 Local Union 656, District 11 2.40
" 25 Local Union 2431, District 11 6.00
" 25 Local Union 732, District 12. 15.00
■' 25 Local Union 2798, District 14 8.05
" 25 Local Union 3132, District 17 2.1.")
" 25 Local Union 1567, District 21 3.00
■' 25 Local Union 264, District 11 3.00
" 26 Local Union 971, District 6 10.00
" 26 Local Union 1418, District 6 5.00
164
Ix)cal Union 1486, District 6 $10.00
Local Union 884, District 11 25.00
I^cal Union 2423, District 11 7.35
Ivocal Union 1285, District 12 15.00
Ix)cal Union 2708, District 12 28.80
Ix>cal Union 318, District 13 19.10
Ixjcul Union 6662, District 13 3.60
IxHjal Union 1530, District 21 3.50
I/>cal Union 2105, District 5 5.00
Local Union 803, District 7 20.00
Ix)cal Union 1095, District 11 2.65
Iam'uI Union ir>30, District 11 26.00
Ixical Union 1755. District 11 5.90
lx)cal Union 1984. District 11 1.00
Local Union 1301, District 12 25.80
Local Union 709, District 13 12.00
Ix)cal Union 1047. District 13 10.00
I A)nil Union 1765. District 14 ^. 3.50
Local Union 3095. District 15 15.00
\a>ci\\ Union 2900. District 17 12.25
Local Union 919. District 25 17.50
Uuuil Union 1070. District 27 1.50
IxK-al Union 393. District 14 4.00
lAual Union 1025. District 1 5.00
Local Union 8126. District 2 5.00
Local Union 1S12. District 5 5.00
l.ooal Union i;?84. District 9 50.00
Lwal Union 1517. District 9 25.00
U»oal Union 942, District 11 4.60
Local Union 2343. District 11 3.85
Local Union 503. District 12 10.00
LiH'al Union 206, District 13 2.00
U)cal Union 916, District 13 17.00
lA>oal Union 210, District 14 12.95
Local Union 2038, District 17 10.00
Iah'hI Union 173o, District 23 ^qq
'• 28 Local Union 1231, District 25 10 00
1917
•
Juno
26
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166
1917.
June 29
29
29
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44
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44
44
44
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July
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29 Lc> <2al
29 Lc><2al
29
29
29
29
29
29
29
29
29
29
29
SO
SO
SO
SO I-ocal
30 I-ocal
SO I^ocal
30 I-^cal
Loc»l
30 I-ocal
30 I-'<>cal
30 I-ocal
30 J-ocal
^ I-ocal
2 Xiocal
2 liocal
^ local
2 ^^^^\
2 I^ocal
2 ^^^ocal
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Unicm
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
Union
3075
1198
49
116
416
2674
160
264
1504
1780
903
498
1074
1808
2904
2327
2282
2669
749
1798
2246
1145
1648
397
1536
2611
2479
2542
2972
2600
2269
2583
2512
165
959
601
526
District 2.
District 5.
District 6.
District 6.
District 6.
District 6 .
District 9.
District 12.
District 12,
District 12.
District 13.
District 14.
District 14.
District 17.
District 17.
District 21.
District 22.
District 25.
District 25.
District 2.
District 2 .
District 5.
District 5.
District 6.
District 7
District .9.
District 12.
District 17.
District 17.
District 23.
District 10.
District 10.
District 10.
District 12.
District 12.
District 2
District 1 .
t
166
1917.
July 2
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l/oca
lA>ca
Ixica
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Loca
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Loca!
Lival
Local
Uva-
Union
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Unior.
Union
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Union
Ur.'on
Un:or.
Union
Union
596, District 2,
I464» Distric
124» Distric
95, District
140, Distnc
2244, Distric
202, Distric
471. Distric
978, Distric
1840. Distric
2123, Distric
768, Distric
»8L Distric
267, Distric
1968, Distric
2771, Distric
3102, Distric
2808, Distric
Distric
Distric
Distric
Distric
Distric
Distric
Distric
Distric
Distric
Distric
Distric
Distric
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Pistrio
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Distric: 22. . . .
Distric: 12. . . .
District 1^
District r;
JbIjt G Local Union 929, District 12 flTJM
" 6 Local Union 2133, District 12 BM
" 5 Local Union 671, District 13 6.00
" 5 Local Union 145, District 2 S.OO
" S Local Union 512, District 1 4^
" 5 Local Union 1134, District 2 10.00
" B Local Union 1671, District 7 11.80
" G Local Union 1887, District 6 20.00
" 5 Local Union 369, District 6 8.60
" 6 Local Union 2736, District 6 10.80
" 5 Local Union 2879, District 6 dJOO
' 5 Local Union 2333. District 14 2.65
" 5 Local Union 2359, District 14 8.00
5 Local Union 2060, District 16 26.00
6 Local Union 2110, District 21 6.00
a I/)cal Union 2535, District 21 14.'!0
5 Local Union 2695, District 25 2,00
5 Local Union 1224, District 14 3.76
5 Local Union 27, District 14 6.00
5 Local Union 2976, District 11 10.00
6 Local Union 2403, District 12 10.70
J « Local Union 263, District 17 6.00
6 Local Union 1090, District 12 7.00
6 Local Union 375, District 2 22.60
_ 6 Local Union 1728, District 9 6.00
6 Local Union 6, District 6 6.75
6 Local Union 2459, District 6 6.00
6 Local Union 1366, District 21 14.90
6 Local Union 1368, District 11 15.00
[ 7 Local Union 2373, District 10 12.20
7 Local Union 1448, District 7 3.80
7 I^cal Union 728, District 12 13.35
7 Local Union 1717, District 10 16.00
7 Local Union 2257. District 10 21.00
7 Local Union 2871, District 10 11.96
■' 7 l^cal Union 2853, District 10 10.00
" 7 Local Union 755, District 12 70.55
168
1917.
July
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District 12, Walter Nesbit $50<
Local Union 146
Local Union 2999
Local Union 957
Local Union 1647
Local Union 2851
Local Union 2528
Local Union 1075
Local Union 420
Local Union 851
Local Union 1169
Local Union 1573
Local Union 753
Local Union 2676
Local Union 372
Local Union 1292
Local Union 1721
Local Union 2156
Local Union 3034
Local Union 3007
Local Union 1327
Berthram B. Beshoar
Local Union 185
Local Union 2587
Frank J. Indoff .
Local Union 2100
Local Union 2449
Local Union 1943
Local Union 1018
Local Union 1130
Local Union 2717
Local Union 793
Local Union 1380
Local Union 1880
Local Union 830
Local Union 1537
Local Union 1730
District 12.
District 17.
District 1 ,
District 5.
District 16
District 6.
District 6
District 12,
District 13.
District 13.
District 13
District 12.
District 12.
District 13.
District 17,
District 9.
District 6.
District 15.
District 21,
District 19.
District 15
District 17
District 6.
District 6,
District 5
District 24.
District 21,
District 10,
District 13
District 12
District 12.
District 2,
District 9,
District 5 ,
2'
111
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X917.
July IX
Local Union 1184,
" 11
Local Union 3154,
" 11
Local Union 2337,
" 12
Local Union 1722,
la
Local Union 686,
" 12
Local Union 362,
" 12
Local Union 840,
12
Local Union 1551,
12
Local Union 1&46,
" 12
Local Union 2242,
" 12
Local Union 324,
" 12
Local Union 624,
" 12
Local Union T88,
" 12
Local Union 885,
" 12
Local Union 1576,
" 12
Local Union 2159,
" 12
Local Union 2185,
' 12
Local Union 2027,
12
Local Union 1666,
' 12
Local Union 1022,
.. ^2
Local Unioi. 3019,
1-2
Local Union 2492,
., ^3
Local Union 691,
/ 13
Local Union 3039.
13
Local Union 2413,
*s
Local Union 474,
.. ^3
Local Union 454,
.. 13
Local Union 2809,
la
Local Union 2444,
M 13
Local Union 1167,
u 13
Local Union 1594,
13
Local Union 1801,
13
Local Union 2194,
u 13
Local Union 2196,
13
Local Union 2300,
" IS
Local Union 2873,
" IB
Local Union 2982,
District 6 $5.00
District 14 3.66
District 22 1.90
District 12 6.80
District 12 5.00
District 12 6.46
District 13 19.20
District 9 : 2.00
District 1 12.60
District 5 lO.OO
District 6 16.00
District 6 ■. . 1.00
District 6 10.00
District 6 4.70
District 6 11.56
District 6 13.60
District 6 5.00
District 16 8.60
District 6 6.00
District 11 2.66
District 14 6.00
District 21 3.10
District 12 14.65
District 13 10.76
District 10 26.25
District 12. 10.00
District 1 3.00
District 2 6.00
District 1 2.00
District 1 20.60
District 2 10.00
District 6 4.00
District 6 4.66
District 6 7.10
District 6 4.6B
District 6 .60
District 6 1,06
i
170
1917
•
July 13
Local
Union
648,
«
13
Local
Union
985,
«<
13
Local
Union 2121,
•<
13
Local Union
2835,
M
13
Local Union
1194,
<«
13
Local
Union
1585,
<l
13
Local Union
2301,
«
13
Local
Union
3035,
<«
14
Local
Union
958,
l(
14
Local
Union
2935,
«
14
Local
Union
1105,
l<
14
Local Union
668,
<r
14
Local
Union
133,
M
14
Local Union
3040,
«
14
Local Union
2772,
<«
14
Local
Union
335,
l<
14
Local
Union
394,
4<
14
Local
Union
1297,
M
14
Local Union
2073,
«
14
Local Union
2594,
(1
16
Local
Union
392,
«
16
Local
Union
916,
l<
16
Local
Union
1799,
«
16
Local
Union
898,
«
16
Local
Union
2774.
«
16
Local
Union
1077,
l<
16
Local
Union
1205,
«
16
Local
Union
1696,
«
16
Local
Union
2137,
«
16
Local
Union
2150,
<<
16
Local
Union
81,
«
16
Local
Union
592.
it
16
Local
Union
2471,
U
16
Local
Union
3018,
U
16
Local
Union
374,
«
16
Local
Union
1419,
l<
16
Local
Union
355,
District 6 $12.60
District 6 5.00
District 6 i... 18.00
District 16 21.00
District 14 15.00
District 27 ; 10.00
District 27 13.05
District 15 15.00
District 13 1.25
District 17 4.00
District 9 10.00
District 12 16.50
District 14. . . ; 1.35
District 15 57.35
District 21 5.00
District 6 1.80
District 6 14.30
District 6 10.90
District 6 3.25
district 6 2.05
District 13 1.45
District 13 .25
District 13 35.10
District 1 7.30
District 2 34.35
District 6 22.70
District 6 11.16
District 6 9.86
District 6 .80
District 6 15.00
District 6 25.00
District 6 15.30
District 16 27.85
District 15 lO.OO
District 21 2.50
District 21 2.00
District 11 5.00
171
1917.
^ttly 16 Loca! Union 2748. Dirtrirt 21 W-BO
" 17 Local Union 2682, District 10 lO-OO
" 17 Local Union 722, District 17 5^
" 17 Local Union 1666, District 1 18-00
" 17 Local Union 595, District 6 8.25
" 17 Local Union 430, District 6 l«-86
" 17 Local Union 2421, District 6 l.*6
" 17 Local Union 625, District 11 11-26
* 17 Local Union 3125, District 15 1.60
" 18 Local Union 1042, District 13 4.40
" 1« Local Union 2046. District 17 2.S0
is Local Union 1252, District 6 10.00
is HuKh Green, Coshocton, Ohio 6.00
X e Lewis Maroni, Roawell, Ohio 1.80
is Local Union 161, District 14 8.60
1« Local Union 1131, District 21 2.60
is Local Union 493, District 12 24.20
1 9 Local Union 2684, District 10 33.70
1-9 Local Union 506, District 9 BOO
1- 9 Local Union 8057. District 5 8.86
^0 Local Union 822, District 12 16.40
^0 Local Union 201, District 13 7.60
^ 0 Local Union 636, District 17 8-40
^0 Local Union 2015, District 17 6.70
^ao Local Union 2898, District 17 6.00
^0 Local Union 766, District 12 21.00
:S0 Local Union 1514, District 9 6.50
^0 Local Union 3141, District 5 16.96
^0 Local Union 121, District 6 8.75
^0 Local Union 1888, District 6 1.16
^0 Local Union 2260, District 6 9.00
^0 Local Union 2635, District 14 7.16
^0 Local Union 2488, District IS 6.00
^0 Local Union 2063, District 21 29.60
^0 Local Union 2700, District 22 20.40
ao Local Union 1021, District 23. 2.50
20 Local Union 1565, District 11 7.00
172
1917
1
•
•
July 20
Local Union 259,
u
21
Local Union 2362,
u
21
Local Union 494,
M
21
Local Union 1632,
tt
21
Local Union 2278,
M
21
Local Union 3136,
«
23
Local Union 275,
U
28
Local Union 736,
M
23
Local Union 986,
M
23
Local Union 56,
M
28
Local Union 1058,
M
28
Local Union 309,
«l
23
Local Union 1455,
«<
23
Local Union 1382,
M
28
Local Union 1238,
M
28
Local Union 1864,
M
28
Local Union 370,
M
28
Local Union 1574,
U
24
Local Union 2368,
l<
24
Local Union 1806,
<l
24
Local Union 291,
««
24
I^cal Union 2128,
M
24
Local Union 1753,
II
24
Local Union 2546,
II
2n
iHH'al Union 715,
II
2R
Ixical Union 1479,
II
2fi
Local Union 2167,
II
25
lx>cal Union 2702,
II
25
Ix>cal Union 3061,
II
2t»
l/ocal Union 2705.
i«
26
Local Union 730,
II
27
Local Union 1179,
M
27
Local Union 2400,
M
27
I»cal Union 383,
««
27
U^cal Union 2276,
M
27
liocal Union 59,
U
28
Local Union 781.
District 15 $14J26
District 10 18.00
District 12 11.95
District 12 5.95
District 5 26.15
District 5 10.00
District 12 1.80
District 12 21.00
District 12 20.05
District 18 5.00
District 18 10.00
District 7 10.00
District 9 5.00
District 5 11.25
District 6. . . ^ 7.50
District 21 4.15
District 27 5.60
District 24 10.00
District 12 13.10
District 12 10.00
District 12 27.80
District 5 5.00
District 6 13.85
District 15 63.85
District 12 15.00
District 9 20.26
District 6 10.00
District 22 16.20
District 21 5.00
District 12 19.50
District 12 33.00
District 17 1.00
District 6 10.00
District 6 9.70
District 6 5.00
District 14 2.66
District 12 lO.OO
'• 28
* 28
• 28
U
<^[
Aix
c .
c
4.
««
28
30
SO
SO
SO
SO
SO
SO
SO
SI
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
7
Loca
Loca
Loca
Loca
Local
Loca
Loca
Loca
Local
Loca
Local
Loca
Wm.
Loca
Loca
Union 1052
Union 1617
Union 3024
Union 1715
Union 376
Union 1206
Union 1890
Union 101
Union 238
Union 2510
Union 1803
Union 1435
Hardest . . .
Union 525
Union 2369
Local Union 1767
Local Union 2427
Local Union 406
Local Union 764
Local Union 719
Local Union 1589
Local Union 3143
Local Union 1509
Local Union 79
Local Union 2874
Local Union 1019
Local Union 1057
Local Union 758
Local Union 1556
Local Union 714
Fred Heldt
Local Union 305
Local Unicm 2065
Local Union 1820
Loca] Union 1525
Local Union 3064
Local Union 2514
District 1
District 1 ,
District 15
District 22
District 5
District 6 ,
District 10
District 12.
District 12
District 10,
District 6
District 6
District 11.
District 10.
District 9 .
District 11.
District 14.
District 11.
District 21.
District 5.
District 5 .
District 9.
District 5 .
District 5 .
District 11.
District 17.
District 12.
District 21.
District 12.
District 12
District 5
District 14
District 20
District 14
District 12
$20.00
35.00
64.00
5.00
14.50
1.05
2.50
14.85
5.00
10.00
5.60
25.90
70.00
6.40
10.00
1.80
10.60
2.10
5.00
10.00
3.90
20.00
10.00
15.00
5.00
5.00
2.40
10.60
13.25
2.20
.50
3.45
7.90
6.05
2.00
4.15
18.90
174
1917.
Aug. 9
LO
10
u
tt
u
M
II
II
U
a
u
M
II
U
ti
II
U
II
M
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11
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(f
II
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II
II
II
13
13
13
L3
13
13
[5
15
16
15
15
L5
L5
16
16
L7
17
17
L7
l8
L8
18
20
20
20
20
22
22
23
23
23
23
25
27
Local Union 588
Local Union 1087
Local Union 1662
Local Union 2657
Local Union 2706
Local Union 991
Local Union 1990
Local Union 2867
Local Union 2564
Local Union 2404
Local Union 815
Local Union 1526
Local Union 2136
Local Union 2737
Local Union 417
Local Unioix 459
Local Union 2376
Local Union 1442
Local Union 605
Local Union 385
Local Union 2084
Local Union 2371
Local Union 2362
Local Union 3048
Local Union 1636
Local Union 2233
Local Union 2289
Local Union 2516
Local Union 40
Local Union 389
Local Union 3092
Local Union 1863
Local Union 2830
Local Union 1414
Local Union 3030
Local Union 2425
Local Union 101
District 14 I
District 18 1
District 15 4
District 12 1
District 12 2
District 6
District 14
District 14
District 24
District 12 2
District 12 1
District 21 1
District 6
District 6
District 6
District 6
District 12 2
District 25 2
District 12
District 6
District 21
District 21
District 10
District 15 1
District 11 1
District 2 2
District 14
District 22
District 14
District 6 1
District 6
District 10
District 13
District 1
District 15 2
District 12 1
District 12 1
176
A*r ^ ■ •
Aufif.
27
•c
27
<«
27
c<
28
<<
30
«<
31
Sept-
1
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4
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4
««
4
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5
**
6
««
7
«<
7
• c
13
««
14
*€
17
««
21
44
25
«C
25
C«
28
««
29
Oct-
17
• c
29
Nov
. 2
iC
3
Local Union 3393, District 15... $
Local Union 2365, District 22
Local Union 2742, District 22
Local Union 1878
Local Union 390
Local Union 721
Local Union 2111
Local Union 3042
Local Union 16
Local Union 101
Local Union 1110
Local Union 3108
Local Union 21
Local Union 2763
Local Union 1206
Local Union 2632
Local Union 3256
Local Union 1820
Local Union 2212
Local Union 514,
Local Union 1045
Local Union 1782
Local Union 1814
Local Union 2858,
Local Union 2485
Miss Allie Stricklin, Eldorado, 111., First Christian Church.
District 21
District 6
District 11
District 15
District 14
District 14,
District 21 . .
District 11
District 12
District 21
District 14..
District 13
District 15,
District 11
District 12
District 21
District 14
District 25
District 12
District 13
District 14,
District 11
9.50
15.70
9.00
48.00
1.15
9.00
7.00
.35
13.80
1.70
8.50
55.00
8.00
8.50
8.30
2.32
108.75
4.65
13.00
6.70
4.60
12.10
.15
5.00
5.00
13.15
Total $6,037.53
STRIKE DONATION— DISTRICT NO. 1.
(1917.)
• Secretary. Location.
^^^ ^d. Chapman Mildred, Pa $
^^ ^' H. Hill Luzerne, Pa
519
^* Powell Scranton, Pa. .
-^ ^»»i. Loblem Scranton, Pa. .
• 'Vr. Louii^ Carbondale, Pa
Amount.
25.00
5.00
10.00
100.00
50.00
176
L.U. Secretory. Location. Amo
898 Jos. Weiss Nanticoke, Pa 2
1010 W. Longanna Olyphant, Pa T 1
1174 Hugh Okane Plymouth, Pa 5
1221 G. J. Wality Dorranceton, Pa 2
1407 Stonley Ravinski Wilkes-Barre, Pa 5
1487 John Dillon Pittston, Pa 1
1617 Wm. Cox Scranton, Pa 5
1691 P. F. O'Hara Olyphant, Pa 2
J. M. Mack, Secy Scranton, Pa 1,00
DISTRICT NO. 2.
L.U. Secretory. Location. Amo
18 Geo. H. Vaux Philipsburg, Pa $ 5
64 J. S. Swanson Hollsopple, Pa 2
89 Peter Cook Storford, Pa 1'
96 S. R. Satterfield Defiance, Pa 1'
144 Chas. R. Stewart Spangler, Pa 2
146 W. S. Edmonson Hopewell, Pa 1'
176 Ira W. Watts Winburne, Pa. 1'
896 R. Campbell DeLancey, Pa 10'
623 Geo. Lundberg Dubois, Pa 2
641 Frank Raslavsky Helvetia, Pa 5'
601 S. Barto Clymer, Pa 6
609 D. J. Curran Morrisdale, Pa 10'
616 Pat. McDermott Hastings, Pa 20'
801 J. M. Wilson Munson, Pa 1
819 H. M. Allen New Bethlehem, Pa 2
831 J. Baird Ernest, Pa 1
837 J. O. Lendguest New Bethlehem, Pa 2
842 John Kilsoll Patten, Pa 10
865 John Kumaird Arnot, Pa
935 C. W. Leas Cassandra, Pa 2
1031 Silas Hauck Robertsdale, Pa 10
1056 Jas. Harlin Gallitzin, Pa 2
1134 P. Lund Grass Flat, Pa 2
1269 Ed. Lonergan Elmora, Pa 2
1295 H. Bryson Glen Campbell, Pa 2
177
^•^' Secretary. Location. Amount.
1370 Stanley Jankiewicz . , Morris Run, Pa 200.00
1386 CHas. Wolff Nanty Glo, Pa 25.00
1402 P. J. Shank Coalport, Pa 25.00
1441 S«i.in Brocklehurst Tyler, Pa 50.00
1515 Muir Frew *. .Dixonville, Pa 10.00
1669 r>om Mauto Frostburg, Pa 15.00
1731 C. R. Eskbaugh Sligo, Pa ' 5.00
1736 F*. p. Dolan Rossiter, Pa 20.00
179S L., McArmch '. Ramsaytown, Pa 10.00
1»57 F. HoUan Fallen Timber, Pa 5.00
^^''l Mike Kasbko Clarence, Pa 50.00
^^2^ Jas. Sowko Bitumen, Pa 10.00
^^^ C. M. Chirdon. Amsby, Pa 25.00
J^^5 B. Jas. Reilly Dudley, Pa 25.00
^® Millard Hanson St. Benedict, Pa 50.00
2030
2179
Jno. A. Harrison Bymesdale, Pa 5.00
C. J. Carlson Dagus Mines, Pa 10.00
John Andrews Lilly, Pa 25.00
Thos. Prudboe Beaverdale, Pa 25.00
W. Waylo Barnesboro, Pa 25.00
Len Jackson Portage, Pa 10.00
^^^ C. H. Shaver Elbon, Pa 10.00
^S7 Thos. Campisano Brockwayville, Pa 25.00
^"^O McKinley Adamson .Marion Center, Pa 10.00
*36^ B. H. Roger Rochester Mills, Pa 2.00
^1 Wm. Atherton Conifer, Pa 25.00
T. McNally Dubois, Pa 20.00
F. Austin Myersdale, Pa 10.00
A. Laison Listie, Pa 10.00
^^» Geo. Walker Osceola Mills, Pa 10.00
^^O Henry Parrish Johnstown, Pa 10.00
^^H> Geo. Cowan Puritan, Pa 25.00
^"^X A. S. Edwards Dudley, Pa 50.00
^Tt Wm. Gallagher Parkers Landing, Pa 16.50
^^a W. H. Nielken Garrett, Pa 50.00
^^^ John Flamm Berlin, Pa 10.00
178
DISTRICT NO. 5.
L.U. Secretary. Location. Ai
79 T. H. Naylor Webster, Pa $
408 Oscar Gildemann Monongahela, Pa
864 Emil Duf oen Sturgeon, Pa
1165 Jos. Haslinsky Ellsworth, Pa
1208 Geo. Adams Slovan, Pa
1589 David Jonon McDonald, Pa
1648 J. P. Browder Carrick, Pa
1948 Francis P. Lamb Pittsburgh, Pa
1978 Wm. Hallam Bulger, Pa
2026 John Doroosky Westland, Pa
2049 J. W. Andrews Midway, Pa
2244 Aug. Belgie Courtney. Pa
2267 W. Estock Large, Pa
2273 John Schneider Smithton, Pa
2424 Wm. Therlwall Finleyville, Pa
2506 Robt. Elliott Scott Haven, Pa
2545 Frank Shower Frederick town, Pa
2563 Frank Fisher Cuddy, Pa
2881 Alex. Krieg Avella, Pa
2960 Alf. Goundry Cliftonville, W. Va
2962 Richard Parsons Evans City, Pa
3057 C. L. Rice Apollo, Pa
3113 H. D. Welsh Leechburg, Pa
3116 John Friel Leechburg, Pa
3121 J. T. Brown Saltsburg, Pa
3136 M. R. Norvak Superior, Pa
3140 Peter Ludivis Vandergrift, Pa
3141 R. Fenk Avonmore, Pa
3146 Wm. McDonald Leechburg, Pa
3147 J. A. Saver Apollo, Pa
3257 Stephen Poplly Wynon, Pa
3368 Martin Laurine Yukon, Pa
DISTRICT NO. 6.
L.U. Secretary. Location. A
5 Terence Sweeney New Philadelphia, Ohio $
13 Geo. E. Schied Bridgeport, Ohio
179
L.\J. Secretary. Location. Amount.
49 Melsin Spencer Jobs, Ohio 50.00
63 E. Compton Cambridge, Ohio 25.00
71 Carl Ryan Martins Ferry, Ohio 100.00
81 Henry A. Dew Congo, Ohio 38.00
93 Mack Showalter Shadyside, Ohio 10.00
116 r. C. Williams Wamock, Ohio 20.00
121 S. 0. Davis Buffalo, Ohio 25.00
142 P. R. Ecenberger Mineral City, Ohio 5.00
162 Thos/WiUiams Doanville, Ohio 26.00
183 G. W. Litten Hopedale, Ohio 10.00
193 Robt Emery Neffs, Ohio 50.00
245 W. L. Roberts Barton, Ohio 10.00
270 Andy Kiss New Plymouth, Ohio 20.00
314 Z. Ginter Fairpoint, Ohio 50.00
327 Ed. Campbell Biichtel, Ohio 25.00
^35 S. J. Barr , . . Wellston, Ohio 10.00
358 G. H. Gardner .Chauncey, Ohio 50.00
Wm. Border Somerdale, Ohio 10.00
J. E. Fierce Glouster, Ohio 100.00
359
365
379 Hugh Green Coshocton, Ohio 20.00
Alex. Allison Robins, Ohio 50.00
Chas. C. Winkler Wainwright, Ohio . . .' 49.50
•f. J. Edwards Murray, Ohio 25.00
^^. Hoge Tiltonville, Ohio 25.00
I'hos. Pietro Flushing, Ohio 21.00
^eter Mollozgar Bellaire, Ohio 100.00
^avid Christian Longstreth, Ohio 12.00
^ike Henry Byesville, Ohio 1.00
^^sse Cox Conesville, Ohio 15.00
^m. Moulton Crooksville, Ohio 50.00
^. H. Wilson Nelsonville, Ohio 50.00
^^ ^red Stroth ' Coalton, Ohio 20.00
Howard Riddle Herrick, Ohio 25.00
A. S. Cook Caldwell, Ohio 50.00
^»eo. Henderson Coshocton, Ohio 10.00
noyd Williams Klee, Ohio 5.00
Andy Rensi Parlett, Ohio 10.00
383
385
394
397
425
430
436
479
515
566
573
619
624
628
652
180
Amoonk —
10.(
10.(
25.(
15.(
15.(
10.0
25.(
10.0'
10.(
Secretary. Location.
Ed. Fristoe New Lexington, Ohio
Jacob White Stewartsville, Ohio
Henry Siege Buchtel, Ohio
F. E. Johnson Nelsonville, Ohio
Frank Phares Shawnee, Ohio
R. M. McCray Crooksville, Ohio
F. A. Nunley Yorkville, Ohio
\Vm. J. Lamb, Jr Jackson, Ohio
Wm. Riddle Neisonville, Ohio
Ralph Korns New Philadelphia, Ohio 20j
John Martin Pomeroy, Ohio
Wm. Kennedy Bellaire, Ohio
Ralph Sutton Pedro, Ohio
Thos. Brown Bamhill, Ohio
E. E. Jones Middleport, Ohio
J. R. McColouffh Buchtel, Ohio
A. B. McNance Neisonville, Ohio 12.1
J. H. Chadwell Brilliant, Ohio B.
C. F. Penrod Crooksville, Ohio lOJ
C. M. Hackathorn Bergholz, Ohio 25J
Dan Callahan New Straitsville, Ohio 26j
Jno. K. Stomps Wellston, Ohio 10.0O
(ieo. Hcbripjjrle Cannelville, Ohio 100.00
Ross C. Spence Stewartsville, Ohio 25.00
Wm. Morjran Piney Fork, Ohio 26.00
John Reynolds Wheeling. W. Va 60.00
Moses Mossop Dalton, Ohio 10.00
John Wyckoff Athens, Ohio 100.00
B. L. Donahue Bannock, Ohio 10.00
Enoch Woallon Lore City, Ohio 5.00
James Henderson ^lineral City, Ohio 15.00
J. C. Milligan McLuney, Ohio 5.00
Glenn Brown New Philadelphia, Ohio 50.00
W. M. McCall Neisonville, Ohio 25.00
James Forgie Lore City, Ohio 64.00
Geo. Fleck Midvale. Ohio 50.00
Elmer Lewis Ironton. Ohio 50.00
60.(
22.0
6.0»
26.0^-^30
10.(
^
''f- Secretary. Location. . Amount.
'^fi Harley Johnson Byeaville, Ohio 26.00
''^ H. L. Dnimm Rush Run, Ohio 100.00
90 Martin Morrow Salineville, Ohio 30.00
W Robert Greenhalgh T^nsin?, Ohio 100.00
W Alfred McConnell Moundsville, W. Va 100.00
'2 Marion Pet«rBon Martins Ferry, Ohio 26.00
8 Charles Rogers Robins, Ohio 100.00
0 Wm. McGath Byesville, Ohio . . .■ 5.00
3 G. W. Eubanks Byesville, Ohio 25.00
6 A. J. Syz NeUonville, Ohio 10.00
7 D. C. Jones Bergholz, Ohio 60.00
0 E. G. Milliron Ohio 4.00
S Robt. Marshall BO.OO
7 Walter Olchesky Adena, Ohio 100.00
8 Joe Kiss Rayl and, Ohio 25.00
9 James Naydl Dlllonvalo, Ohio • 60.00
3 Ora Hartly 10.00
■0 Prank Ryder 25.00
10 Robt. Buckles ..-..JS Ohio 50.00
13 Ralph Selby BufTalo, Ohio 100.00
27 Wm. Stephenson New Straitsville, Ohio 2.60
59 Matt Kren Bridgeport, Ohio 76.00
•67 Eg. Householder Dover, Ohio 25.00
186 A. J, Gould Canaanville, Ohio 100.00
•88 Geo, Neilson Coming, Ohio 25.00
94 J. E. Dunlap Hemlock, Ohio 25.00
47 Richard Belch Wolf Run, Ohio 10,00
60 J. H. House Ohio 25.00
S2 R.W.Wallace Ohio 77,60
K C. H. Smith 25.00
13 Gordon ToUiver Nelsonvitle, Ohio 10.00
rs Clyde Rodacker Dalton, Ohio 25.00
W Wm. Hanenstein Dalton, Ohio 30.00
>3 Wm. Fennell, Jr Wellston, Ohio 6.00
11 M. L. Withee Middleport, Ohio 15.00
19 Prank Bender Pleasant City, Ohio 30.00
>0 Eber Bass Middleport, Ohio 60.00
182
L.U. Secretary. Location. Am
2459 Jas. S. Meredith New Philadelphia, Ohio
2461 Robt. Young Roswell, Ohio
2526 Albert Ratajezak Steel, Ohio 1
2528 J. D. McMiller Roseville, Ohio
2530 Samuel Walters San Toy, Ohio
2568 Robt. Stock Lisbon, Ohio
2559 Jno. Clary Longfstreth, Ohio I
2580 John Bell Mineral City, Ohio 1
2593 John Shutway Flushing, Ohio
2594 Pete Patton Jackson, Ohio
2617 S. W. Barber Nelsonville, Ohio \
2640 Chas. Donahoe Ironton, Ohio {
2642 G. M. Oliver , Buffalo, Ohio 1(
2688 John Smarkol Martins Ferry, Ohio
2728 Geo. McDougall Mineral City, Ohio
2807 Jos. F. Hamilton Leetonia, Ohio i
2810 Edw. P. Mahle Wellston, Ohio
2872 Herbert J. Reese Shawnee, Ohio
2879 F. J. Martin Pleasant City, Ohio I
2967 Chas. L. Evans Doanville, Ohio 1
3158 Ernest Ankran Lore City, Ohio
3177 Chester Bartoe Nelsonville, Ohio J
3360 J. J. Boger Powhatan, Ohio
3370 Frank Riley Nelsonville, Ohio 1
3434 Robert Welsh Tiltonville, Ohio
3434 Robert Welsh Tiltonville, Ohio 1
3444 D. O. Dougherty Sherrodsville, Ohio
DISTRICT NO. 7.
L.U. Secretary. Location. Amc
185 Fred Bauch Sugar Loaf, Pa %
1505 W. S. Evans Harwood Mines, Pa I
1519 George Loputko Freeland, Pa \
1571 A. Morann Tamaqua, Pa 1(
1572 E. G. Williams Lansford, Pa 1(
3292 Vasily Potachney McAdoo, Pa 5
183
DISTRICT NO. 8.
Secretary. Location. Amount
Henry Kilmer Clay City. Ind ( 10.00
Fohn Lynch Brazil, Ind 60.00
tobert Haughes Cardonia, Ind 6.00
'. M. Hester Patrickaburg, Ind 40.00
DISTRICT NO. 9.
Secretary. Location. Amount.
;. Kramer Excelsior, Pa | 50.00
leorge Brubaker Trevorton, Pa 60.00
;dw. Keinn Shamokin, Pa 60.00
f. Imenuel Morea, Pa 50.00
:. W. Heintilemann Tower City, Pa 25.00
eter Leaby Mahanoy City, Pa 100.00
Id. Shott New Boston. Pa 100.00
;. Kane Shenandoah, Pa 10.00
omer Williams Girordville, Pa 10.00
, Lockwood Lost Creek, Pa 20.00
.J. Kelly Lost Creek, Pa 20.00
'. Scheverck Ashland, Pa 60.00
. F. Schaeffer St. Clair, Pa 26.00
. L. Large Tuscarora, Pa 10.00
. C. Shadd WiUiamatown, Pa 100.00
, Schrape Reineton, Pa 26.00
. Kootner Pine Grove, Pa 25.00
eorge Derr Tremont, Pa 50,00
>hn Mayer, Jr Locust Dale, Pa 60.00
B. Kelley l^st Creek, Pa 6.00
harlea Simmons Shenandoah, Pa 26.00
»mea Morrow Wade, Pa 26.00
'illiam Watslof Wilburton, Pa 5.00
J. Houghney Silver Creek, Pa 25.00
>hn Pulaski Mt. Carmel, Pa S.OO
, M. Peck Shenandoah, Pa 2S.0O
ster Saukus Frackville. Pa 5,00
9 — Jas. J. McAndrews, Secy. . Shamokin, Pa 1,000.00
184
DISTRICT NO. 10.
L.U. Secretary. Location. Amc
227 Adam Boardman Roslyn, Wash $ 2
934 John S. Johnson Carbonado, Wash 20
1044 N. A. Perrin Cumberland, Wash 2
1717 R. Horsley Tono, Wash 2
1853 George Steele Durham, Wash 2
1853 George Steele Durham, Wash 2
1863 M. F. Oppe Chehalis, Wash 2
1890 John Murry Cimiberland, Wash 1
1890 John Murry Cumberland, Wash 6
1911 J. D. Richardson Palmer, Wash 2
1994 James Widdel Bayre, Wash 5
2157 Ciril Ermenc Taylor, Wash 2
2257 J. W. Bartoluzzi Black Diamond, Wash 25
2264 A. E. Brooks Franklin, Wash 2
2362 Ed. Sipila Newcastle, Wash 10
2369 Estell Gary Mendota, Wash. 2
2373 Jask Jaff Burnett, Wash 10
2413 John Morgan Issaquah, Wash 2
2510 Thomas Walmsley Roslyn, Wash 1
2512 H. J. Burge Cle Elum, Wash 1(
2583 G. Lempersley Roslyn, Wash I
2634 Frank Purse Wilkeson, Wash 1(
2717 Robert Blakely Cumberland, Wash I
2717 Robert Blakely Cumberland, Wash I
2869 Vernon G. Wells Spiketon, Wash 1'
2871 Ed. Matthews Ronald, Wash
2963 J. McCauley Melmont, Wash
3179 K. A. Bruum Fairfax, Wash
3458 John Adams Renton, Wash
DISTRICT NO. 11.
L.U. Secretary. Location. A-m
21 George Black Princeton, Ind $
23 William Houston Terre Haute, Ind
46 William M. Minnia Petersburg, Ind 1
74 T. J. Foley Clinton, Ind
18K-
LU. Secretary. Location. Amount.
114 Leroy Rhinehart Elberfeld, Ind 75.00
in Charles N. Compton Terre Haute, Ind 25,00
131 Martin May Clinton, Ind 10.00
f 111 Ed. Edwards Du^er, Ind 15.00
181 Eaarey Auten Jasonville, Ind 10.00
19S W. Mitchell Sullivan, Ind 287.00
m William Krampe Brazil, Ind ' 10.00
217 A. C. Wilkie Boonville, Ind 10.00
2« Squire J. Carithers Terre Haute, Ind 25.00
^ B. F. Byera ^« 26.00
«3 0. R. Knight Jasonville, Ind 50.00
M2 Isaiah Spau Augusta, Ind 66.00
Wl D. R, Starett West Terre Haute, Ind 10.00
K* Roscoe Moore Jasonville, Ind 26.00
STO Jamea Stephen Terre Haute, Ind 15.00
'13 K. L. Whitman Winslow, Ind.' 26.00
'K Ernest Prudence Nowburg, Ind 26.00
TS4 Moses Dossett Glezen, Ind 100.00
no James H. Usrey Linton, Ind 50.00
1«S Adolph Becker Evansville, Ind 25.00
lOM , Joe Messersmith Francisco, Ind 71.00
' nU D.A.Ve8S Shelbum, Ind 25.00
"87 M. S. Barnes Rosedale, Ind 10.00
1257 John Liptaet Sullivan, Ind 10.00
1368 Harry C. Friley Bruceville, Ind 50.00
1371 Melvin Whitaker Chandler, Ind 20.00 .
me Frank S. Krischak Linton, Ind 100.00
1394 Joe Smith West Terre Haute, Ind 10.00
1539 John Ambre Universal, Ind 250.00
1555 H. B. Listen Carlisle, Ind 25.00
1634 Thomas Winning Vincennes, Ind 100.00
1658 Charles A. Poehlein Winslow, Ind 50.00
1670 James Justus Linton, Ind 50.00
1698 Thomas Kinney Bicknell, Ind 25.00
1713 S. C. Hunter Dugger, Ind 50,00
1743 John Orr Jasonville, Ind 35.00
1755 Charles Baughn Boonville, Ind 28.00
186
L.U. Secretary. Location. Ai
1895 Homer Pierson Linton, Ind
1984 Lucky Abemathy Coving^ton, Ind
2062 C. Ed. Wall Sullivan, Ind
2134 George W. Kirk Linton, Ind
2196 William Greaves Terre Haute, Ind
2245 Fred Beckman West Terre Haute, Ind
2343 C. F. Stansberry Boonville, Jnd
2422 Orville Hamilton Clinton, Ind
2423 Isaac Norwood Vicksburg, Ind
2431 G. D. Griffith Coalmont, Ind
2446 John Thomas Rosedale, Ind
2475 M. Raffle Shelbum, Ind
2549 H. N. McNiel Fontanet, Ind
2550 Samuel L. Lawrence Boonville, Ind
2607 B. H. Powell Newburg, Ind
2971 Allen F. Payne Brazil, Ind
2976 C. E. Gillespie Staunton, Ind
2989 B. F. Wright Linton, Ind
3041 Thomas Kehoe Blanford, Ind
3097 Harry Lentz Terre Haute, Ind
3261 R. A. Allen Montgomery, Ind
Albert Strange Edwardsport, Ind
Charles McKillip Clinton, Ind
Harold Miller Clay City, Ind
DISTRICT NO. 12.
L.U. Secretary. Location. Ar
2 Neil Thompson Farmington, 111 $
11 H. R. Wilker Coal City, 111
30 William Clough Lovington, 111
41 Charles Bishop Catlin, 111
78 Joseph F. Cross Breese, 111
91 Harry Wilson Johnston City, 111
99 Reinhold Schoenebeck Belleville, 111
106 Joseph Stokes Canton, 111
109 William Smallwood Assumption, 111
125 Mike Milenky Mt. Olive, 111
187
LU. Secretary. Location. Amount.
146 Henry Cuthbert Divemon, 111 200.00
224 Harry Bangert Lincoln, 111 50.00
238 Daniel Pollock Belleville, 111 50.00
264 Joseph Schultz Collinsville, 111 100.00
297 Herman Meinkoth New Baden, 111 50.00
805 James Harris Rentchler, 111 50.00
362 Edward A. Nightingale Coal Valley, 111 18.00
388 J. A. Prosper Clifford, 111 200.00
467 John Malbon Farmington, 111 25.00
468 R. O. McAUister. Fairbury, 111 10.00
474 Edw. Erlinger Belleville, 111 10.00
492 John Boehmer Springfield, 111 100.00
517 William F. Spears Tovey, 111 257.00
517 William F. Spears Tovey, 111 252.50
M8 Melvin Kern Marion, 111 10.00
565 Z. S. Clifford Equality, 111 15.00
598 Charles E. Barrow Lincoln, 111 25.00
606 Jake Wilson Murphysboro, 111 48.00
620 Peter Grubich LaSalle, 111 15.00
644 Jacob Benzele Hillsboro, 111 25.00
651 George Troy Rutland, 111 10.00
655 Robert Norris Herrin, 111 100.00
663 T. J. McMianenny Coulterville, 111 25.00
668 Ed. Biom Worden, 111 25.00
685 James Silva Collinsville, 111 25.00
686 Dan W. Slinger Glen Carbon, 111 50.00
687 Robert Browning Freesburg, 111 50.00
691 N. H. Goalby Troy, 111 75.00
694 Alfred Walters Girard, 111 100.00
720 Leo Safka Staunton, 111 152.00
728 John DeWerff Mt. Olive, 111 25.00
730 John Templeton Gillespie, 111 300.00
732 Fred Rautenbera Peoria, 111 25.00
734 Fred Albers Peoria, 111 5.00
753 Samuel Walker Bloomington, 111 2.00
756 A. C. Schneider Staunton, 111 500.00
781 Emil Reinhold Decatur, 111 25.00
188
L.U. Seeretarr- Location. Amo
782 Reuben Ralph Belleville, III 1
800 Andrew Hudaahka Streator, 111 1
815 James J. Deane Lincoln, III 2
820 L. J. Foreman Edwardaville, 111 2
822 N. B. Atkins Pana, III 3
848 James Flannery Collinsville, III 20i
869 Walter Sheeta Belleville, 111 H
898 Frank Hosking Canton, III 2\
928 James Dunehoo Herrin, III H
944 H. T. Compton Herrin, III 6(
948 Glen Woods Danville, III *
959 R. Howe West Frankfort, 111 17!
969 R. Howe West Frankfort, 111
980 Walter Tomlinson Coflfeen, 111 2
1011 Jack Doyle Colfax, III 2
1090 Hy. Reuas New Athens, 111 2
1103 Femand Bernard Weatville, 111 2
1117 S. W. Hedger Marion, 111 2
1202 Jerry Browning Tilden, III 2
1228 Allen Mayberry Dewmaine, III 10
1239 A. A. Pearce Johnston City, III I
1397 D. C. Morris Centralia, 111 £
1421 William M. Welshbeno Buckner, 111 11
1440 Mike Bednar Taylor Springs, 111 1(
1458 H. H. Schickedani DuQuoin, III 21
1677 Thomas Siak Eldorado, 111 n
1806 Charles Stokea Coulterville, 111 ;
1880 James Penley Marion, 111 !■
1893 Frank H. Beaaley, Jr Witt, III 1
1927 G. Rimington Farmington, III
1948 Joe Drago Pekin, 111
1971 Oscar Hall West Frankfort, III
2129 E. C. Radford Marion, 111
2368 Frank Reevea lU
2376 E. H. Owlett Hj j
2467 J. O. Stine Danville, 111
2556 Henry Skelcher Carterville, 111
189
L.U. Secretary. Location. Amount.
2619 John Lennox Beckemeyer, 111 72.25
2621 John W. Walker Herrin, 111 50.00
2622 George Cook ...:.... Decatur, 111 10.00
2676 John Flannery Danville, 111 10.00
2703 Floyd Williamson East St. Louis, 111 62.00
2708 John Mason Belleville, 111 25.00
2709 Z. T. Porter Norris City, 111 50.00
2840 J. T. Bushnell Middle Grove, 111 15.00
3222 W. A. Holman Danville, 111 10.00
3447 G. E. Bitter Baleigh, 111 5.00
District 12— Walter Nesbit, S^y . . . . Springfield, 111 500.00
DISTBICT NO. 13.
L.U. Secretary. Location. Amount.
10 George Cooper Valley Junction, Iowa $ 5.00
47 James G. Steele Eddyville, Iowa 25.00
56 William Leanord Colfax, Iowa 100.00
152 John G. Whitham Ottumwa, Iowa 25.00
154 William W. Brown Newton, Iowa 5.00
172 James O. Cain '. Foster, Iowa 5.00
201 Frank Brunson Brazil, Iowa 15.00
372 G. H. Klobucher Rathbum, Iowa 50.00
384 H. S. Amer Des Moines, Iowa 25.00
392 Andrew Swanson Ft. Dodge, Iowa 10.00
553 Bert Dooley Centerville, Iowa 100.00
634 J. R. Smith Mystic, Iowa 25.00
662 William Johnson Lovilia, Iowa 10.00
671 Lewis Edwards Seevers, Iowa 25.00
709 J. L. Smith '.Madrid, Iowa 50.00
793 Alex Collins Albia, Iowa 100.00
812 William Hendershot Exline, Iowa 10.00
851 George F. Sillett .* Des Moines, Iowa 20.00
855 William Taylor Lehigh, Iowa 10.00
869 George Kirkwood Boone, Iowa 100.00
875 W. F. Sexton Nunia, Iowa 10.00
916 Alf. Hjort Hiteman, Iowa 25.00
958 B. M. Paul Unionville, Mo 10.00
981 Robert Stokes Everist, Iowa 25-00
1042 W. A. Rickett Lovilia, Iowa 25.00
1047 James Longden Des Moines, Iowa 100. CO
1063 Ben Baker Centerville, Iowa 2.50
1121 Charles Robinson Hocking, Iowa 50-00
1169 J. W. Adey Bear Creek, Iowa 25.00
1504 Martin Wood Melcher, Iowa 75. OO
1573 George Fletcher Des Moines, Iowa 32.SO
1603 Ben H. Porter Des Moines, Iowa lO.OO
1616 T. A. Kirby Coal City, Iowa , 10. CO
1799 William King Buxton, Iowa 200.00
1907 John Samuelson Des Moines, Iowa lOO-OO
1933 A. Cross Chariton, Iowa 2&-00
2460 Conrad Samuelson Madrid, Iowa 2S-00
2482 Earnest Courtney Hamilton, Iowa 25-00
2482 Theodore Bourland Ward, Iowa lO-OO
2988 George Philly Piano, Iowa lO-OO
3039 Claud Crandall Bidwell, Iowa 10-^^
District 13— John Gay, Secy Albia, l6wa 16,000-^^
DISTRICT NO. 14.
L.U. Secretary. Location. Amott***-
133 Pat Richie Mulberry, Kans $ 2-^^
210 A. Gladieux Weir, Kans 60-0^
219 Orval J. Lacore Pittsburg, Kans 40-^>^
414 W. Hamoker Gross, Kans 40-^^
434 Frank Crosby West Mineral, Kans 10.^^
498 Dan O. Donnell Scammon, Kans 2&-^^
551 A. W. Brown Oskaloosa, Mo 6-00
559 Carl McClure Arcadia, Kans 5-00
902 Arley F. Smith Rich Hill, Mo J^.OO
951 H. W. Shoddy Arcadia, Kans lO^OO
1093 William Scott Pittsburg, Kans 26.^^
1194 James E. Gilbert Mulberry, Kans Ib.OO
1224 W. A. West Rich Hill, Mo 4.W
1283 William Fowler Girard, Kans lO.OO
1765 John Finley Stone City, Kans lO.OO
191
U.
as
33
19
12
)1
)7
•3
Secretary. Location.
Pat McCafferty Mineral, Kans. .
K. J. Hill Arcadia, Kans. .
M. J. French Mulberry, Kans.
John Derby Frontenac, Kans.
Arch McCallum Girard, Kans. . .
William Prince Pittsburg, Kans.
C. A. Venable Liberal, Mo
Amount.
30.00
10.00
10.00
42.50
63.70
10.00
25.00
Secretary.
DISTRICT NO. 15.
Location.
Amount
John Cologna Richvale, Colo % 25.00
J. C. Packer / Berwind, Colo 25.00
George Clark Palisade, Colo 10.00
Charles Leveque Delagua, Colo 100.00
John Nicola Gray Creek, Colo 10.00
G. H. Wilson Aquilar, Colo 10.00
O. B. Settle Colorado Springs, Colo 5.00
John Bennett Bowen, Colo 10.00
Robert D. Owens Coal Creek, Colo 100.00
James Patterson Gorham, Colo 25.00
John Lynch Canon City, Colo 25.00
John Lynch Canon City, Colo. 30.00
Ben B. Turner Maitland, Colo 9.00
Walter Coats Oak Creek, Colo 25.00
Dan Lucero Walsenburg, Colo 35.00
Joe Olquine Ojo, Colo 14.60
John Hudack Oak Creek, Colo 50.00
John Howman Starkville, Colo 15.00
George Hustado Rapson, Colo 10.00
Joe Yeaack Sopris, Colo 25.00
J. J. Mulichill Bear River, Colo 15.00
a H. C. Stewart Sopris, Colo 10.00
3 W. F. Tombling Tioga, Colo 25.00
5 Charles Salsburg Bowen, Colo 50.00
•5 Frank Schuster Ravenwood, Colo 13.95
0 John Holleanie Ludlow, Colo 12.10
6 Thomas Ottiwell Gallup, N. M 15.00
192
L.U. Secretary. Location. Amount
3125 Tony Manone Mt. Harris, Colo 10.(M/
3227 Gus Mayer Madrid, N. M 60.00
3256 O. F. Nigro Crested Butte, Colo lOO.OO
3393 H. Fawcett Aquilar, Colo 50.00
DISTRICT NO. 16.
L.U. Secretary. Location. Amoun't^
2471 Joseph Stayder Mt. Savage, Md $ 50.00
2478 W. K. Kuhn Bayard, W. Va lO-OO
2819 Daniel Evans Frostburg, Md 2Q0 -OO
2835 Richard H. McGann Lonaconingr, Md 5(^-00
2851 Pat O'Rourke Midland, Md 1^ --O0
3335 John Miur Shaft, Md 5(^^O0
DISTRICT NO. 17.
t
L.U. Secretary. Location. AmoQ.
262 S. H. Tramell Blair, W. Va $ 19-^ ^^
263 G. W. McCoy Livingstone, W. Va 20^ ^^
285 Thomas Elkink Montgomery, W. Va 10. ^^
531 R. S. Monday Carbondale, W. Va 50.^^
546 William Griffith Hemshaw, W. Va 25.C7^
636 J. H. Broadnox Handley, W. Va. lO.OO
676 C. C. Folden Chelyan, W. Va 15.00
677 L. J. Apperson Hughestown, W. Va 25.00
750*"j. M. Lovejoy Kayford, W. Va 25.00
760 H. F. Mann Laing, W. Va 15.00
887 Mike Bulvony Flemington, W. Va 10.00
974 S. W. Farmer Milbum, W. Va 100.00
1037 G. A. Cooper Carbondale, W. Va 50.00
1101 Harrison Grundy Seifert, W. Va 17.50
1166 R. K. Koontz Jochin, W. Va 10.00
1292 H. H. Skaggs Cannelton, W. Va 20.00
1335 R. E. Santrock Poca, W. Va 20.08
1335 R. E. Santrock Poca, W. Va 25.00
1448 Richard Bainbridge Longracre, W. Va 20.00
1469 J. H. Robertson Austin, W. Va 100.00
1661 S. Halt Sharon, W. Va 25.00
198
Secretary. Location. Amount.
8 James Allen Montgomery, W. Va 5.00
« Hugh Wood '. . . .Elk Ridge, W. Va 50.00
8 H. T. Wilson Dry Branch, W. Va 25.00
6 John Moore Whittaker, W. Va 10.00
1 R. H. Moore Bentree, W. Va 26.00
5 0. A. Dunbar Blakeley, W. Va 50.00
Sam Toney Blooming Rose, W. Va 25.00
I G. T. Ligon Donwood, W. Va 25.00
' D. S. Saunders Eagle, W. Va 5.00
' A. J. Dunlap Ivaton, W. Va 70.00
W. A. Harmon Plymouth, W. Va 25.00
D. J. Kelly Rosemont, W. Va 25.00
Charles Scott Powellton, W. Va 20.00
Lincoln Holstein Coalbury, W. Va 50.00
Ben Day Blaine, W. Va 50.00
Tim Connors Ivaton, W. Va 10.00
J. H. Bumside Winifred, W. Va 50.00
J. R. Halstead Putney, W. Va 40.00
> T. Johnson Big Chimney, W. Va 10.00
t George Carr Whiteville, W. Va 10.00
i C. Oatridge Dorothy, W. Va 10.00
6 W. A. Stull Mahan, W. Va 10.00
7 Fred Martin Blair, W. Va 25.00
0 Everett Ward Cannelton, W. Va 50.00
1 A. K. Webb Ramage, W. Va 15.00
3 A. L. Estep Eskdale, W. Va 25.00
r J. E. Garretson Cedar Grove, W. Va 20.00
I Herbert Kinder Wevaco, W. Va 40.00
[ G. R. Kinder Quick, W. Va 25.00
I F. B. Finnicum ciothier, W. Va 50.00
; Ernest Smoot Clothier, W. Va 25.00
. Bud Smith Warrior, W. Va 10.00
I Fred Kester Winona, W. Va 20.00
\ W. H. Nolton Minden, W. Va 50.00
> Nicholas Flontck Grafton, W. Va 100.00
> J. W. E. Anderson Cedar Grove, W. Va 10.00
I Robert Ball Chesapeake, W. Va 10,00
7— M. Pro.
194
•
L.U. Secretery. Location. Amomit
3172 W. E. Atkinson Mt. Hope, W. Va 10.00
3196 Jackson Y. Rhodes Red Star, W. Va 10.00
3197 G. J. Payne Sun, W. Va. l^OO
3207 J. C. Montgomery. Affinity, W. Va lO.OO
3213 Charles Baird Skelton, W. Va 25.00
3220 W. C. Romine Herberton, W. Va 20.00
3242 Ward Ewing Lanark, W. Va &-<>^
3254 J. A. McBrayer Summerlee, W. Va 20.00
3282 Homer Lewis Oswald, W. Va 5.O0
3283 Ellas Humphrey Pax, W. Va 2&.OC
3288 J. L. Fortney Independence, W. Va lO^O^
D. B. Hawkins Cliflf Top, W. Va 10-0«
DISTRICT NO. 18.
L.U. Secretary. Location. Amou**'^
574 Charles Peacock Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. . .$ 50.O0
1087 James Bewsher Nordegg, Alberta, Canada 6O.O0
3170 C. Terris Pocahontas, Alberta, Canada. . . lOO-OO
3249 J. M. Maxwell Lovett, Alberta, Canada 18.50
DISTRICT NO. 19.
L.vT Secretary. Location. Amount-
890 Fred Smith Soddy, Tenn % 100.00
2997 J. E. Carter Tinsley, Ky 16.00
DISTRICT NO. 20.
L.U. Secretary. liocation. Amotmi.
3266 T. M. Moore Sayre, Ala % 10.00
3270 Louis Penenke Brookside, Ala 25.00
3339 J. M. Dutton Townley, Ala 20.00
3361 Sigund Swanson Adamsville, Ala 50.00
DISTRICT NO. 21.
L.U. Secretary. Location. AiDOont.
197 Jules Ricco Henryetta, Okla $ 20.00
374 Perry Boyd Greenwood, Ark 10.00
J. Secretai?. Locatton. Amoimt
10 Cl«ud« Carruth Hartford, Ark 20.00
3 O.A.Stokes Bates, Ark 10.00
2 Charlea Acton WiUianw, Okta lOO.OO
6 William L. Anderson Dow, Okla 86.00
( Henry Bernard Lyra, Texas 60.00
i Ralph Fryer Coalgate, Okla 76.00
' S. M. Boydsfer Wilhurton, Okla 50.00
' Oscar Bagley Mc Curtain, Okla 200.00
: E. J. Victor Savanna, Okla 26.00
• C. R. Day Adamaon, Okla 10.00
■ William Cowan Lehigh, Okla 60.00
1 L. A. Chevalier Russellville, Ark 20.00
■ Dewey HumpheviUe Hartford, Ark 10.00
1 G. O. Cook Alderson, Okla 100.00
' Frank Brinkworth Lehigh, Okla 100.00
i E. W. Abston Montana, Ark 1,000.00
I Walter Stark Hughes, Okla 6.00
[ A. A. Hauley Lutie, Okla 50.00
> John Stout 60.00
I Ed. Sayres Dewar, Okla 60.00
6 Ed. Sweeney Milton, Okla 25.00
T H. E. Hirda McAlester, Okla 10.00
7 Joe Ritchel Krebs, Okla 26.00
! M. Brown Altua, Okla 10.00
a C. F. Burkholder Coalton, Okla 46.00
'2 James Fairley Adamaon. Okla 26.00
i H. Debush Strawn, Texas 26.00
7 J. A. Brady. Alix, Ark 6.00
0 Sam Gaston Bokoske, Okla 39.25
0 D. M. Griawold Hartford, Ark 26.00
S W. L. Drake Henryetta. Okla 10.00
; W. F. Bridges Clonsilla, Okla 26.00
) James McRoberte Henryetta, Okla 60.00
, Eph. Green Henryetta, Okla 26.00
, J. H. Reneau Henryetta, Okla 6.00
196
DISTRICT NO. 22.
L.U. Secretary. Location. Amount
488 William Cross Sublet, Wyo $ 25.00
905 Phil Steerholm Reliance, Wyo lOO.ftO
90? Frank S. Ovey Rock Springs, Wyo 25.00
1715 Fred L. O'Connor Cameyville, Wyo 25.O0
2055 L. T. Dazey Acme, Wyo. 50.0«
2282 W. Hopkins Rock Springs, Wyo 60.00
2309 A. V. Elias Rock Springs, Wyo lO.CX)
2312 L. F. Peters Dietz, Wyo 50-^X>
2328 Felix Conzatti Superior, Wyo " 10O-^>^
2331 C. F. Painted Oakley, Wyo 2(P^^^
2335 Thos. Mellor Hanna, Wyo 20-00
2336 Daniel Armstrong Diamondville, Wyo 67-^^
2337 William Rock Cumberland, Wyo 10.C>^
2360 John Copyak Frontier, Wyo IS.O^
2532 Robert A. Robertson Cambria, Wyo 25.0C
2616 Walter Short Superior, Wyo lOO-O^
2671 John Norton Gebo, Wyo 16(>.C>^
2700 E. Poretthauer Crosby, Wyo 100.0<5
2702 Walter Johnson Gunn, Wyo IS-^O
2742 Joe Atkinson Cameyville, Wyo ,. . 60-0^
2752 Mort Grantage Sublet, Wyo 10-O<3
District 22— James Morgan, Secy Cheyenne, Wyo 5,000-0^
DISTRICT NO. 23.
L.U. Secretary. Location. AmoiE^^*^
72 H. B. Taylor Island, Ky % 10.0<)
602 P. T. Thompson Central City, Ky 2S-^^
708 C. Sutton Morganfield, Ky 25-^*
1735 E. B. Nolinger Midland, Ky 10-^^
1773 Hurbert Higginson Uniontown, Ky 20-^^^
DISTRICT NO. 24.
L.U. Secretary. Location. AmoaB^
1574 Ralph Dearden Bay City, Mich % 50.0^
2564 Harry Clements Saginaw, Mich ICW^
2664 William Carlin Bay City, Mich lO.OO
197
Secretary. Location. Amount.
3 Thomas Cook Bay City, Mich 20.00
5 E. M. Carl St. Charles, Mich 10.00
? E. Breese Saginaw, Mich 10.00
rict 24--Fred Dando, Secy Saginaw, Mich 250.00
DISTRICT NO. 25.
Secretary. Location. Amount.
Howard Bennett Higginsville, Mo % 25.00
C. J. Vickers Richmond, Mo 250.00
Emil Schmidt Higginsville, Mo 10.00
F. Doran Missouri City,* Mo 25.00
Wayland Patterson Higbee, Mo 25.00
William T. Thomas Bevier, Mo 50.00
George Bell Orrick, Mo 15.00
A. E. Humphrey Higbee, Mo 10.00
C. V. Coulson Huntsville, Mo 50.00
Charles Butley Novinger, Mo 50.00
Webb Oliver Moberly, Mo 10.00
H. Coghill Novinger, Mo 100.00
Fritz Becker Leavenworth, Kans 25.00
i Roe Conyers Camden, Mo 10.00
5 George Lee Novinger, Mo 25.00
> F. W. Nies Marceline, Mo 25.00
» Ed. Schneider Kirksville, Mo 100.00
i R. M. Evans Trenton, Mo 5.00
> W. L. Jackson Kirksville, Mo 10.00
rict 25 — George Hepple, Secy Moberly. Mo 5,000.00
DISTRICT NO. 27.
Secretary. Location. Amount.
> Baptist Pizzini Belt, Mont % 10.00
^ W. S. Huffman Bear Creek, Mont 257.00
T William Dempster Bear Creek, Mont 100.00
L G. W. Turk Red Lodge, Mont 50.00
0 Moris Todd Sand Coulee, Mont 100.00
6 Pat Sweeney ; . Washoe, Mont 165.00
0 Bert Price Musselshell, Mont 25.00
trict 27— Robert Condon, Secy Billings, Mont 3,000.00
252 J. W. Bivens Terry, W. Va. $ ^^C
302 W. K. Johnson Wright, W. Va 1(^-C3
312 W. E. Skaggs Jodie, W. Va 2S -O
693 A. J. Atkins Ansted, W. Va l(^-0
1454 David T. Russell Ansted, W. Va ^-O
1522 M. C. Dniragoole Gatewood, W. Va S-<5
1935 H. D. Workman Lansing, W. Va IS-C^
2670 John Kennedy Eccles, W. Va 2-«
2839 G. W. Lavinder Kaymoor, W. Va 6(^-0
2898 Leslie Davis Fayetteville, W. Va 3L -S
2942 Leo Chodil Carlisle, W. Va 8(^-0
2972 C. A. Boyd Layland, W. Va 2S^C
2973 George A. Borders. Mt. Hope, W. Va 2^-^
3082 S. S. Christian Lansing, W. Va 2^^^
. 3212 R. Buensche Stanaford, W. Va lO-^
3503 Albert Comer Winona, W. Va 25 -^
INDIVIDUALS.
John O'Neal Trinidad, Colo. $ ^-^
R. Krueger Grafton, W. Va 2-^
$60,80(>.'*^
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries and Expenses, Officers, Organizers and Employes,
December 1, 1916 — December 1, 1917.
Expense
Amount
Name. Paid.
Adams, K. C $ 4,744.42
Adams, K. C, advanced
Angelo, Jos 3,399.26
Applewhite, Alberta 1,691.80
Baker, Geo 2,857.03
Baker, Geo., advanced
Baker, Jno. A 2,674.21
Ballantyne, Samuel 2,003.34
Money
Returned.
Expenses.
Salary. .
$ 150.00
$ 2,925.67
$ 1,818.75
150.00
1,971.26
1,428.00
1,691.80
230.00
1,437.03
1,525.00
125.00
1,372.21
1,302.00
1,040.84
962.50
Name.
*»*Tett, Geo
Batley, Chas
Segalli, Steve
Bertucci, Paul
Bittiwr, Van
Bittner, Van, advanced
Bl"«a«rd, G. B ,
Bolton, Robt G
Boner. C. C
Bosone, Jos.
Braadett, Lavrence
Britton, John L
Bro^™, J. W
BoiM. Robt
Callagy, Wm
Campbell, Z. T
Carol, Gazy
Carr, Hannah
Ch«inben, Ruth E
Cinque, John
^'eow, J. L
•^l^ndenin, Obe
Ctx>tter, Celesta
Cf-ock, Neal J
Cttnion, Jos. W
Dajnowski. W. P
D^lrymple, Wm
Davia, D. W
Pav«, Thos
Psvii, Thos. R
Dinnen, Wm
Donaldson, Wm., board mem.
Donaldson, Wm., advanced..
Donaldson, Wm., auditor...
Doyle, E. L
Amount Money
' Paid. Returned. Expenses. Salary.
1.397.46 729.96 667.60
2,962.76 1,456.76 . 1,506.00
3,797.15 2,369.15 1,428.00
2,272.01 844.01 1,428.00
4,334.22 2,710.72 1,423.50
200.00
2.872.63 1,522.53 1,350.00
3,128.82 1,700.32 1,428.00
2.138.47 710.47 1,428.00
3,473.78 2,086.28 1,387.50
1,782.74 770.24 962.60
3,128.20 1,700.20 1,428.00
3.537.88 2,040.88 1,497.00
3.478.27 2,108.77 1,869.50
2.279.64 861.64 1,428.00
733.35 299.85 433.60
1,848.86 1,127.36 721.50
2.303.28 744.60 1,558.68
1,658.68 1,568.68
3,085.45 1,733.96 1351.50
1,596.06 710.56 885.50
1,044.66 533.16 511.60
1,188.40 54.56 1,133.84
3,284.95 1356.95 1,428.00
2,086,20 1,356.70 730.50
2,146.43 718.43 1,428.00
3.193.89 1,713.89 1,480.00
3,.')80.46 1,962.46 1,428.00
2,477.33 952.33 1,525.00
966.63 299.13 667.60
3,574.24 170.00 2,325.08 1,419,16
447.73 212.33 285.50
2,407.27 1,369.77 962.60
75.00
601.95 291.95 310.00
304.60 204.60 300.00
200
Amount
Name. Paid.
Drum, Francis 482.34
Dwyer, Gus 635.02
Dwyer, Lawrence 2,281.38
Edmunds, G. H 2,912.05
Fairley, W. R 401.43
Farringrton, Frank 156.21
Feeney, Wm 3,957.26
Ferns, Jas 3,416.05
Ferry, Neal J 2,739.75
Fitegibbons, Ed T 3,479.54
Foflter, Robt 3,582.35
Foster, Wm 558.61
Fowler, David 801.59
Frampton, D. A 1,294.20
Frield, Hugh D 3,539.09
Frisk, Gus 624.25
Gaffney, Robt. W. 4,471.80
Gaffney, Robt. W., advanced
Gann, Thos. M 1,991.94
Gatens, P. F 3,068.21
Gatherum, John 598.15
Gatz, Frank 789.05
Geise, Henry 1,911.93
Gilmore, J. R 2,790.15
Gilmour, Robt 2,928.34 .
Glenn, Theo. C 938.92
Gorman. P. J 544.87
Graham, Mary 246,62
Green, Wm 5,401.07
Haddow, Harriet 289.20
Haddow, Marion 1,133.84
Haggerty, Thos 723.15
Hanaway, F. P 3,451.41
Hargrove, Geo 2,996.25
Hargrove, Daisy C 312.48
Harlin, Robt. H 4,648.20
liixpense
Money
Returned.
Expenses.
170.34
Salf
31
377.02
2c
25.00
1,287.88
1,567.55
99
1,36
230.43
17
116.21
4
2,529.26
1.42
200.00
2,188.05
1.42
50.00
1,264.75
1,52
200.00
2,505.04
1,17
175.00
2,333.85
1,42
288.61
27
426.59
37
731.70
56
2,169.59
136
249.25
37
200.00
3,111.80
1,55
10.00
• • • *
1,036.44
95
1,555.21
1.51
232.15
36
50.00
434.05
40
483.93
1,42
1.362.15
1,42
50.00
1,453.34
1,52
93
247.87
29
24
2,032.32
3,36
23
1,13
410.65
31
2,023i41
1.42
1,568.25
1,42
8.60
3C
3,098.20
1,55
ame.
t»n, Bernard
Amount
Paid.
1,607.79
Expense
Money
Returned.
Expenses.
1,027.29
SaUry.
580.60
«>n. Wm. L
. 3.177.70
1.730.25
1,447.60
. Frank J
5^78.90
2,437.24
3,441.66
, MarRaret ..
, May E
1,382.55
1,133.84
216.03
1,166.62
1,133,84
1,406.33
100.00
ly, Frank, advanced. . .
kkson. Emi!
3,040.79
50.00
1,662.79
1,428.00
. Geo. W
915.27
247.77
667.60
ay, Thoa
776.33
20.00
376.33
420.00
>n, Wm
3,134.17
1,728.67
1,406.50
Is. Enoch
2,284.84
870.34
1.414.60
a, Frank
. 3.543.54
100.00
2,274.04
1.369.50
ki, Stock
. 2,587.45
1,159.45
1,428.00
3,345.52
. 2,788.35
1.922.02
1.340.85
1,423.60
1.447.50
■. John J
Mother Mary
. .1.486.59
2,136.59
1,350.00
Jas. E
2.213.39
785.39
1,428.00
Sydney J
Sydney J., advanced. .
1,222.17
585.17
100.00
537.00
mer, J. R
2,140.54
1,212.54
928.00
■: Harry
2.216.69
788.69
2,082.85
757.93
1,428.00
1,419.00
760.50
rick, Alex. L
1,518.4.')
Thos. M
. 3,591.87
2,163.87
1,428.00
■ski, Jos. J
2,17<l.7ft
751.75
1,428.00
M, Alex
926.8?
166.38
760.50
iki," Henry
2,061.6!!
656.19
1,405.50
ier, fieo. W
97.40
25.40
72.00
n, John R., advanced. .
50.00
2,297.74
;!.fi26.3ii
869.74
2,326.36
1,428.00
John L
1,499.94
L, Mike
;i.232.o.>
1,808.55
1.423.50
a. Felix
. 2.209,66
781.66
1.428.00
Malone, James 1,805.96
Marietta, Victor 2,497.90
Messingrer, Chas. E 86.65
Miorelli, Leo 2,105.71
Mitchell, John 103.60
Mooney, James 786.00
Moore, John 153.86
Moran, Jas. F 4,230.40
Morgan, John 1,208.32
Morgan, T. G 783.55
Mossop, John J^ 1,417.35
McGary, A. B 3,310.32
McGrath, M. J 1,984.34
McLennan, John 3,560.97
McNeil, L. M 578.30
Nash, Martin A 2,693.15
Nelson, Michael 2,994.69
Neutzling, Albert 1,351.37
O'Leary, John . * 2,861.74
Patton, Jos 755.40
Paskell, Thos 777.46
Paulsen, Paul J ! 3,078.60
Pelizarri, Armando 3,479.06
Pippin, Warren 4,035.55
Pollock, Robt 3,197.44
Prentice, Will M 3,252.86
Price, Marshall 845.10
Puskar, Andrew 1,137.62
Ramsay, John 3,586.03
Rees, David 3,222.10
Rees, David, advanced
Reno, Jennie 631.82
Robb, David 2,810.70
Robinson, R. F. . . *. 4,056.65
Roman, Marco 3,270.21
X VC \, XA*. AAW'Vt •
50.00
41.00
75.00
50.00
200.00
1,049.96
1,069.90
38.65
677.71
58.60
489.00
88.86
2,766.40
708.32
347.55
656^5
1,932.32
556.84
2,188.47
234.80
1,230.65
1,566.69
610.37
1,524.24
348.90
357.46
1,616.10
2,051.06
2,607.55
1,769.44
1,865.86
434.10
591.62
2,233^3
1,647.10
50.00
1,432.70
2,828.65
1,842.21
756.00
1,428.00
48.00
1,428.00
45.00
297.00
65.00
1,464.00
500.0^
436.0*
761.0O
1,428.0C7
1,428.0(?
1,372.50
343.50
1,462.50
1,428.00
741.00
1,387.50
406.50
420.00
1,462.50
1,428.00
1,428.00
1,428.00
1,428.00
411.00
546.00
1,428.00
1,525.00
681.82
1,428.00
1,428.00
1,428.00
208
Amount
Name. Paid.
Salvage, Mike 3,709.75
Smith, T. J 1,985.58
Smith, W. 0 2,383.26
Sneed, Wm. J 1,828.40
Snyder, Ed 722.80
Sparling, Gus 1,092.99
Springer, J. A 668.96
Stafford, Tony 1,239.35
Steele, Andrew 1,959.75
Stockton, Dorothy 787.22
Street, H. G 876.29
Telow, Percy 2,052.98
Tliomas, F. D 2,719.35
Thurston, Jeff 811.82
Trimble, Ethel 1,133.84
Tumblazer, Wm 3,257.78
Van Horn, W. D 2,969.92
Walker, John H 134.21
Wallace, Martin 3,089.35
Walsh, Patrick F 2,358.26
Watkins, A. R 2,994.85
White, John P 9,030.84
White, R. D 3,049.02
Wilkinson, Adam 4,095.38
Wilson, John 1,779.01
Young, Wm 820.65
Zancanelli, Louis 1,717.00
Zinnmerman, J. M 3,470.85
Expense
Money
Returned.
Expenses.
2,286.25
Salary.
1,423.50
1,019.58
966.00
280.00
1,488.76
1,174.50
923.90
904.50
316.30
406.50
530.49
562.50
313.46
355.50
634.85
604.50
997.25
962.50
787.22
471.29
405.00
1,121.48
931.50
1,291.35
1,428.00
393.32
• •••■• ■
418.50
1,133.84
1,901.78
1,356.00
1,444.92
1,525.00
94.21
40.00
50.00
1,711.35
1,428.00
930.26
1,428.00
1,469.85
1,525.00
2,947.53
6,083.31
1,621.02
1,428.00
2,632.88
1,462.50
645.17
1,133.84
400.65
420.00
347.50
1,369.50
1,945.85
1,525.00
Totals $377,662.86 |2,466.00 $193,563.25 $186,565.61
SUPPLIES.
1916.
Dec. 8 Geo. J. Mayer Co., seals for November $ 35.45
'* 8 Joliet Republican Printing Co., recording secretary minute
books, loose leaves, constitutions 655.90
204
1916.
Dec. 21 Thos. Yeats, secretary, overpayment on supplies returned,
L. U. 1449-12 $1.50
." 27 W. H. Draper, secretary, refund on ledger, L. U. 71-6 1.25
1917.
Jan. 8 Geo. J. Mayer & Co., seals for December 53.45
" 8 Whitehead-Hoag Co., watch fobs 47.20
" 8 W. T. Thomas, secretary, refund on supplies, L. U. 919-25. . . 3.50
" 10 Joliet Republican Printing Co., ledger binders, F. S. cash
books, ABC loose leaf binders, indexes, manuals, orders
on treasurer 1,491.55
" 11 Earl Meek, secretary, refund on orders on treasurer, L. U.
368-12 1.00
" 17 W. R. Ingle, secretary, refund on supplies, L. U. 2201-21 1.50
Feb. 9 Geo. J. Mayer Co., seals for January 49.90
" 9 Joliet Republican Printing Co., constitutions, loose leaf led-
ger sheets 305.00
Mar. 7 Geo. J. Mayer Co., seals for February 34.15
" 7 Joliet Republican Printing Co., loose leaf ledger sheets,
transfer card books, orders on treasurer 656.50
'* 12 Benj. Wilkens, secretary, refund on supplies, L. U. 1489-2. . 7.50
" 14 Isaiah Beaton, secretary, refund on supplies L. U. 1366-21. . 1.50
" 22 Chas. Polloni, secretary L. U. 629-8, refund on supplies 2.00
" 26 Harry Brown, refund on supplies, L. U. 483-1 8.00
Apr. 9 Geo. J. Mayer Co., seals for March 33.25
*' 9 Joliet Republican Printing Co., due cards 168.50
" 11 Walter Nesbit, secretary, District 12, financial secretary
cash books, treasurer's cash books 27.15
" 14 John Billy, secretary, L. U. 2999-17, refund on supplies 1.20
'* 20 Harry Spears, secretary, L. IT. 1476-7, refund on supplies. . . 1.25
" 24 John J. Beggs, secretary, L. U. 2494-21, refund on ledger
leaves 1.50
May 8 Geo. J. Mayer & Co., seals for April 38.05
" 8 Joliet Republican Printing Co., con.stitutions, charters and
minute books 770.75
10 Ed. Wray, secretary, L. U. 720-12, refund on ledger leaves. . 3.00
17 Joliet Republican Printing Co., balance due on loose leaf
ledger sheets 41.00
ti
it
206
Ad. Nov. Company, ^Id-plated buttons $ 61.65
Geo. J. Mayer & Co., seals for May 117.25
Joliet Republican Printing Company, constitutions 136.50
Ad. Nov. Company, buttons 212.40
Geo. J. Mayer & Co., seals for June 179.80
Joliet Republican Printing Co., F. S.-Treas. receipt books,
orders on treasurer, letter files, constitutions 807.75
Eilert Dierks, gavels 150.00
Whitehead & Hoag Co., fobs 53.37
John M. Hester, Secretary, refund on supplies, L. U. 3182,
Dist. 8 1.50
Ad. Nov. Company, buttons 220.98
Fred Rantenberg, Secretary, refund on supplies to L. U.
732, Dist. 12 2.50
Geo. J. Mayer & Co., seals for July 178.05
Joliet Republican Printing Co., company statements, man-
uals, Treasurer's cash book, charters, due cards, transfer
card books 1,195.00
Ad. Nov. Company, buttons 41.46
Joliet Republican Printing Co., sets of supplies for new
locals 4,697.05
9 Angelo Corradini, Secretary, refund on supplies to L. U.
1475, Dist. 12 3.00
** 13 Lucian Dort, Secretary, refund on supplies to L. U. 43, Dist.
12 6.00
*• 27 Chas. D. Williams, Secretary, refund on supplies to L. U.
1656, Dist. 1 7.50
*" 30 Jas. Silva, Secretary, refund on supplies to L. U. 685, Dist.
12 2.50
Sept. 4 Louis Nichols, Secretary, refund on supplies to L. U. 1607,
Dist. 14 5.50
Geo. J. Mayer & Co., seals for August 113.95
Ad. Nov. Company, buttons 254.52
Joliet Republican Printing Co.. auditors' sheets, constitu-
tions, manuals, orders on Treasurer, transfer cards .... 688.50
Eilert Dierks, gavels 100.00
J. H. Robertson, Secretary, refund on supplies, L. U. 1469,
Dist. 17 1.50
1917.
June
1
k»
8
«•
8
*<
19
July
9
•«
9
0
9
.•
14
<•
26
• •
31
Aug.
4
«•
7
••
7
i*
8
•*
8
«•
10
••
10
•*
10
««
10
Oct.
3
•
206
1917.
Oet. 8 Joliet Republican Printing Co., F. S.-Treas. receipts and
Sec'y-Treas. receipt books % 242.75
** 8 Geo. J. Mayer & Co., seals for September 68.50
" 22 Foster Egner, refund on lost buttons 30.00
** 23 Stephen Hess, Secretary, refund on supplies to L. U. 2545,
Dist. 5 5.00
Nov. 3 Chas. Watkins, Secretary, refund on supplies to L. U. 1862,
Dist. 23 1.00
" 8 Geo. J. Mayer & Co., seals for October 93.45
** 8 Joliet Republican Printing Co., transfer card books, char-
ters, F. S. cash books 928.50
" 15 /. D. Richardson, Secretary, refund on supplies, L. U. 1911,
Dist. 10 .50
" 15 Isaac Davis, Secretary, refund on supplies, L. U. 2682, Dist.
10 7.50
•' 15 Adv. Novelty Company, buttons 14.11
" 17 Eilert Dierks, gavels 110.00
Total $15,182.03
OFFICE EXPENSES.
1916.
Dec. 1 Merchants Bldg. Co., rent for December $470.00
1 Merchants Bldg. Co., towel service 5.00
1 Time cards .50
2 Mrs. A. T. Rasmussen, treasurer, Maricm County Society
Prevention of Tuberculosis, Red Cross stamps 36.00
2 Ralph Finegold, newspapers .• 6,20
C^ Shirley Pencil Co., pencils, pens, pins, clips, stenographer
tablets 16.80
8 Underwood Typewriter Co., rent 1 machine, Nov. 4 to Dec 4 3.00
H Aquos Distilled Water Co., service for November 9.00
H W. K. Stewart, envelopes and tablets 1.85
H Wm. B. Burford, order books and folder 4,05
H Niman Transfer Co., service for November 12.00
H Indiana Paper Co., wrapping paper, cutter and twine 16.70
H Hillor-Schwarti Co., files and erasers 25.00
tt
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•«
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••
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••
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207
1916.
1^ 8
U
11
M
11
<l
11
<«
12
«
l«
12
*i
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12
**
23
• <
27
<<
4
28
idiT.
a.
2
i
2
i
2
,«
2
(*
3
i«
3
«c
8
««
8
i«
8
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8
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8
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8
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8
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8
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8
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9
it
11
a
15
it
15
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15
4<
16
tA
16
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16
*4
17
Ballweg & Co., shipping boxes $8.00
Vonnegrut Hardware Co., scissors .95
Merchants Heat & Light Co., service for November 9.16
Wm. B. Burf ord, ca'lendar pads .70
Department Reports Co., subscription, Nov., 1916, to Feb.,
1917 6.50
The Coal Trade Journal, 1 year's subscription 6.50
Chas. Auch, chang^ing safe combination 1.00
Cornelius Printing Co., plain envelopes 2.35
Shirley Pencil Co., rubber bands 2.75
Sam Spencer, extra work .70
Ralph Finegold, newspapers 6.28
Merchants Bldg. Co., rent for January 470.00
Merchants Bldg. Co., towel service 5.00
Fulton Office Furniture Co., transfer files and guides 30.88
L. S. Ayres & Co., dust cloths and glasses 1.35
Time cards .50
Sanborn Electric Co., desk lamps 7.00
Niman Transfer Co., service 4.50
Indiana Paper Co., wrapping paper and twine 7.62
Underwood Typewriter Co., rent machine, Dec. 4 to Jan. 4 . . 3.00
Wm. B. Burford, mailing tubes 6.00
American Multigraph Sales Co., indicator, cord and roller. . .17
Aquos Distilled Water Co., service for December 8.00
Ballweg & Co., shipping boxes 8.00
W. K. Stewart Co., gold seals, clips and manifold 2.50
Vonnegrut Hardware Co., nails .25
Merchants Heat & Light Co., service for December 5.65
Jas. A. Britton, old convention proceedings 1.25
Max Steinbach, old convention proceeding's .50
Sam Brocklehurst, old convention proceeding's .50
Thos. J. McDonnell, old convention proceedings 3.00
W. K. Stewart Co., erasers and fountain pens 15.00
A. G. Carlson, old convention proceedings .25
J. W. Syme, old convention proceedings .25
208
Frank Reeves, old convention proceedings $ 1.25
W. H. Miller, carpenter work and hardware used 12.10
Fulton Office Furniture Co., base for transfer cases and
guides : 6.SO
John Lockwood, old convention proceedings l.OC
J. J. Jones, old convention proceedings .^^
Thos. H. Proctor, old convention proceedings -^^
New York Store, soap -^^
Elizabeth Mitchell, soap -^^
Arthur Blakely, old convention proceedings — ^
C. C. Boner, old convention proceedings / j- - '
J. W. Wales, old convention proceedings 3- -^
Shirley Pencil Co., rubber bands I^-'
O. F. Morris, old convention proceedings ^
Alfred Walters, old convention proceedings ^ "^
Merchants Bldg. Co., rent for February 470^ *
Merchants Bldg. Co., towel service i5- ^
Ralph Finegold, newspapers 6--^
Time cards '^^
A. C. Mclnnis, old convention proceedings .2'
H. R. Walker, old convention proceedings !\\
John Malloy, old convention proceedings .50
Wm. B. Burford, ruler .80
Joliet Republican Printing Co., memo, sheets 11.95
Wni. 6. Burford, binders and blotters 10.(^
Indiana Paper Co., wrapping paper 10.36
Ballweg & Co., shipping boxes 16.00
Wm. F. Johnson Lumber Co., lumber for shelves 17^
Aquos Distilled Water Co., service for January 10.00
0. R. Brown Paper Co., typewriting paper 2.60
Burroughs Adding Machine Co.. ribbon 1.00
W. K. Stewart Co., binders, indexes, ledger sheets and ink-
stand 11.80
Hi Her- Schwartz Co., ink, paste, fasteners, clips, etc 48.90
Underwood Typewriter Co., two machines, express on one
old machine, rent one machine Jan. 4 to Feb. 4 146.12
" 14 L. S. Ayres & Co., glass shelf and clock 1.54
1917.
Jan.
17
M
18
«
23
«
23
4<
23
u
23
u
24
it
26
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26
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29
^ «
29
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29
«
30
•(
31
Feb.
«
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2
it
3
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5
it
9
a
9
n
9
it
.9
n
9
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9
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9
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9
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9
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9
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9
209
1917.
H.
16
u
17
u
20
u
26
Mar.
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2
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7
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7
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7
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7
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7
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7
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7
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7
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7
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7
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7
It
10
14
12
•4
13
ti
13
it
21
i*
27
**
27
«t
30
• «
31
W. K. Stewart Co., 1 copy book holder $1.50
W. H. Miller, carpenter work and hardware furnished 24.75
W. H. Miller, balance due for carpenter work 5.80
S. S. Kres^ Co., cupboard turns for supply room 1.30
Merchants Bldg. Co., rent for March 512.50
Merchants Bldg. Co., towel service 5.00
Ralph Finegold, newspapers 5.95
Fertig & Keever, black lettering doors 2.50
Time cards ; .50
W. A. James, old convention proceedings .50
Sam. Court, old convention proceedings .25
Chas. Kolb, old convention proceedings 1.50
M. Morgan, old convention proceedings 1.75
Joliet Republican Printing Co., office receipt pads and sec-
ond sheets 44.50
Joliet Republican Printing Co., envelopes 3.00
Hiller-Schwartz Co., file boxes, folders, guides, notebooks, etc. 31.17
W. K. Stewart, sealing wax and tape .50
H. Lieber Co., framing photograph 1.75
Indiana Paper Co., twine 2.40
Wm. F. Johnson Lumber Co., lumber for shelves 27.11
Johnson- Woodbridge Co., glass for shelve doors 3.65
Aquos Distilled Water Co., service for February 6.50
Howard Carpet Cleaning Co., cleaning three rugs 6.00
Pettis Dry Goods Co., rug and linoleum for office 133.93
Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., folding circulars 6.75
Ramsay Typewriter Exchange, repairing machines and type-
writing oil 10.30
E. J. Gausepohl & Co., brief case 10.00
Pettis Dry Goods Co., dust cloths, soap and furniture polish. 1.75
Mrs. Matthews, cleaning office furniture 1.50
R. B. Scherer, typewriter knobs 1.00
L. S. Asrres, soap .50
Shirley Pencil Co., 1 gross stenographer tablets 10.00
Edith Thompson, notary fee .50
Time cards .50
Apr.
3
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3
*4
3
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3
U
9
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9
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9
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9
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9
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9
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9
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9
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9
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9
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18
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24
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26
it
27
it
30
May
1
it
1
ti
1
it
1
tt
2
it
3
it
4
it
8
it
8
tt
8
it
8
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8
it
8
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8
Merchants Bldg. Co., rent for April $512.50
Merchants Bldg. Co., towel service 5.00
Shirley Pencil Co., pencils 10.80
Ralph Pierson, newspapers 7.00
Joliet Republican Printing Co., deduction cards, mimeo let^
terheads, expense sheets 79.7<
Aquos Distilled Water Co., service for March 7.^^)
Merchants Heat & Light Co., service Jan. 5 to March 28 15.^*7
W. K. Stewart Co., labels, indexes and furniture poli^ 1JS20
Mellett Printing Co., blank cards %»'75
0. R. Brown Paper Co., typewriter paper 80-00
H. Lieber Co., framing photograph l.'^^
Ballweg & Co., shipping boxes 16-^^
Indiana Paper Co., wrapping paper 6. ^ •
Hiller-Schwartz Co., paper, fasteners, erasers, letter files. . . ^'^^j
Niman Transfer Co., service for March S.i'
W. F. Wilson, carpenter work and hardware furnished 16.1
Pettis Dry Goods Co., framing picture 1.1
L. S. Ajrres & Co., soap ^
Geo. W. Sparks, reimbursed for old convention proceedings. .50
Hannah Carr, office supplies S.05
Merchants Bldg. Co., rent for May 512.50
Merchants Bldg. Co., towel service 6.00
Time cards .50
Ralph Pierson, newspapers 6.35
Pettis Dry Goods Co., dust cloths .60
Pettis Dry Goods Co., furniture oil .50
J. R. Overstreet, carbon paper and coupons 27.00
American Multigraph Sales Co., friction spring .15
Burroughs Adding Machine Co., part payment, attention to
machine one year as per contract 5.00
Underwood Typewriter Co., machine 86.25
W. K. Stewart Co., binder, sheets, ledger, paper, filler 14.46
Hiller-Schwartz, gold seals, clips, pen holders 4.00
Ballweg & Co., shipping boxes 16.00
W. F. Johnson liUmber Co., lumber used for shelving 12.79
t(
(i
a
211
1917.
^ay 8 Aqaos Distilled Water Co., service for April $7.00
" 8 Merchants Heat & Light Co., service for April 3.90
" 9 Celesta Cromer, office supplies .78
'' 9 Mrs. Snyder, cleaning office furniture 1.50
" 9 Fred Ellison, key 35
** 9 Gregg Cleaner Co., cleaning rugs 12.53
^ 11 Merchants Bldg. Co., ventilator glass 7.00
" 11 Vonnegut Hardware Co., nails .25
15 Chas. Auch, locks and keys and fitting same 9.05
15 L. S. Ayres & Co., soap .50
June 1 Merchants Bldg. Co., rent for June 512.50
1 Merchants Bldg. Co., towel service, for May 6.00
1 Time cards ' , .50
2 Disbursing Clerk, P. O. Dept., Washington, D. C, Postal
guide .75
4 Ralph Pierson, newspapers 7.00
6 Merchants Bldg. Co., ventilator glass 10.50
8 Joliet Republican Printing Co., mimeo sheets, second sheets,
monthly reports, supply order books 158.50
8 H. Lieber Co., framing pictures 5.15
8 W. K. Stewart & Co., gold seals .45
8 Niman Transfer Co., service April 4.00
8 Merchants Heat & Light Co., service May 5.85
8 Underwood Typewriter Co., adjusting machine .50
" 8 Indiana Paper Co., wrapping paper 3.41
'• 8 Aqiv>s Distilled Water Co., service May 7.50
" 8 Remington Typewriter Co., ribbon coupons and erasers 31.00
8 Ballweg & Co., shipping boxes 32.00
8 Hiller & Schwartz Co., transfer cases, guides, files, O. K.
fasteners, etc 32.44
8 Department Reports Co., subscription 6.50
12 W. H. Tipman, typewriter oil 1.00
" 12 L. S. Ayres & Co., scissors .40
" '16 Shirley Pencil Co., pen holders and pens 4.50
" 18 Vonnegut Hardware Co., nails .25
" 23 L. S. McWhorter, repairing desk 2.50
" 25 Edith Thompson, notary fee .25
a
14
it
H
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it
44
June 27
n
29
it
30
i4
30
July
2
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2
«
2
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2
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2
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3
ii
6
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9
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9
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9
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9
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9
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14
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14
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26
ti
27
it
31
Aiig.
1
it
1
it
1
ti
2
it
6
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I
L. S. Ayres & Co., soap $0.5Ci:a
R. L. Polk & Co., city directory 10.0^^
Huder's Drug: Store, benzine .1 ^
Fred Adams, moving file cases .5» ^
Merchants Bldg. Co., rent July 512.1
Merchants Bldg. Co., towel service, June 6.(
Time cards
Pettis Dry Goods Co., dust cloths
Ralph Pierson, newspapers 6.'
Elizabeth Mitchell, soap
Adolph Rosenzweig, repairing desk lock and making key. ... !•
Joliet Republican Printing Company, envelopes, letter heads,
binders, index division sheets 81.S
Indiana Paper Co., wrapping paper 11<*
Niman Transfer Co., service June
Coal & Coke Operator, subscription May, 1918 1-0
Merchants Heat & Light Co., service June 4.2^^
Ballweg & Co., shipping boxes 82.00^
W. K. Stewart & Co., ledger filler, H. R. cards, labels 6.31
Hiller-Schwartz Co., ruler, clips, pins, dater 2.10
Aquos Distilled Water Co., service June 9.00
Wm. B. Burford; mailing tubes 6.00
H. Lieber Co., framing photo 2.00
Cornelius Printing Co., steel files for statistician's room 495.60
Adolph Rosenzweig, changing safe combination 1.00
Vonnegut Hardware Co., nails .^ .60
The New York Times, 46 copies of the Annalist and binder,
one year's subscription New York Times, New York
Times current History — for statistical department 18.85
Sanborn Electric Co., two fans 20.00
Merchants Bldg. Co., rent August 512.50
Merchants Bldg. Co., towel service July 6.00
Time cards .50
Ralph Pierson, newspapers • 6.90
Fletcher Noe, repairing clock .75
Underwood Typewriter Co., rubber feet and screws, packing
machine for shipment from Kansas City 1.32
213
■^u?. 7 Indianapolis News, back copies of News for Statistician's
office $6.62
7 Wall Street Journal, one year's subscription, Statistician's
office 12.00
7 Wm. Burford, mailing tubes 6.00
7 Merchants Bldg. Co., glass shelf and brackets 1.25
7 Indiana Paper Company, wrapping paper 10.34
7 Merchants Heat & Light Co., service July 3.25
7 Aquos Distilled Water Co., service July 8.50
7 Hiller- Schwartz Co., paste, blotters, clips and pencils 14.55
7 Ballweg & Co., shipping boxes 48.00
7 Chas. Bretzman, photo of traveling auditors 3.00
8 Cornelius Printing Co., binding 20 issues of Journal for
Statistician's office 2.20
16 L. S. McWhorter, repairing table .50
18 R. B. Sherer, rubber rings for typewriter .35
20 Edith Thompson, notary fee .25
21 L. S. McWhorter, repairing desk .75
23 L. S. Ayres & Co., binding, glue and strips .40
24 Elizabeth Mitchell, soap 1.05
28 Pettis Dry Goods Co., dust cloths .70
S^pt. 1 Merchants Bldg. Co., rent September 512.50
'* 1 Merchants Bldg. Co., towel service August 9.60
" 1 Time cards .50
1 Ralph Pierson, newspapers 7.45
" 10 Joliet Republican Printing Co., re-binding income books,
general office receipts 140.15
10 H. Lieber & Co., framing photo 5.00
10 Indiana Paper Company, wrapping paper 7.87
•• 10 Gregg Garment Cleaners, cleaning rugs 5.00
" 10 Wm. B. Burfbrd, mailing tubes 6.00
10 Hiller-Schwartz Co., cushions, fountain pen, transfer
cases, etc 31.40
10 O. R. Brown Co., typewriter paper 2.50
*' 10 Aquos Distilled Water Co., service August 9.50
10 Burroughs Adding Machine Co., ribbon for adding machines 6.25
10 Department Reports Co., subscription August 1917-Novem-
ber 1917 6.50
4*
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• 4
• «
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1917
■
Sept.
10
((
10
«
10
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10
it
10
ti
10
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10
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10
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10
i*
12
«
18
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20
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25
4(
27
«
28
Oct
1
<i
1
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1
(i
1
44
3
(4
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
214
Merchants Heat & Light Co., service August ^.44
W. K. Stewart Co., pins and ink well 2.65
Underwood Typewriter Co., adjusting machine and parts for
same .82
Ballweg & Company, shipping boxes 32.00
Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., folding circulars 7.85
Fulton Office Furniture Co., file case 44.8U
Western Union Telegraph Co., messenger service .30
Mellett Printing Co., blank sheets 7.00
Sielken & Faulstich, file cards 9.25
Huder Drug Store, benzene .20
W. K. Stewart Co., ledger. 1.20
Merchants National Bank, rent for safe deposit box 10.00
Vonnegut Hardware Co., nails .60
W. K. Stewart Co., gold seals .80
Underwood Typewriter Co., balance due for packing machine 1.18
Merchants Bldg. Co., rent October 512.50
Merchants Bldg. Co., towel service September 9.60
Time cards .50
Ralph Pierson, newspapers 6.90
Geo. Munsel, two electric light bulbs .50
Joliet Republican Printing Co., organizers' report blanks
and second sheets 36.75
8 W. K. Stewart & Co., file cabinet, tablets, desk pad, com-
pressor, etc 32.01
Wm. B. Burford, ledger binder .75
Hiller-Schwartz Co., penholders, dater, chair pads, clips, etc. 6.90
Niman Transfer Co., service September 21.75
Fulton Office Furniture Co., jumbo files and folder 2.90
Aquos Distilled Water Co., service September 6.00
Ballweg & Co., shipping boxes 16.00
Merchants Heat & Light Co., service September 4.29
Indiana Paper Co., twine 3.48
Journal of Commerce & Commercial Bulletin, subscription
one year, July, 1917, to July, 1918 12.00
The Washington Post, subscription one week .25
Joliet Republican Printing Co., one binder 5.40
•«
• «
**
**
«•
*4
*4
215
1917.
Oct. 8 Illinois State Journal , subscription one year, September,
1917, to September, 1918 $5.00
8 Coal Trade Journal, two copies of annual, ''The Coal Trade'' 4.00
8 Western Union Telegrraph Co., messenger service September .20
8 Cornelius Printing Co., binding three volumes U. M. W. A.
Journal for Statistician's office 16.50
11 Shirley Pencil Company, note books .50
17 Elizabeth Mitchell, soap 1.20
27 Bullinger's Postal & Shippers Guide, one copy 3.00
Nov. 1 Time cards .50
1 Merchants Bldg. Co., rent November 512.50
1 Merchants Bldg. Co., towel service October 9.60
2 Ralph Pierson, newspapers 7.45
8 Joliet Republican Printing Co., carbon sheets for receipt
books, transfer binders 5.85
8 Fulton Office Furniture Co., chair 20.75
8 Hiller-Schwartz Co., ink, paste, chair pads, duster, etc 72.05
8" Harry B. Mahan, pasteboard boxes 19.50
8 Ballweg & Co., shipping boxes 32.00
8 Aquos Distilled Water Co., service October 7.00
8 Indiana Electrotype Co., signature 1.50
8 Burroughs Adding Machine Co., service on two machines as
per contract 11.50
8 Merchants Heat & Light Co., service October 6.63
8 W. K. Stewart, gold seals 2.40
8 Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., folding circulars 17.50
8 Western Union Teleg^raph Co., messenger service .40
9 Vonnegut Hardware Co., hooks .20
13 Pettis Dry Goods Co., letter tray 1.50
14 Merchants Bldg. Co., key .35
23 The Washington Post, subscription one year 6.50
23 Chas. Mayer & Co., desk scissors and knife 2.00
26 Fulton Office Furniture Co., glass desk pad 6.65
26 Marion County Society for Prevention of Tuberculosis, Mrs.
A. C. Rasmussen, Treas., Red Cross seals 50.00
2S Merchants Bldg. Co., incandescent lamps 1.00
216
1917.
Nov. 28 W. K. Stewart & Co., calendar pad $1.00
30 Time cards .50
4(
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Total $9,469.16
PRINTING.
1916
Dec. 4 James Moran, circulars $10.50
" 8 Joliet Republican Printing Co., traveling auditor pads, books
and letter heads 102.75
8 Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., ledger binders, loose leaf
sheets and leather tabs 185.75
8 Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., ballots, tally sheets, envelopes,
return sheets and circulars 1,504.10
8 Sielken & Faulstich, printing for November 32.50
** 8 II Risveglio, space for November 80.00
*' 23 Cornelius Printing Co., circulars, composition and binding
book, Christopher, 111., speeches 49.50
1917.
Jan. 8 Sielken & Faulstich, printing for December 42.75
8 II Risveglio, space for December 80.00
8 Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., referendum election ballots,
envelopes, labels, circulars, etc 736.82
10 Joliet Republican Printing Co., envelopes 71.70
22 J. C. Wilson, vice-president. Bartenders' L. U. No. 437, ad-
vertising in Centennial Souvenir edition ^20.00
Feb. 9 II Risveglio, space for January 80.00
9 Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., envelopes for D. A. Frampton 2.48
9 Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., circulars 102.60
9^ Sielken & Faulstich, printing for January 63.85
23 W. J. Snider, advertising souvenir edition Typogn^phical
Union 15.00
Mar. 2 Herald Printing Co., stationery for M. J. McGrath 7.50
2 J. M. Zimmerman, stationery 3.50
6 Chas. J. Fisher, secretary, St. Patrick's Day Committee, ad-
vertising souvenir edition 10.00
t<
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**
217
1917.
Mar.
7
a
7
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7
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7
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26
Apr.
3
**
3
«•
9
■•
9
k«
9
• 4
9
44
• <
«4
Joliet Republican Printing: Co., envelopes $52.50
II Risveglio, space for February 80.00
Sielken & Faulstich, printing for February 105.35
Bramwood Press, printing for February 35.00
Anthracite Labor News, stationery for M. A. Nash 10.25
Chas. J. Baugert & Sons, envelopes for Fred D. Thomas. . . . 1.75
David M. E. Griffith, stationery for Thos. Davis 7.00
Sielken & Faulstich, printing for March 89.35
Wyoming Labor Journal, stationery for Paul J. Paulsen 14.75
II Risveglio, space for March 80.00
C. E. Pauley Printing Co., report of tellers International
election 732.33
9 C. E. Pauley Printing Co., tellers* report referendum vote
on Journal proposition 77.00
9 Calvert-McBride Printing Co., bulletins "Wage Bonuses"
and envelopes 18.63
9 Kellog-Baxter Printing Co., letter heads, envelopes and bulle-
tins 19.75
9 Book waiter- Ball Printing Co., annual report Secretary-
Treasurer and Auditors 319.00
10 The Free Press, pamphlets for Robert H. Harlin 15.00
10 James Morgan, manager, Wyoming Labor Journal, printing
semi-annual report of Secretary-Treasurer and Auditors 431.50
10 Women's Franchise Leagrue, advertising in souvenir 15.00
14 Calvert-McBride Printing Co., printing "Reason With These
Facts" 359.23
16 The Albia Republican, stationery for Sam Ballantyne 3.25
17 Wm. Donaldson, stationery 26.50
May 8 Joliet Republican Printing Co., envelopes 78.50
8 Bramwood Press, letter heads 3.25
8 II Risveglio, space for April 80.00
•• 8 Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., circulars 43.00
8 Sielken & Faulstich, printing 59.75
16 C. J. Gregory, printing for R. W. Gaffney 8.50
" 17 Lawrence Dwyer, posters announcing Mt. Hope and Minden,
W. Va., meetings held by Mother Jones 3.25
4*
• 4
• 4
• 4
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44
44
1917.
May
19
June
2
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4
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8
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8
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8
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8
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18
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20
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20
«
20
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26
July
2
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6
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9
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9
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9
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9
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25
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25
Aug.
3
4*
7
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218
A. A. Letter shop, printing $6.00
Lawrence Dwyer, posters announcing Mother Jones* meet-
ings at Keeferton and Kingston, W. Va 2.00
Alexander Kupstas, printing 5.00
Joliet Republican Printing Co., envelopes 31.50
Sielken & Faulstich, printing 33.75
Mellett Printing Co., circulars 45.50
II Risveglio, space May 80.00
Lawrence Dwyer, petitions, posters, envelopes, resolutions,
etc 8.25
Pottsville Daily Republican, printing for Henry Geise 4.50
Item Publishing Co., printing for Henry Geise 2.70
Herald Printing Company, printing for Henry Geise 2.60
A. A. Letter Shop, printing 46.00
Lawrence Dwyer, printing letters, posters and envelopes . . . 21.85
Steve Begalli, stationery 11.50
II Risveglio, space June 80.00
Sielken & Faulstich, printing 44.35
Mellett Printing Co., circulars 23.75
Cornelius Printing Co., pamphlets and envelopes 80.45
Wm. Dalrymple, stationery 5.50
Cornelius Printing Co., stationery 46.20
Lawrence Dwyer, stationery and printing 17.60
Joliet Republican Printing Co., receipt books, for office, in-
come books and envelopes 166.00
7 C. E. Pauley Printing Co., Proceedings Miners' and Oper-
ators* Conference 99.85
7 C. E. Pauley Printing Co., tax sheets and ledger leaves 16.25
7 Cornelius Printing Co., brief, ••Coronado Coal Cp. Case". . . 52.50
7 II Risveglio, space July 80.00
7 Sielken & Faulstich, printing 60.00
8 Cornelius Printing Co., cash book, ledger paper, expense
record and voucher 68.40
8 Cornelius Printing Co.. stationery 84.75
16 Lawrence Dwyer, printing 1^0
31 R. M. Blythe, Sec'y-Treas. National Association of Railway
Yardmen, advertising in souvenir 25.00
• 4
• C
44
219
1917.
Sept. 4 Joe Bosone, printing $6.00
8 Henry Friedman, Secretary Marion County Labor Day Asso-
ciation, advertising in souvenir 25.00
10 Joliet Republican Printing Co., multigraph letter heads and
envelopes * 56.60
10 Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., circulars 85.25
10 Mellett Printing Co., circulars 21.25
10 II Risveglio, space Aug^ist 80.00
10 Sielken & Faulstich, printing 48.00
18 Wm. Donaldson, stationery and cards 6.25
18 P. F. Gatens, stationery 4.75
Oct- 8 Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., Auditors and Wm. Green,
Sec*y-Treas., semi-annual reports ! 230.00
8 II Risveglio, space September 80.00
8 Sielken & Faulstich, printincr 71.00
8 Cornelius Printing Co., Labor Day folders 12.70
Nov. 1 Henry Laginski, stationery.' 3.75
1 J. C. Rybolt, Business Agent, Bricklayers, Masons & Plas-
terers, advertising in souvenir 25.00
8 Joliet Republican Printing Co., letter heads and envelopes. . 119.75
8 Cornelius Printing Co., stationery, letter heads and circulars 112.25
8 Sielken & Faulstich, printing 67.75
8 C. E. Pauley & Co., tax sheets and ledger sheets 22.50
8 II Risveglio, space October , 80.00
8 Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., circulars and letter heads 117.75
17 Herald Printing Co., circulars 3.00
44.
4«
4*
•4
Total $8,451.59
JOURNAL.
Expenses. Salary. Amount Paid.
Ed WaUace, editor $ 505.68 $1,249.90 $1,755.58
Joseph Poggiani, editor 378.56 1,249.99 1,628.55
Michael Halapy, editor 492.41 1,250.00 1,742.41
Ed Ferry, bookkeeper 107.67 207.70 315.87
Jennie Reno, bookkeeper 504.08 504.08
Paul White, clerk 171.92 474.56 646.48
$1,656.24 $4,936.23 $6,592.47
220
To Robert E. Springsteen, P. M., mailing the Journal:
December, 1916 $ 434.44
January, 1917 251.48
February, 1917 246.90
March, 1917 296.70
April, 1917 169.98
May, 1917 361.08
June, 1917 299.18
July. 1917 118.78
PRINTING THE JOURNAL.
Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co.
November, 1916 S6,524.28
December, 1916 133.57
Cornelius Printing Co.
Deconber, 1916 1,776.97
January, 1917 1,027.17
February. 1917 1,378.17
March, 1917 1,682.43
April. 1917 1,530.67
May, 1917 1,676.25
June. 1917 1.334.12
July, 1917 666.07
Cornelius Printing Co., paper for Journal:
December, 1916 $3,504.30
January. 1917 3.149.53
February. 1917 3.651.10
March. 1917 3.939.85
April. 1917 4.006.62
May. 1917 3^4.56
Commission on advertising:
T. J. White $7,569.^
William Sullivan 117.70
Peter Zink 79.75
William Salmans 1 i-i-j •>-
C. C. Craig lo?.'>.i
$2,1
18J
21.
221
'' ^^ Jones 254.23
1. Hrueger 272.63
^^^^ Quinn 32.61
^' H. Clem 50.41
^«^ Eaglehoff 262.12
^«ter Variot 6.75
Commission on subscriptions:
J. White $ 111.75
illiam Young 6.25
illiam Salmans 14.43
. Krueger 109.50
illiam Sullivan 20JOO
harles A. Sullivan 52.73
rank Gainor 110.00
ohn Berry 3.50
ii. W. Aleston 26.25
Miscellaneous printing:
Cornelius Printing Co $ 61.95
Bramwood Press 21.00
Sielken & Faulstich 46.50
tfellett Printing Co 14.10
Miscellaneous:
i^illiam Green, manager, Journals sent to Maryland $ 420.00
dw. Mason & Co., drawing cover design 16.75
!ott Nearing, editorial service 15.00
'Illiam Green, manager, Journals sent to J. R. Ken-
namer. President District No. 20 320.00
illiam Green, manager, stamps exchanged for cash. . . . 8.03
R. Dalton, attorney fee for collecting back account
Linden Hotel advertisement. . .' 2.00
>okwalter-Ball Printing Co., binding 8 volumes Journal 15.20
)okwalter-Ball Printing Co., metal in mail list 576.70
larles Stelzle, year's subscription "The Worker" .25
illiam Green, manager, Journals sent William Dia-
mond, Cumberland, Md 7.50
9,855.11
454.41
143.55
222
Henry Evans, foreign letters 64.00
Pearson Publishing Co., year's subscription 1.50
Indianapolis Engraving and Electrotyping Co., etchings
and halftones 44.67
Bookwalter-Ball Printing Co., etchings, halftones and
cartoons 604.36
Department Reports Co., subscriptions 26.00
B. H. Herman, unframed pictures for Journal use 11.00
Indiana National Bank, in payment of overcharged Aus-
tralian money order 5.00
Hugh Frayne, copy Gompers' anniversary picture 1.00
D. F. Friel, refund on Journal subscription 1.50
S. F. Vanni, foreign correspondence 11.50
William Green, manager, Journals sent to Van Bittner,
Pineville, Ky 29.00
Robert Bertolero, refund on subscriptions 4.75
P. J. Dempe, refund on advertisement 4.70
William Green, manager. Journals sent to Thomas M.
Gann, Secretary District No. 19 50.00
Fulton Office Furniture Co., sectional bookcase 2S.75
Walter Spouse, cartoons 3.50
Mary Eagleholf , refund on subscriptions 25.50
J. B. Kackley, refund on advertisement " 1.00
Cornelius Printing Co., binding 8 volumes Journal 16.50
William Green, manager, Journals sent J. L. Clemo,
Secretary District No. 20 20.00
John L. Lewis, manager, advance for Journal expenses. . 4,000.00
Indiana National Bank, check returned William Sullivan,
agent, "insufficient funds" 6.00
Leonida Poggiani, pictures for Journal and postage on
same 18.00
6354.66
$66,014.40
TELEPHONE, POSTAGE AND EXPRESS
1916.
Dec. 2 Wells-Fargo & Co., package, Cle Elum, Wash $ .60
" 4 American Express Co., package, McAlester, Okla .89
223
1916.
Dec.
4
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8
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8
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21
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21
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29
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30
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30
1917.
Jan.
3
««
3
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3
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5
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8
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8
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8
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8
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8
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8
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10
44
10
««
12
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps $ 90.00
Adams Express Co., bill for November 8.40
American Express Co., bill for November 40.25
Receivers, Central Union Telephone Co., bill for November. 43.35
Iowa Telephone Co., bill for November 7.32
Western Union Telegraph Co., Albia, Iowa, bill for Nov 6.61
Western Union Telegraph Co., hill for November 85.37
Postal Telegraph Co., bill for November 13.00
Western Union Telegraph Co., messenger service 1.06
Adams Express Co., package, Coshocton, Ohio .48
Wells-Fargo & Co., package, Pittsburgh, Pa .33
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
Adams Express Co., boxes, Newark, N. J., and Terre Haute,
Ind 90
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 30.00
Wells-Fargo & Co., box, Bellaire, Ohio .50
Adams Express Co., package, Mt. Roberts, Ky .56
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., postage due during December. 1.72
Stamps received as cash during December 6.20
Robt. E. Springsteen^ P. M., stamps 90.00
Adams Express Co., box, Salineville, Ohio .37
Adams Express Co., box, Albia, Iowa 1.22
Western Union Teleg^raph Co., messenger service .30
Wells-Fargo & Co., package, New York City .32
Western Union Telegraph Co., bill for December 88.93
Receivers, Central Union Telephone Co., bill for December. 94.90
Indianapolis Telephone Co., bill for December 13.50
Iowa Telephone Co., bill for December 17.39
Western Union Telegraph Co., Albia, Iowa, bill for Dec 1.75
Postal Telegraph Co., bill for December 4.56
Wells-Fargo & Co., package, Wellston, Ohio .28
Adams Express Co., package, Belleville, 111 .34
Wells-Fargo & Co., package, Stonington, 111 .32
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
1917.
Jan.
15
«
15
17
18
18
19
22
23
25
29
31
31
Feb.
5
5
8
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
13
13
13
17
20
20
24
27
28
28
Mar.
1
2
5
6
7
224
American Express Co., package, Centralia, Pa $ 0.60
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 5.00
American Express Co., package, Murphysboro, 111 •37
Adams Express Co., package, Hazleton, Pa -42
Adams Express Co., package, Wellston, Ohio -28
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
Adams Express Co., package, Nelsonville, Ohio .30
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
Wells-Fargo & Co., bill for December 39.14
Wells-Fargo & Co., package, Girard, Kan .52
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., postage due during January. . 1.76
Stamps received as cash during January 7.04
American Express Co., package, Mahanoy City, Pa .51
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
Wells-Fargo & Co., package, Gallia, Ohio .35
Receivers, Central Union Telephone Co., bill for January. . 39.65
Western Union Telegraph Co., bill for January 82.40
Postal Telegraph Co., bill for January 6.78
Adams Express Co., bill for January 48.54
Adams Express Co., box, Shenandoah, Pa .56
Iowa Telephone Co., bill for January 8.49
Wells-Fargo & Co., package, Wellston, Ohio .28
Wells-Fargo & Co., box, Cximberland, Md '. 3.95
Western Union Telegraph Co., messenger service, January. .30
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 90.00
John P. White, telegrams, Albia, Iowa, during January. . . . 3.58
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps for shipping department 238.00
Adams Express Co., box, Scranton, Pa .33
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
Robt. E. Springsteen. P. M., postage due during February. . .59
Stamps received as cash during February 6,60
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., 1-cent wrappers 1.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., 1-cent wrappers 1.50
Adams Express Co., package, Byesville, Ohio ^8
American Express Co., package. New York City .54
American Express Co., bill for February 37.98
1917.
Mar.
7
7
7
7
7
8
13
15
19
22
225
Iowa Telephone Co., bill for February $ 11.40
Receivers, Central Union Telephone Co., bill for February. . 36.55
Western Union Telegraph Co., Albia, Iowa, bill for February 7.88
Western Union Telegrraph Co., bill for February 82.28
Postal Telegraph Co., bill for February 74.62
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps : 90.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps . ^ 30.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
American Express Co., box, Whitsett Jet., Pa .40
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps for tellers' report of
International Election 150.00
22 Robt. E. ISpringsteen, P. M., stamps for tellers' report ref-
erendum vote 30.00
23 Adams Express Co., box, Charleston, W. Va .72
26 Western Union Telegraph Co., service, Charleston, W. Va. 3.63
26 Adams Express Co., box. Oak Hill, W. Va 1.21
27 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 90.00
28 Robt E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps , 60.00
30 Adams Express Co., package, Patton, Pa .31
30 Wells- Fargo & Co., packag^e, Bellaire, Ohio .35
31 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., postage due during March ... .82
31 Stamps received as "cash during March 8.50
Apr. 9 Indianapolis Telephone Co., service, April, May, June 13.50
9 Iowa Telephone Co., bill for March 7.24
9 Receivers, Central Union Telephone Co., bill for March 99.40
9 Western Union Telegraph Co., bill for March 64.87
9 Postal Telegraph Co., bill for March 54.57
9 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., 1-cent wrappers 1.00
10 Wells-Fargo & Co., bill for March 25.48
10 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 90.00
11 American Express Co., box, Rutland, Ohio .33
14 Western Union Telegraph Co., Albia, Iowa, bill for March. . 3.03
19 American Express Co., box, • Crooksville, Ohio .61
20 Adams Express Co., package, Terre Haute, Ind .25
20 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
26 American Express Co., packages, Washington, D. C 1.91
27 American Express Co., package. New York City .66
8 -MPro.
€€
44
44
44
44
JL%fJ
Apr.
LI*
28
«
30
•
«
30
it
30
May
3
«
8
ti
8
«
8
((
8
K
8
I<
8
«
9
«
9
«
10
iti
14
«
23
«
24
«
28
«
31
«
31
June
1
41
1
«
4
«
1
it
8
H
8
n
8
u
8
tt
9
u
9
t(
11
tt
11
tt
13
tt
13
tt
13
tt
18
American Express Co., package, New York City .....$ 0-
John P. White, telegrams and telephone. Hotel Continental,
New York City 43. -
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., postage due during April
Stamps received as cash during April 5.*
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.(
Receivers, Central Union Telephone Co., bill for April. . . . 68.'
Iowa Telephone Co., bill for April 6.1
Adams Express Co., bill for April 39.
Postal Telegraph Co., bill for April 32.J
Western Union Telegraph Co., bill for April 136.^
Wells- Farg^o & Co., package, Avella, Pa
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.(
American Express Co., box, Joliet, 111 1.1
Adams Express Co., box, Newark, N. J .6
Robt. £. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 30.0
American Express Co., box, Deering, III • .3
Robt. £. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.0«
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.(
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., postage due during May .5^
Stamps received as cash during May 4.60
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., wrappers 1.0(7
Wells-Fargo & Co., express Kansas City, Mo 4.88
Wells-Fargo & Co., express Kansas City, Mo .40
American Express Co., box, Deering, 111 .^ .69
American Express Co., service. May 102.37
Receivers, Central Union Telephone Co., service, May 62.50
Western Union Telegraph Co., service. May 256.49
Postal Telegraph Co., service. May 837.05
Iowa Telephone Co., service, May 12.35
Western Union Telegraph Co., Albia, Iowa, service, May. . 12.28
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
American Express Co., box, Kansas City, Mo 1.35
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 30.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., wrappers ., 2.00
Wells-Fargo Express Co., express, Bellaire, Ohio .35
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 30.00
1917.
June
18
«
19
i<
26
it
29
tc
30
t«
30
July
9
<<
9
<«
9
(«
9
«4
9
C«
9
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9
<«
9
i«
13
«
16
14
23
((
25
it
25
i(
25
M
27
(1
31
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31
U
31
Aug
'. 2
M
2
•(
6
<4
7
«<
7
«A
7
44
7
44
7
44
7
44
7
44
8
44
9
44
14
227
American Express Co., box, Deering, 111 $ 1.10
Robt, E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps for shipping department 218.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
American Express Co., box, Winona, W. Va .83
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., postage due during June .61
Stamps received as cash during June 8.72
Iowa Telephone Co., service, June 15.44
Indianapolis Telephone Co., rent third quarter 13.50
Receivers Central Union Telephone Co., service, June 83.75
Western Union Telegraph Co., service, June 118.48
Postal Telegraph Co., service, June 49.70
Robt. E. Spring^steen, P. M., stamps 60.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 30.00
Wells-Fargo Co., service, June 107.94
Adams Express Co., box, Rugby, Colo 1.99
Adams Express Co., box, Johnstown, Pa .79
Adams Express Co., box, Johnstown, Pa .90
American Express Co., box, Coal Creek, Tenn .83
Western Union Telegraph Co., Albia, Iowa, service, June . . 2.51
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
American Express Co., box, McAlester, Okla .97
Adams Express Co., box, Gallitzin, Pa .57
Robt. E. Springnsteen, P. M., postage due during July .18
Stamps received as cash during July 9.06
Adams Express Co., box, Kansas City, Mo .45
Adams Express Co., box, Kansas City, Mo 1.05
American Express Co., package, Granville, III .42
J. P. White, telephone and telegrams while in Denver, Colo. 11.21
Iowa Telephone Co., service, July 12.79
Receivers Central Union Telephone Co., service, July 42.23
Western Union Telegn^aph Co., service, July 104.78
Postal Telegraph Co., service, July 34.93
Adams Express Co., service, July 137.38
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 90.00
American Express Co., box, Deering, III 1.10
Western Union Telegraph Co., service, July .15
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 100.00
1917.
Aug.
20
it
20
«
22
«
22
«
23
«
29
«
29
«
31
«
31
u
31
Sept
. 1
7
7
10
10
10
10
10
10
12
17
28
29
29
Oct.
1
6
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
9
228
American Express Co., box, Washington, D. C $ 2.80
Adams Express Co., box, Madisonville, Ky. 1.09
Wells-Fargo. Express Co., two boxes, San Franci8co> Cal. . . . 8.82
Wells-Fargo Express Co., balance due for express service
during June and July 6.06
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 80.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps for shipping depart-
ment 218.00
Robt. E. Springrsteen, P. M., postage due during August. . .67
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps ' 80.00
Stamps received as cash during August 5.45
Adams Express Co., package, Washington, D. C 1.04
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps for six months' report. 90.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 90.00
Iowa Telephone Co., service, August 12.51
Western Union Telegraph Co., Albia, Iowa, service, August. 1.91
Postal Telegraph Co., service, August 591.48
Western Union Telegraph Co., service, August 283.81
American Express Co., service, August 80.87
Receivers Central Union Telephone Co., service, August... 19.90
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
Jos. Angelo, postage for mailing Journals 3.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 60.00
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., postage due during September. .17
Stamps received as cash during September 5.85
Adams Express Co., express, Kansas City, Mo 4.58
American Express Co., package, Deering, 111 .44
Adams Express Co., box, Kelley, Pa .66
Western Union Telegraph Co., Albia, Iowa, service, Sept. . 5.29
Indianapolis Telephone Co., service, fourth quarter 13.50
Iowa Telephone Co., service, September 14.34
Receivers Central Union Telephone Co., service, September. 88.66
Postal Telegraph Co., service, September 18.43
Western Union Telegraph Co., service, September 129.04
Wells-Fargo & Co., box, Middlesboro, Ky JB»
Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 80.00
4<
44
44
44
44
44
<«
44
44
44
44
44
44
44
<4
229
1917.
Oct. 11 Wells-Fargo & Co., service, September .$ 56.63
15 Robt. E. Springrsteen, P. M., stamps 30.00
16 Adams Express Co., box, Newark, N. J .49
17 Adams Express Co., box, Newark, N. J .76
17 Adams Express Co., box, Washingrton, D. C 1.21
18 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 80.00
26 Robt E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 80.00
29 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 30.00
30 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 50.00
31 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., postage due during October.. .09
31 Stamps received as cash during October 7.18
Nov. 2 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 90.00
2 American Express Co., box, Deering, 111 .51
8 Receivers Central Union Telephone Co., service, October... 14.51
8 Western Union Telegraph Co., service, October 181.21
8 Postal Telegraph Co., service, October 64.96
14 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 90.00
" 14 Wells-Fargo & Co., express, Washington, D. C 1.64
15 Adams Express Co., box. New York 6.41
16 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 120.00
16 American Express Co., box, Deering, 111 .78
19 Robt. E. Spl*ingsteen, P. M., stamps for shipping department 300.00
20 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps , 96.00
21 Adams Express Co., service, October ^ 64.70
22 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M., stamps 90.00
23 Wells-Fargo & Co., express .31
27 American Express Co., box. Fort Smith, Ark 10.60
30 Robt. E. Springsteen, P. M„ postage due during November. .24
30 Stamps received as cash during November 4.97
Total $9,920.43
AID.
District 2 $ 23,000.00
District 5 58,000.00
District 15 66,850.00
District 16 -. 700.00
C4
44
44
44
44
44
<4
44
44
44
44
1917.
Jan. 16 Chas. O'Neil, expenses attending Executive Board meet-
ing $
" 15 T. E, Waite, expenses attending: Executive Board meet-
ing
" 16 W. S. Davidson, expenses attend Inp: Executive Board
meeting
" 15 Duncan McDonald, secretary District 12, tax due District
12 from Local Union No. 3
" 16 The HiBses Beatty, to reporting special convention called
hy International Executive Board in District 5^ July
12-17, inclusive
" 17 Alex McAllister, salary and expenses attending Executive
Board meeting
" 18 Neal J. Ferry, reimbursed for attorney fee paid
" 23 Mary C. McGrew, reporting Executive Board meeting,
Jan. 9-12, inclusive
" 24 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 2059, Dis-
trict 6, "no account"
" 25 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 2159, Dis-
trict 6, on account of being protested
" 26 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 151, Dis-
trict 1, signature missing
" 80 H. A. Couch, reporting Executive Board meeting one
and one-half days
" 31 Sam Wood, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 2133,
District 12
" 31 Fred Neve, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 1807,
District 12
" 31 E. Goodman, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 663,
District 12
Feb. 1 John B. Lennon, treasurer, donation Commission of In-
dustrial Relations
" 1 John McCabe. one-half hospital expenses, by order Execu-
tive Board
" 1 Attorney John C. Palmer, Jr., legal services in cam
Frank Ledvinka et al
p-
■
I
• <
cc
288
Feb. 2 New Markham Hotel, expenses incurred during trial of
members at Castle Rock, Colorado $ 6.00
5 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, Jan. 2 16.70
6 John Hough, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 570,
District 2 47.60
9 Greensburg Storage & Transfer Co., rent for office furni-
ture storage, Oct. 31, 1916, to Jan. 31, 1917 3.00
9 Walter R. Beeson, storage, office furniture, Uniontown,
Pa., July 1, 1916, to January 1, 1917 3.60
X4 W. J. McGee, secretary, overpaid tax and assessment re-
funded L. U. 784, District 12 67.76
3.6 Jas. F. Moran, stenographic work 3.00
17 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, February 1 12.56
27 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 70^14, "no
funds" : 14.00
27 B. F. Lambert, secretary, overpaid assessment refunded
L. U. 1109, District 11 72.50
1 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, February 2 15.32
2 Robt. Gilmour, stenographic work 1.50
6 Gayle & Co., renewals for bonds of Wm. Green, Secre-
tary-Treasurer, and Wm. Green, Manager U. M. W.
of A. Journal .^ 140.00
^2 Harry Couch, part payment reporting special convention
of District 17, Charleston, W. Va 81.20
12 K. C. Adams, expenses publishing bulletin directed at the
working class union 70.57
15 Frank S. White & Sons, attorneys, legal service in case
of Republic Iron and Steel Company vs. U. M. W. of A.
et al 75.00
16 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 1097, In-
dividual, ''sigrnature incomplete and insufficient funds" 8.75
17 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, March 1 10.72
19 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 521, Dis-
trict 2, for correction 125.&0
20 Geo. P. West, for aid in bonus investigation ! 35.00
21 David T. Day, secretary Jos. A. Holmes Safety Associa-
tion, contribution 1,000.00
<c
««
«c
««
««
«€
Apr.
4
<«
4
«
4
«
6
284
1917.
Mar. 21 John B. Andrews, secretary American Association for
Labor Legrislation, contribution $ 10.00
** 21 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 1488, Dis-
trict 1, for signatures 4.00
'' 21 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 1178, Dis-
trict 13, for signature 1.25
" 22 Jesse Cain, secretary, overpayment refunded L. U.
2469-12 6.50
" 26 S. A. Traylor, secretary, overpaid tax and assessment re-
funded L. U. 1228, District 12 228.74
American Academy of Political Science, annual dues... 5.00
Stanley Seroskie, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
984, District 9 14.90
K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, March 2 40.65
Fred Mooney, secretary, tax due District 17 from L. U.
2140 18.00
5 Andrew Bourey, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
101, District 12 5.00
5 C. L. Goldbeck, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
297, District 12 , 10.25
5 Indiana National Bank, protested check returned L. U.
758, District 12 51.10
7 A. J. Carter, secretary District 18, to relieve distress
among Coal Creek, B. C, Canada, explosion victims.. 1,000.00
7 John W. Attman, commissioner, to settle bill with at-
torneys, Frank S. White & Sons, Birmingham, Ala. . . 50.00
9 Redner Photo Company, photos 12.50
9 Robt. H. Harlin, stenographic work and circulars. Dis-
trict 15 34.27
" 11 Harry A. Couch, reporting proceedings of re-convened
joint convention, District 17 235.00
" 16 Lawrence Dwyer, hall rent for Mother Jones's meetings
at Ansted and Winona, West Virginia 7.00
" 17 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, April 1 62.10
" 20 Harry A. Couch, reporting meeting of U. M. W. A. ofR-
ficials 16.90
21 Thos. M. King, stenographic work for committee 11.95
it
i<
«<
II
II
it
11
II
•(
»•
i(
236
1917.
Apr. 23 Gomer Williams, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
1464, District 9 $ 92.18
** 23 Robt. Gilmour, stenographic work 2.00
" 24 E. F. Ross, secretary District 21, one-half litigation
expenses A. S. Dowd, receiver, Coronado Coal Co. vs.
U. M. W. A 2,811.56
24 Wm. Carlin, secretary, overpaid assessment refunded L.
U. 2664, District 24 .99
24 S. T. Grear, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
1104, District 12 2.26
24 Chas. Koenitz, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
1090, District 12 1.76
** 24 Ed. Wray, secretary, overpaid assessment refunded L. U.
720, District 12 68.76
** 24 Cole Ruggles, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
407, District 13 1.00
** 24 Wm. T. Deegan, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
1620, District 24 9.19
27 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, April 2 79.65
28 Warren Pippin, secretary District 15, for relief among
families of Hastings mine explosion victims 1,000.00
May 1 Frank Hughes, for expenses in Irwin field work 300.00
2 Ed. Wallace, crutches for John Leaty 1.26
2 J. M. Zimmerman, stenographic work 2.00
" 2 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 272, Dis-
trict 9, "insufficient funds" 2.50
2 Warren Pippin, secretary District 15, additional relief
for dependents of Hastings mine explosion victims 1,000.00
8 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 1808, Dis-
trict 17, for president's signature 25.00
11 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 1765, Dis-
trict 14, "insufficient funds" 19.25
" 15 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses. May 1 18.80
16 Emma Steghagen, secretary-treasurer National Women's
Trade Union League of America, affiliation fee 5.00
17 Lawrence Dyer, hall rent for Mother Jones's meeting at
Mt. Hope, West Virginia 2.00
it
ti
tt
u
u
«
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286
1917.
Mux 17 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 1437, Dis-
trict 6, "no account with bank" | 3.00
" 19 O. C. Morris, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 1897,
District 12 12.50
** 24 Chas. C. Risher, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
625, District 11 104.75
'* 24 Clarence Secrest, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
357, District 6 3.40
** 24 W. H. Plymin, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
2104, District 5 35.00
** 24 A. CrosB, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 1933,
Diitrict 13 2.48
** 24 Ham A. Opoe, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 850,
District 12 2.25
*' 24 ICdnuy Buck, secretary, overpaid tax refunded \t, U. 23,
District 11 19.25
" 26 Robt. Stafford, secretary, delinquent fine refunded L. U.
• 1348, District 6 2.00
" 2H Jns. Morgan, secretary District 22, part payment on loan
to International by District 22 ($2.00 assessment al-
lowance) 14,578.00
" 2H Jan. Moriran, secretary District 22, part payment on loan
to International by District 22 30,422.00
•• JU John MoCartney* secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
IIUU>. nUtrict 5 12.25
" Hi Jan. J. Mo Andrew, money advanced for expenses of liti-
iratlon 250.00
Juu« l J. I.. iMemo, AtHrretary* donation for storm victims. Dis-
trict ao 500.00
•• I K. i\ Adams« incidental expenses. May 2 14.40
4 Jas, J» Mc.\ndrew, stvrt^tary, money supplied District 9
for expenses of litifration 250.00
4 V^re\) Holt, salary and ex^H^nses as witness in case of Ja^
H. Hasen >^ State of Missouri 47.60
•* 4 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. l\ 2317, District
il, '^insufficient funds** 21.00
* 4 Waller Ne«bitt^ secretary, |va>*n)«nt in fuU of direct loan
made by Districl 12 to International 250,000.00
««
•ft
1
•
237
«<
«
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«
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1917.
June 5 John Gay, secretary, part payment on loan made by Dis-
trict 13 to International $ 61,040.00
6 Wm. Hargest, secretary, payment in full of loan made by
District 5 to International 60,000.00
6 Warren Pippin, secretary, for expenses of Joint Confer-
ence, District 15 2,000.00
7 Thos. Harvey, secretary, part payment on loan made by
District 14 to International 62,238.00
8 Creo. Hepple, secretary, part payment on loan made by
District 25 to International 30,744.00
9 Joe Jennings, secretary, overpaid tax and assessment re-
funded L. U. 1193, District 12 5.50
9 Glen Welch, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 1782,
District 12 102.50
9 Chas. Koenitz, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
1090, District 12 ^S^. . . 14.25
9 Jas. Stokes, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 106,
District 11 14.45
" 11 Jas. F. Moran, President District 15, for settlement in full
with Mrs. Hoffemeyer 300.00
" 12 John T. Dempsey, loan 49.24
13 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 2159, Dist. 6,
for additional signature 72.50
14 Henry Hagelstein, secretary International Workers' De-
fense League, donation, Thos. Mooney defense 500.00
16 John T. Jones, secretary, overpaid assessment refunded L.
U. 2657, District 12 97.02
18 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, June 1 6.45
18 John Foord, secretary, association fee in the "American
Asiatic Association'' 2.00
18 Jas. J. McAndrew, secretary, payment in full of loan made
by District 9 to International 45,000.00
18 Robt. McQuinston, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
493, District 12 16.50
18 Robt. Gilmour, stenogn^aphic work 1.60
20 Fred Mooney, secretary, loan to District 17 1,000.00
20 John B. Lennon, treasurer, donation to Industrial Rela-
tions Commission 1,000.00
it
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It
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288
0
1917.
June 20 Warren Pippin, secretary, to pay expensesrof District 15
Convention $ 2,000.00
'' 21 John HoUiday, treasurer Red Cross War Fund, donation. 200.00
** 22 John Worthington, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
1893, District 12 26.00
'' 26 A. L. Zimmerman & Co., public accountants, for services
rendered 60.00
** 30 J. M. Zimmerman, stenographic work 2.00
" 30 A. L. Zinunerman & Co., balance due for services rendered 71.00
July 2 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, June 2 5.50
" 5 Robt. Condon, secretary, payment in full of loan made by
District 27 to International 12,860.00
" 6 Wm. Dalrymple, stenographic work 3.00
** 6 D. A. Jones, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 1032,
District 25 6.25
" 6 A. B. C. Fireproof Warehouse Co., storage 12.00
" 10 Jas. Naylor, salary and expenses attending meeting' of
Investigating Committee 55.60
*' 13 John B. Gallagher, T. A. Dist. 1, salary and expenses at-
tending Traveling Auditors' Meeting 94.93
" 13 C. W. Zerby, T. A. Dist. 1, salary and expenses attending
Traveling Auditors* Meeting 94.93
" 13 John Ghizzoni, T. A. Dist. 2, salary and expenses attend-
ing Traveling Auditors* Meeting 86.56^
'^ 13 Jos. Bauer, T. A. Dist. 5, salary and expenses attending
Traveling Auditors* Meeting 69.64
" 13 John Stephenson, T. A. Dist. 5, salary and expenses at-
tending Traveling Auditors' Meeting 70.54
*' 13 Geo. Fenton, T. A. Dist. 5, salary and expenses attending
Traveling Auditors' Meeting 70.44
" 13 Noble Ault, T. A. Dist. 6, salary and expenses attending
Traveling Auditors' Meeting 70.50
" 13 Jos. Richards, T. A. Dist. 6, salary and expenses attending
Traveling Auditors' Meeting 68.00
" 13 Benjamin F. Davis, T. A. Dist. 7, salary and expenses at-
tending Traveling Auditors' Meeting 85.43
289
1917.
July 13 Henry M. Conner, T. A., Dist. 8, salary and expenses at-
tending Traveling Auditors' Meeting $ 37.76
** 13 Chas. Kalbach, T. A., Dist. 9, salary and expenses attend-
ing Traveling Auditors' Meeting 83.90
•* 13 Jas. H. Whalen, T. A., Dist. 9, salary and expenses at-
tached Traveling Auditors' Meeting 85.00
*' 13 Ernest Newsham, T. A., Dist 10, salary and expenses at-
tending Traveling Auditors' Meeting 267.00
** 13 Roy Hirshfeld, T. A., Dist. 11, salary and expenses at-
tending Traveling Auditors' Meeting 39.40
13 John G. Atkinson, T. A., Dist. 12, salary and expenses at-
tending Traveling Auditors' Meeting 65.54
13 Enoch Martin, T. A., Dist. 12. salary and expenses at-
tending Traveling Auditors' Meeting 61.14
13 Henry Meyer, Jr., T. A., Dist. 12, expenses attending
Traveling Auditors' Meeting 39.20
13 A. T. Pace, T. A., Dist. 12, salary and expenses attending
Traveling Auditors' Meeting 74.63
13 Thos. Cunningham, T. A., Dist. 14, salary and expenses at-
tending Traveling Auditors' Meeting 103.80
13 A. J. Carter, T. A., Dist. 18, expenses attending Travel-
ing Auditors* Meeting 164.10
*' 13 Tony Radalj, T. A., Dist. 22, salary and expenses attend-
ing Traveling Auditors' Meeting 179.60
13 Wm. Roberts, T. A., Dist. 23, salary and expenses attend-
ing Traveling Auditors' Meeting 68.54
13 Geo. Chivers, T. A., Dist. 24, salary and expenses attend-
ing Traveling Auditors' Meeting 72.40
13 L. E. Shelton, T. A.. Dist. 25, salary and expenses attend-
ing Traveling Auditors' Meeting 88.30
13 David Lewis, T. A., Dist. 27, salary and expenses attend-
ing Traveling Auditors' Meeting 174.60
14 Thos. J. White, acting as shipping clerk 32.42
•* 16 Thos. Stephenson, T. A., Dist. 13, salary and expenses at-
tending Traveling Auditors' Meeting 66.70
16 E. F. Ross, Secretary, balance in full due on loan made by
Dist. 21 to International 30,000.00
•*
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240
«
1917.
July 18 E. F. Ross, Secretary, one-half litigation expenses, A. S.
Dowd, Receiver Coronado Coal Co. vs. United Mine
Workers of America $ 1,979.56
" 18 Indiana National Bank, protested check returned L. U.
1229, Pist. 1, "account closed" 116.62
" 23 Henry Meyer, Jr., T. A.] Dist. 12, salary while attending
Traveling Auditors' Meeting 27.00
" 26 Wm. Green, floral offering for D. H. Sullivan 15.00
" 26 M. L. Barnes, Sec'y, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 1187,
Dist. 11 12.00
" 30 Stewart Stroud, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
752, Dist. 11 .88
" 31 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 945, Dist.
19, "no account with bank". 27.25
** 31 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 2204, Dist.
17, for correction ....?.. 86.75
** 31 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 253, Dist. 19,
for correction 3.00
K. C. Adams, incidental expenses July 2 7.50
Samuel Ballantyne, stenographic work , .75
Frank Hefferly , relief for men deported from Gallup, N.
Mexico 400.00
Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 88, Dist. 12,
for signature 2.50
Robt. Gilmour, stenographic work .75
Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 2475, Dist.
11, for signature 16.50
Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 3033, Dist.
15, for additional signature 43.50
Walter R. Beeson, seven months' storage on office furni-
ture, Uniontown, Pa 4.20
Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 1794, Dist, 5,
for signature 1.00
Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 1048, Dist
14, "no account with bank" 5.75
Capt. A. J. Wiseman, Fresh Air Fund, donation 5.00
Welsey Turner, Secretary, overpayment refunded L. U.
478, Dist 12 20.75
Aug.
1
1
1
2
3
4
6
7
9
9
10
11
<«
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* 241
1917.
Au^. 14 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses August 1 . / $ 6.75
** 14 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 2768, Dist.
6, **where payable not given" 121.80
17 John P. White, typewriter rent while in Denver, Colo 1.50
18 Robt. H. Harlin, stenographic work 3.00
20 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 3328, Dist.
20, "insufficient funds" 14.25
** 21 Max Steinbach, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
1712, Dist. 5 2.00
** 24 J. P. Hartley, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 3397,
Dist. 23 11.75
25 John B. Mooney, Secretary, donation Tom Mooney Defense
Fund 500.00
25 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 413, Dist.
12, "insufficient funds" 5.00
Sept. 4 John Tilmont, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
1584, Dist. 9 12.63
4 L. R. Baker, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 2438,
Dist. 9 3.01
4 John M. Mack, Secretary, payment in full of loan made by
Dist. 1 to International 55,000.00
" 5 E. S. Moore, Agent, U. S. Fidelity & Guaranty Co., pre-
mium on bonds furnished 280.00
7 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 2146, Dist.
21, "no account with bank" 4.75
11 T. G. Hill, Secretary, overpaid tax and assessment re-
funded L. U. 368, Dist. 12 32.00
11 J. H. Clem, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 787,
Dist. IZ 118.25
12 Geo. Skirls, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 650,
Dist 12 11.50
'* 12 Sam Walker, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 753,
Dist. 12 3.25
** 12 H. E. Gillroy, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 1237,
Dist 12 12.00
** 12 Tom Wakefield, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
1421, Dist 12 18.75
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232
1917.
Jan. 16 Chas. O'Neil, expenses attending Executive Board meet-
ing $ 47.10
" 15 T. E. Waite, expenses attending Executive Board meet-
ing 48.57
" 15 W. S. Davidson, expenses attending Executive Board
meeting 46.12
" 16 Duncan McDonald, secretary District 12, tax due District
12 from Local Union No. 3 24.13
" 16 The Misses Beatty, to reporting special convention called
hy International Executive Board in District 5^ July
12-17, inclusive 300.00
" 17 Alex McAllister, salary and expenses attending Executive
Board meeting 103.40
" 18 Neal J. Ferry, reimbursed for attorney fee paid 99.00
" 23 Mary C. McGrew, reporting Executive Board meeting,
Jan. 9-12, inclusive 57.00
" 24 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 2059, Dis-
trict 6, "no account" 65.00
" 25 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 2159, Dis-
trict 6, on account of being protested 73.90
" 26 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 151, Dis-
trict 1, sigfnature missing 99.25
" 30 H. A. Couch, reporting Executive Board meeting one
and one-half days 32.15
" 31 Sam Wood, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 2138,
District 12 2.50
" 31 Fred Neve, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 1807,
District 12 4.50
** 31 E. Goodman, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 663,
District 12 2.75
Feb. 1 John B. Lennon, treasurer, donation Commission of In-
dustrial Relations 1,000.00
" 1 John McCabe, one-half hospital expenses, by order Execu-
tive Board 62.50
" 1 Attorney John C. Palmer, Jr., legal services in case
Frank Ledvinka et al 463.00
It
4*
283
19J7.
Feb. 2 New Markham Hotel, expenses incurred during trial of
members at Castle Rock, Colorado $ 6.00
5 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, Jan. 2 16.70
6 John Hough, secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 570,
District 2 47.60
9 Greensburg Storage & Transfer Co., rent for office furni-
ture storage, Oct. 31, 1916, to Jan. 31, 1917 3.00
9 Walter R. Beeson, storage, office furniture, Uniontown,
Pa., July 1, 1916, to January 1, 1917 3.60
14 W. J. McGee, secretary, overpaid tax and assessment re-
funded L. U. 784, District 12 67.75
16 Jas. F. Moran, stenographic work 3.00
17 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, February 1 12.56
27 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 70~-14, "no
funds" : 14.00
27 B. F. Lambert, secretary, overpaid assessment refunded
L. U. 1109, District 11 72.50
Mar. 1 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, February 2 15.32
2 Robt. Gilmour, stenographic work 1.50
6 Gayle & Co., renewals for bonds of Wm. Green, Secre-
tary-Treasurer, and Wm. Green, Manager U. M. W.
of A. Journal .^ 140.00
12 Harry Couch, part payment reporting special convention
of District 17, Charleston, W. Va 81.20
12 K. C. Adams, expenses publishing bulletin directed at the
working class union 70.57
15 Frank S. White & Sons, attorneys, legal service in case
of Republic Iron and Steel Company vs. U. M. W. of A.
et al 75.00
16 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 1097, In-
dividual, "signature incomplete and insufficient funds" 8.75
K. C. Adams, incidental expenses, March 1 10.72
Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 521, Dis-
trict 2, for correction 125.&0
Geo. P. West, for aid in bonus investigation ! 35.00
David T. Day, secretary Jos. A. Holmes Safety Associa-
tion, contribution 1,000.00
€€
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21
244
1917.
Oct. 11 Bertermann Bros.. Florists, flowers | 3.50
" 13 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 1468, Dist.
2, for signature 17.75
" 16 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses October 1 6.40
" 16 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 3076, Dist.
1, signature unofficial 12.50
** 18 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 3139, Dist. 5,
signature incorrect 194.35
" 18 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 2602, Dist. 9,
signature incorrect 67.50
" 20 Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 579, Dist. 9,
"payment refused" 38.25
" 23 J. E. Hargler, Treasurer, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
1144, Dist. 12 19.50
" 24 Circle Flower Shop, flowers 10.00
" 26 C. F. Calbert, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L, U. 1563,
Dist. 9 8.12
" 26 Leonard Dalton, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U.
1270, Dist. 6 2.00
" 26 Harold Cabey, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 803,
Dist 17 10.00
" 26 Wm. Wierm, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 1936,
Dist. 9 5.11
" 29 D. W. Davis, for hospital expenses, per order International
Executive Board 115.00
" 30 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses October 2 13.20
Nov. 1 Wm. Short, Secretary, Dist. 10, assessment due district
from L. U. 2264, Dist. 10 14.75
" 2 Armando Pelizarri, for medical services, per order Inter-
national Executive Board 50.00
" 3 Hugh Sullivan, one-half contract price for erection of Lud-
low monument 3,250.0(^
" 5 W. C. Smith, for services in connection with trial of U. M.
W. A. members in Webster County, Kentucky ..... 80.0
" 6 Jas. Hill, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 511, Dist.
12 7.
" 8 Underwood Bros., floral wreath 15.
" 8 Chas. Bretzman, photos 12.0
245
1917.
Nov. 8 Mary C. McGrew, reporting International Executive Board
meeting $ 46.00
9 Jas. Morgan, Secretary, part payment on loan made by
Dist 22 to International 10,000.00
10 Dorothy Friedman, extra work 5.00
12 Mike Nelson, reimbursed for fine and costs in Somerset
Field, Pa., strike 12.50
12 Martin Wallace, reimbursed for fine and costs in Somer-
set Field, Pa., strike 12.50
13 Thos. M. Gann, Secretary, tax due Dist. 19 from L. U.
3345, Dist. 19 16.75
13 Harry A. Couch, reporting International Executive Board
meeting 101.00
15 K. C. Adams, incidental expenses November 1 23.50 .
15 H. C. Atkins, Treasurer, Y. M. C. A. War Fund, donation. 150.00
16 C. M. Ward, attorney, for legal services in certain suits
before Justice of Peace at Beckley, W. Va 50.00
16 Indiana National Bank, protested check returned L. U.
3258, Dist. 5 21.25
22 Geo. Hargrove, for witnesses' expenses in Owensboro, Ky.,
Federal Court 1,000.00
Ed. Wallace, expenses attending A. F. of L. Convention . . . 82.16
Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 296, Dist. 6,
"where payable requested" 52.50
Phil C. Sauer, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 474,
Dist. 12 7.25
Jas. Easton, Secretary, overpaid tax refunded L. U. 2708,
Dist. 12 7.50
Robt. Pollock, expenses incurred while ill, by order of the
International Executive Board 26.33
Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 1351, Dist. 1,
"insufficient funds" 11.25
Indiana National Bank, check returned L. U. 945, Dist. 23,
"no account with bank" 46.75
Chas. F. Bretzm^in, photos ■ 15.50
Total $693,143.04
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246
Duke Applewhite $ 77.13
BarnettA Campbell, Attorneys 1,000.00
T. A. Bledsoe, Attorney 200.00
F. W. Claik, Attorney 260.00
H. S. Clearwater, Accountant 121.50
John L. East, Attorney 200.00
Mary Burke East, Reporter 555.39
Chris Evans, Committee on History of Mine Workers'
Organization 1,603.75
Horace N. Hawkins, Attorney 20,288.62
Samuel B. Montgomery, Attorney 1,116.50
T. A. McHarg, Attorney 253.00
John MacQuarrie, Legal Adviser 312.50
Robert Osborne 696.02
Samuel Pascoe 872.84
J. V. Poag , 125.04
Joseph Poggiani, expenses, organization work 846.02
D. H. Sullivan, Committee on History Mine Workers'
Organization 864.65
Henry Warrum, Attorney 17,415.00
Warren Pippin, Secretary District 15 4,000.00
P. J. Gorman, Branch 1, District 15 1,650.00
Frank Morrison, Secretary American Federation of La-
bor, tax 31,679.06
P. M. Draper, Secretary Trades and Labor Congress of
Canada, tax 871.02
Ernest Mills, Secretary Mining Dept. A. F. of L., tax. . . 4,037.92
Manager Boulder (Colo.) Sanitarium, expenses for
Louis Zancanelli 351.37
John Yourishin, Secretary, salary and expenses of An-
drew Churchman, Vice-President Sub-District 1 of
District 7 1,256.94
E. F. Ross, Secretary District 21 — aid to be applied on
loan to International 30,000.00
Total $120,64
247
DISTRICTS REIMBURSED FOR ONE-HALF SALARY AND
EXPENSES OP TRAVELING AUDITORS.
District 1 $ 1,899.36
District 2 1,016.40
District 5 2,741.72
District 6 1,887.34
District 7 802.94
District 8 199.70
District 9 1,699.22
District 10 393.10
District 11 970.89
District 12 4,035.62
District 13 836.10 ' ,
District 14 1,180.92
District 17 153.59
District 21 1,451.85
District 22 1,394.72
District 23 660.20
District 24 143.98
District 25 953.82
District 27 580.21 23,001.68
Grand total miscellaneous $836,788 99
248
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260
INCOME.
Tax : $1,10
Supplies 1
Journal 2
Ludlow donations ,
Strike fund donations 6
Assessment 52
Miscellaneous 1
Total $1,75
EXPENDITURES.
Salary and expenses $ 37
Supplies 1
Office expenses
Printing
Journal 6
Telephone, postage and express
Aid 64
Miscellaneous 83
Total $1,96
RECAPITULATION.
Amount on hand December 1, 1916 $ 41
Income December 1, 1916, to December 1, 1917 1,75
$2,17
Expenditures December 1, 1916, to December 1, 1917 1,96
Balance on hand December 1, 1917 $ 20
Amount on deposit, Wm. Green, Secretary-Treasurer $ 9
Amount on deposit, Strike Fund
Amount on deposit, Louisville Bunk, Louisville, Colo
Amount on deposit, Lafayette Bank. Lafayette, Colo 4
Amount on deposit, Erie Bank, Erie, Colo
251
iount on deposit, City Bank, Wheeling, W. Va 3,000.00
[lount on deposit. Central Bank, Coshocton, Ohio 10,000.00
nount on deposit. County Savings Bank, Scranton, Pa 10,000.00
mount on deposit, Des. Moines National Bank, Des Moines, Iowa 26,000.00
^mount on deposit, Birmingham Trust and Savings Company,
Birmingham, Ala 20,000.00
United States Liberty Bonds 10,000.00
Total amount on deposit December 1, 1917 .$ 237,700.16
Outstanding checks 27,952.61
Balance on hand December 1, 1917.' $ 209,747.55
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM GREEN,
International Secretary-Treasurer.
252
LIST OF LOCAL UNIONS ORGANIZED AND ABANDONED
DURING FISCAL YEAR ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 1917.
DECEMBER, 1916.
' Organized.
Abandoned.
L.U.
Dist.
Location.
L.U.
Dist.
Location.
2774
2
Punxsutawney, Pa.
7
6
Coshocton, Ohio.
441
6
Crooksville, Ohio.
2740
6
Warsaw, Ohio.
479
6
Derwent, Ohio.
927
11
Midland, Ind.
568
6
New Straitsville, Ohio.
• 2689
11
Sullivan, Ind.
1404
6
Magnolia, Ohio.
3
12
Sandoval, 111.
2313
6
Nelsonville, Ohio.
444
14
Frontenac, Kans.
1994
JO
Bayne, Wash.
1284
14
Hartshome, Okla
311
12
Springfield, 111.
1478/
21
Craig, Okla.
419
12
Craig, 111.
1778
21
Pocahontas, Okla.
518
12
Marion, 111.
2160
21
Coal Hill, Ark.
528
12
Springfield, 111.
2208
21
Bache, Okla.
698
12
Pittsburg, 111.
2773
21
Clarksville, Ark.
782
12
Belleville, 111.
S26
12
Collinsville, HI.
53
14
Ringo, Kans.
164
14
Arcadia, Kans.
283
14
Midway, Kans.
310
14
Cherokee, Kans.
406
14
Radley, Kans.
363
15
Williamsburg, Colo.
2027
16
Vale Summit, Md.
2471
16
Mt Savage, Md.
1101
17
Comfort, W. Va.
1480
17
Flemington, W. Va.
130
19
Wallsend, Ky.
241
21
Coal Hill, Ark.
514
21
Coalton, Okla.
520
21
Coalton, Okla.
356
22
Conroy, Wyo.
175
23
Robards, Ky.
253
JANUARY, 1917.
r
Organized.
Abandoned.
LU.
Dist
Location.
L.U.
Dist.
Location.
mo
5
Meadowlands, Pa.
8
6
Orbiston, Ohio.
2125
5
Houston, Pa.
261
6
Roseville, Ohio.
2252
5
Fayette City, Pa.
271
6
Steubenville, Ohio.
2367
5
New Eagle, Pa.
281
6
Glouster, Ohio.
3140
5
Vandergrift, Pa.
282
6
Glen Roy, Ohio.
3156
5
Freeport, Pa.
421
6
Nelsonville, Ohio.
3157
5
Braebum, Pa.
786
6
Bellaire, Ohio.
569
6
Coming, Ohio.
804
6
Connorville, Ohio.
689
6
Parlett, Ohio.
811
6
Salem, Ohio.
1493
6
McArthur, Ohio.
939
6
Rayland, Ohio.
2285
6
Barton, Ohio.
1774
6
Wellston, Ohio.
2936
6
Roseville, Ohio.
1968
6
Wellston, Ohio.
2937
6
Saltillo, Ohio.
2083
6
Sand Run, Ohio.
2938
6
Roseville, Ohio.
2114
6
Oak Hill, Ohio.
2940
6
Roseville, Ohio.
, 2322
6
Nelsonville, Ohio.
3066
6
Bergholz, Ohio.
2447
6
Oak Hill, Ohio.
217
n
Boonville, Ind.
2023
11
Hymera, Ind.
582
11
Winslow, Ind.
2699
11
Terre Haute, Ind.
610
11
Washington, Ind.
770
11
Linton, Ind.
78
12
Breese, 111.
179
12
Sparland, 111.
/
9
1491
12
Herrin, Ind.
133
14
Mulberry, li^ans.
259
14
Arcadia, Kans.
186
15
Rockvale, Colo.
295
15
Berwind, Colo.
1708
17
Montgomery, W. Va.
1741
17
Leewood, W. Va.
1054
18
Brule I^ke, Alta., Can.
476
21
Midland, Ark.
560
21
Hartford, Ark.
921
24
Six Mile Creek, Mich.
551
25
Oskaloosa, Mo.
254
J.
Organized.
a:ja#xv \j xxa» X •
Abandoned.
L.U.
Dist
Location.
L.U.
Dist
Location.
2970
2
Anita, Pa.
8
6
Orbiston, Ohio.
1230
5
Puckety Creek, Pa.
281
6
Glouater, Ohio.
1254
5
Finleyville, Pa.
1150
6
Nelsonville, Ohio.
657
6
Nelaonville, Ohio.
1774
6
Wellston, Ohio.
717
6
Wilbren, Ohio.
2083
6
Carbon, Ohio.
1172
6
Buchtel, Ohio.
2114
6
Oak Hill, Ohio.
1418
6
Mid vale, Ohio.
2447
6
Oak Hill, Ohio.
2591
6
Flushing, Ohio.
931
12
Seatonville, 111.
2883
6
Carbon Hill, Ohio.
2714
14
Pittsburg, Kans.
1044
10
Cumberland, Wash.
590
11
Burnett, Ind.
647
11
Terre Haute, Ind.
656
11
Jasonville, Ind.
836
14
Radley, Kans.
857
14
Cherokee, Kans.
1093
14
Weir, Kans.
834
15
Firestone, Colo.
876
15
Oakview, Colo.
936
17
Wake Forest, W. Va.
1818
17
Dry Branch, W. Va.
%
1185
18
Lethbridge, Alta., Can.
587
19
Femdale, Ky.
1264
19
Harrison, Ky.
1327
19
Davisburg, Ky.
191
23
Nortonville, Ky.
1038
25
Mindenmines, Mo.
Organized.
MARCH.
Abandoned.
L.U.
Dist
Location.
L.U.
Dist
Location.
2370
2
Marion Center, Pa.
156
5
Camp Hill, Pa.
2232
5
Dentro, Pa.
564
5
Webster, Pa.
2597
5
Smithton, Pa.
777
5
W. Brownsville, Pa
1395
6
New Pittsburg, Ohio.
L341
5
Edri, Pa.
1835
6
Crooksville, Ohio.
1344
5
Webster, Pa.
255
Organized.
Abandoned.
Dist.
Location.
L.U.
Dist
Location.
6
Uhrichsville, Ohio.
1410
5
Saltsburg, Pa.
6
Lafferty, Ohio.
1481
5
Cecil, Pa.
1
11
Bugger, Ind.
1786
5
Gillespie, Pa.
.
11
Terre Haute, Ind.
1891
5
Epton, Pa.
11
Edwardsport, Ind.
2048
5
Carnegie, Pa.
11
Farmersburg, Ind.
2251
5
Scott's Mine, Pa.
12
Pana, 111.
2256
5
Wick Haven, Pa.
12
Taylor Springs, 111.
2781
5
Redmond, Pa.
14
Arcadia, Kans.
2817
5
Volant, Pa.
15
Rapson, Colo.
940
6
Pomeroy, Ohio.
15
Delagua, Colo.
1324
6
Moxahala, Ohio.
15
Gray Creek, Colo.
2381
6
Bellaire, Ohio.
15
Gray Creek, Colo.
2448
6
Steubenville, Ohio.
17
Garrison, W. Va.
646
12
Taylorville, 111.
17
Marfork, W. Va.
2714
14
Pittsburg, Kans.
2
17
Warrior, W. Va.
1379
24
W. Bay City, Mich.
1
17
Bentree, W. Va.
744
29
Lochgelly, w! Va.
3
21
Alderson, Okla.
1408
29
Summerlee, W. Va.
9
21
Henryetta, Okla.
1904
29
Scarbro, W. Va.
0
23
Browder, Ky.
2108
29
Meadow Fork, W. Va.
2793
29
Beury, W. Va.
APRIL.
Orgranized.
Abandoned.
r
•
Dist
Location.
L.U.
Dist
Location.
0
2
DuBois, Pa.
2255
6
N. Lawrence, Ohio.
1
2
Frackville, Pa.
987
11
New England, Ind.
7
6
Beidler, Ohio.
1050
11
Boonville, Ind.
2
6
Dillonvale, Ohio.
510
9
Tracy City, Ky.
3
6
Oak Hill, Ohio.
950
19
Blanche, Ky.
6
6
New Lexington, Ohio.
998
19
E. Bemstadt, Ky.
4
8
Clay City, Ind.
1119
19
Pittsburg, Ky.
1
10
Beaver Hill, Ore.
1253
19
Pineville, Ky.
1
U
Cannelburg, Ind.
1485
19
Glen Mary, Tenn.
2
11
New Goshen, Ind.
3031
19
Kensee, Ky.
'2
14
Mindenmines, Mo.
>2
14
Oskaloosa, Mo.
266
Organized.
L. U. Dist. Location.
1894 15 Pinnacle, Colo.
2189 15 Pyrolite, Colo.
2224 15 Gibson, N. M.
2395 15 Gallup, N. M.
2662 16 Gallup, N. M.
2668 15 Gibson, N. M.
3020 16 Oak Hill, Colo.
3028 15 McGregor, Colo.
8028 15 Curtis, Colo.
8080 15. Mt. Harris, Colo.
8040 15 Sopris, Colo.
3048 15 Coalview, Colo.
3045 15 Bear River, Colo.
3051 15 Mt. Harris, Colo.
2161 17 Brydon, W. Va.
2291 17 Ivaton, W. Va.
2311 17 Flemington, W. Va.
2321 17 Sullivan, W. Va.
2344 17 Nabob, W. Va.
2348 17 Vaughan, W. Va.
2429 17 Bream, W. Va.
2445 17 Carbon, W. Va.
2456 17 Stanaford, W. Va.
2639 17 Cranberry, W. Va.
2052 19 Cary, Ky.
2146 21 Blanco, Okla.
2214 23 Mannington, Ky.
Organized.
L.U. Dist. Location.
2370 2 Marion Center, Pa.
Smith Mills, Pa.
Ferring Run, Pa.
Beccaria, Pa.
Macdonaldton, Pa.
Macdonaldton, Pa.
Abandoned.
2956
2
2965
2
3089
2
3163
2
3168
2
MAY.
Abandoned.
L.U. Dist. Location.
3016 15 Walsenburg, Colo.
Organised.
Dist Location.
2 Boardman, Fa.
6 Pm.
5 North West, I^
5 W. Va.
5 Banning, Pa.
5 Apollo, Fa.
5 Leechbnrg, Pa.
5 Pine Run, Fa.
5 Shenler, Pa.
5 Van Meter, Pa.
5 Apollo, Pa.
5 Avonmore, Pa.
5 Wallville, Pa.
5 Leechburg, Fa.
6 Carbon Hill, Ohio.
6 Germano, Ohio.
6 Drakea, Ohio.
6 Kimberly, Ohio.
6 Coalgate, Ohio.
6 Dillonvale, Ohio.
6 Jobs, Ohio.
6 Kimberiy, Ohio.
6 Wellston, Ohio.
6 Lore' City, Ohio.
6 Hoxahala, Ohio.
6 Sand Run, Ohio.
6 Klee, Ohio.
8 Coal City, Ind.
8 Carbon, Ind.
10 Helmont, Wash.
11 >
11 Linton, Ind.
11 Jasonville, Ind.
11 Cannelburg, Ind.
12 Greenridge, 111.
»-MPro.'
Organized.
L. U. Dial
Location.
3160 :
L2
Sesaer, 111.
3006 :
L6
L«yden, Colo.
8006 :
L6
Haybro, Colo.
8008 :
L5
Walaenburg, Colo.
8010 :
L5
Segundo, Colo.
8012 :
L5
Fbrbes, Colo.
3014 :
L5
Strong, Colo.
8033 :
L5
Pryor, Colo.
2964 J
L7
Winona, W. Va.
2968 :
L7
Minden, W. Va.
2974 ]
17
Hawksneat, W. Va.
2980 ]
L7
Pemberton, W. Va.
2981 ]
17
Winifrede, W. Va.
8117 ]
17
Dunloop, W. Va.
8171 ]
17
Clifton, W. Va.
3172 ]
L7
Kilsyth. W. Va.
8178 ]
17
Perryville, W. Va.
3183 ]
L7
Derryhalc, W. Va.
3184 ]
17
Tunnolton, W. Va.
2615 ]
18
Olyphant, Munson, Alta.
2655 ]
L8
Mountain Park, Alta.
2949 :
L8
Coalspur, Alta., Can.
3170 :
L8
Pocahontas, Alta., Can.
2617 1
L9
Elys, Ky.
2572 ]
L9
Coalmont, Tenn.
2673 :
L9
Tracy City, Tenn.
2687 :
L9
Meldrum, Ky.
2884 ]
L9
Briceville, Tenn.
2914 ]
L9
Gravity, Ky.
2925 ]
L9
Bosworth, Ky.
2929 ]
L9
Logmont, Ky.
2983 :
L9
Chenoa, Ky.
2984 ]
L9
Cupp, Tenn.
2992 ]
L9
Williamsburg, Ky.
2995 1
L9
Straight Creek, Ky.
2997 ]
L9
Tinsley, Ky.
3161 )
L9
Hollingsworth, Ky.
258
Abandoned.
Jr^l -i ^ffSL
',
Organised.
Abandoned.
Diat
;. Location.
19
Manringy Ky.
19
Goal Creek, Tenn.
19
Bryson, Tenn.
*
19
Kensee, Ky.
19
Rim, Ky.
19
Shamrock, Ky.
• 21
Clarksville, Ark.
23
Clay, Ky.
. 23
Wheatcroft, Ky.
. 23
Madisonville, Ky.
) 23
Madisonville, Ky.
1 23
Deanefield, Ky.
> 24
St. Charles, Mich.
.
> 24
Saginaw, Mich.
Organized.
JUNE.
Abandoned.
. Dist
Location.
L.U.
Dist.
Location.
) 2
Punxsutawney, Pa.
1443
2
Johnstown, Pa.
) 5
Avonmore, Pa.
1259
6
Buchtel, Ohio.
> 6
Carbon Hill, Ohio.
2031
6
Carbon Hill, Ohio.
1 6
Murray, Ohio.
2417
^
Murray, Ohio.
i 6
McCaneville, Ohio.
2531
6
Cadiz, Ohio.
1 6
Elm Grove, W. Va.
2666
6
Wheeling, W. Va.
1 6
Triadelphia, W. Va.
2372
15
Trinidad, Colo.
1 6
McMechen, W. Va.
3094
15
Trinidad, Colo.
> 6
Powhatan Point, Ohio.
2754
23
Waverly, Ky.
i 6
S. Zanesville, Ohio.
6
Carbon Hill, Ohio.
1 6
Hocking, Ohio.
6
Barton, Ohio.
; 7
McAdoo, Pa.
•
; 7
McAdoo. Pa.
7
Zehner, Pa.
' 10
Fairfax, Wash.
. 11
Shelbum, Ind.
. 11
Montgomery, Ind.
Organised.
LkU. Dist. Location.
3192 12 Johnston City, III.
3221 12 Pittsburg, HI.
3222 12 Danville, Dl.
3318 12 111.
8317 12 TaUula, lU.
3281 13 OlnitE, Iowa.
3017 14
3038 16 Garoenm, Colo.
3052 15 Primero, Colo.
8053 15
3216 15 Gallup, N. M.
3227 16 Los Cervillos, N. M.
31M4 17 Scarbro, W. Va.
3196 17 Bed Star, W. Va.
3197 17 Stm, W. Va.
3198 17 McDonald, W. Va.
3208 17 Glen Jean, W. Va.
3204 17 Keeney Creek, W. Va.
8205 17 Tamroy, W. Va.
8207 17 Affinity, W. Va.
3208 17 Vanetta, W. Va,
3212 17 Stanaford, W. Va.
3213 17 Skelton, W. Va.
3217 17 Fire Creek, W. Va.
3218 17 Ottawa, W. Va.
3219
17
Tnnnelton, W. Va.
3220
17
Herberton, W. Va.
3242
17
Lanark, W. Va.
3243
17
Glen White, W. Va.
3247
17
Raleigh, W. Va.
3248
17
Blue Jay, W. Va.
8263
17
Clift Tape, W. Va.
3264
17
Summerlee, W. Va.
3282
17
Oswald, W. Va.
3288
17
Long Branch, W. Va.
8288
17
Independence, W. Va.
3291
17
Big Stick, W. Va.
Orguiised.
Diet. Locatum.
I 1? Greenview, W. Va.
I 17 Clothier, W. Va.
1 17 Bower, W. Va.
5 17 Gilmer, W. Va.
4 17 Tunnelton, W. Va.
2 17 McAlpine, W. Va.
4 17 Stonewall, W. Va.
9 IS Lovett, AlU., Can.
6 19 Hartcroft, Ky.
6 19 Fork Ridge, Tenn.
7 19 Westboume, Tenn.
8 19 Doff, Tenn.
9 19 Harlan, Ky.
Q 19 Ages,Ky.
1 19 Harlan, Ky.
3 19 Fork Ridge, Tenn.
0 19 Ky.
1 19 Gravity, Ky.
8 19
0 19 Neweomb, Tenn.
1 19 Mountain Ash, Ky.
2 19 Trosper, Ky.
1 19 Blanche, Ky.
'1 19 Kettle Island, Ky.
■2 19 Peabody, Ky.
''2 19
!3 19 Tenn.
M 19 Caryville, Tenn.
'S 19 Morley, Tenn,
'T 19 Shamrock, Ky.
5 19 Nebo, Ky.
S 19 Kentenia, Ky.
e 20 Piper, Ala.
M 20 Altoona, Ala.
3 20 Bessemer, Ala.
'■i 20 Straven, Ala.
S 20 Maylene, Ala.
202
Organized. Abandoned.
L.U. Dfit Location.
8226 20 Btraven, Ala.
8283 20 W. Blocton, Ala.
8284 20 Blocton, Ala.
8285 20 Hancrove, Ala.
8286 20 BirminirhaRi, Ala.
8287 20 Wylam, Ala.
8288 20 Pratt City, Ala.
8289 20 Maylene, Ala.
8240 20 Helena, Ala.
8245 20 Blocton, Ala.
8246 20 Adger, Ala.
8266 20 BirminRham, Ala.
8266 20 Sayre, Ala.
8267 20 CanliflT, Ala.
8268 20 CanliflT, Ala.
3260 20 (^oalburflT, Ala.
8270 20 Hrooknlilc, Ala.
8271 20 Hrookiiidu, Ala.
8272 20 HloMburir, Ala.
»27:i 2{) WaUtov, Ala.
a274 20 Hlocton, Ala.
a27r» 20 Mnrvol, Ala.
a27<t 20 lU^llc Kllcn. Ala.
8277 20 Holle Kllon. Ala.
a278 20 (JiirnHoy. Ala.
a27l» 20 AiUmsvillv. Ala.
«280 20 Kopublic, Ala.
a2Sr> 20 Holtonu, Ain,
a28« 20 Warrior. AU.
S287 20 KimlH^rly. Ala,
::294 20 Yolando. Ala.
821M> 20 Kock Oa»tle. Ala.
»80o 20 I nrUm Hill. Ala,
.'U^iH> 20 Kansas. Ala.
JWOT 20 Kmpire. Ala.
S308 2i> IVra. Ala.
:t309 20 :iMiimo9<U Ala.
263
Organized.
Dist.
Location.
20
Muega, Ala.
20
Red Star, Ala.
21
Morris, Okla.
21
Tulsa, Okla.
21
Greenwood, Ark.
23
Spottsville, Ky.
24
Sagrinaw, Mich.
Abandoned.
JULY
Organized.
Abandoned.
Dist
Location.
L.U.
Dist.
Location.
2
Punxsutawney, Pa.
2305
2
Boardman, Pa.
2
Boardman, Pa.
3087
2
Coupon, Pa.
2
Black Lick, Pa.
451
21
Coalgate, Okla.
2
Homer City, Pa.
2131
21
Wilburton, Okla
2
Johnstown, Pa.
2518
21
Adamson, Okla.
2
Coalville, Pa.
2769
21
Hartford, Ark.
0
McDonald, Pa.
2834
21
Loving, Ark.
5
Yukon, Pa.
5
Yukon, Pa.
5
Yukon, Pa.
5
Penns Station, Pa.
V
5
Edna, Pa.
5
Edna, Pa.
5
Erwin, Pa.
5
Harmony, Pa.
5
Harmony, Pa.
5
Ellsworth, Pa.
5
Valley Camp, Pa.
3
McDonald, Pa.
6
Cheshire, Ohio.
6
Stillwater, Ohio.
■
6
Nelsonville, Ohio.
6
Brilliant, Ohio.
6
Wollston, Ohio.
♦
6
Highland City, Ohio.
6
Crescent, Ohio.
•
OrguiMd.
L.U.
DUt
. Loestioii.
M48
Bowerton. Ohio.
3444
Shenidaville, Ohio.
8445
Nineveh, Ohio.
3467
Shawnee, Ohio.
8369
WeU»burg, W. Va.
3458
Renton, Wash.
3331
BoonviUe, Ind.
3863
Winelow, Ind.
SS83
Petenbure, Ind.
SS84
Ind.
3426
3353
Lmlford, 111.
S447
Raleicb, lU.
S45»
Hilwood, lU.
2462
Mulberry, Kans.
3322
Liberal. Mo.
345S
Arcadia, Kane.
3332
Tabasco, Colo.
3338
Gallup, N. M.
3351
Rapson, Colo.
3393
Affuilar, Cplo.
3439
Helper, Utah.
3334
Davia, W. Va.
3336
Shaft, Hd.
3336
3337
Pierce, W. Va.
3437
CoUier, W. Va.
3362
. Va.
3362
Va.
3419
Braxton, W. Va.
34b
Mason Ci^, W. Va.
3421
Gilmer, W. Va.
3436
W. Va.
8449
Riverside, W. Va.
3451
Grape Creek, W. Va.
3456
Flemingiton, W. Va.
3323
Balkan, Ky.
Organized.
. Dist. Location.
0 19 Vanilla, Ky.
1 19 Conar, Ky.
2 19 Arjay, Ky.
3 19 Wofford, Ky.
4 19 Jellica, Tenn.
.5 19 Chaska, Tenn.
T 19 Gatliff, Ey.
8 1»
1 19 Ingram, Ky.
T 19 Wallins Creek, Ey.
8 19 HoBinan, Ky.
1 19 Wilton, Ky.
1 19 Redash, Ky.
9 19 Tinsley, Ky.
0 19 Belljellico, Ky.
1 19 White Star, Ky.
i 19 Meldrum, Ey.
> 19 Clairfield, Tenn.
19 Pleasant View, Ey,
19 Burchfield, Ky.
19 Poor Fork, Ky.
19 Benham, Ky.
19 Ky.
19 Wallins Creek, Ey.
19 Henderson, Ky.
19 Williamaburg, Ky.
20 Prospect, Ala.
20 Paloa, Ala.
20 Maben, Ala.
20 Cordona, Ala.
20 Benoit, Ala.
20 America, Ala.
20 Parish, Ala.
20 Porter, Ala.
20 Warrior, Ala.
20 Morris, Ala.
20 TrafFord, Ala.
266
Organized.
L.U.
Dist
Location.
3358
20
Pinson, Ala.
3359
20
Quinton, Ala.
3360
20
Quinton, Ala.
3361
20
Adamsville, Ala.
3364
20
Quinton, Ala.
3372
20
Searls, Ala.
3373
20
Brookwood, Ala.
3374
20
Kellerman, Ala.
3375
20
Oakman, Ala.
3376
20
Oakman, Ala.
3379
20
Birmingham, Ala.
3380
20
Crocker, Ala.
3388
20
Ensley, Ala.
3395
20
Gamble Mines, Ala.
3408
20
Bessemer, Ala.
3409
20
New Castle, Ala.
3410
20
National Bridge, Ala.
3411
20
Jasper, Ala.
3412
20
Jasper, Ala.
3413
20
Bankhead, Ala.
3414
20
Oakman, Ala.
3415
20
Corona, Ala.
3416
20
Patton, Ala.
3417
20
Nauvoo, Ala.
3418
20
Barney, Ala.
3427
20
Natural Bridge, Ala.
3428
20
Empire, Ala.
3429
20
Corona, Ala.
3430
20
Underwood, Ala.
3431
20
Burnwell, Ala.
3454
20
Empire, Ala.
3455
20
Trafford, Ala.
3425
21
Craig, Okla.
3448
24
Jackson, Mich.
3450
25
Wellington, Mo.
3460
29
Lochgelly, W. Va.
Abandoned.
.»
267
AUGUST.
Organized.
Abandoned.
Dist. Location.
L.U. Dist. Location.
2 Kearney, Pa.
1622 15 Rapson, Colo.
2 Gallitzin, Pa.
2 Rossiter, Pa.
5 Russellton, Pa.
5 Logansport, Pa.
5 Natrona, Pa.
5 Midway, Pa.
6 Morgan Run, Ohio
6 Dennison, Ohio.
6 Bellaire, Ohio.
6 Short Creek, W. Va.
6 Rendville, Ohio.
#
6 Yorkville, Ohio.
•
6 Joyce, Ohio.
6 Joyce, Ohio.
6 Moundsville, W. Va.
6 Cambridge, Ohio.
6 Coshocton, Ohio.
6 Ironton, Ohio.
6 Warwood, W. Va.
6 Baileys Mills, Ohio.
6 Bellaire, Ohio.
9 Shenandoah, Pa.
*
9 Shenandoah, Pa.
9 Shenandoah, Pa. *
11 Staunton, Ind.
11 Staunton, Ind.
11 Brazil, Ind.
11 Clinton, Ind.
12 DeSoto, 111.
12 Astoria, 111.
12 Springfield, 111.
14 Rich Hill, Mo.
14 Mulberry, Kans.
15 Delcarbon, Colo.
Orguiised.
L.U. Dist. Location.
8618 15 Rugby, Colo.
3527 15 Gollnp, N. M.
8471 17 Quincy, W. Va.
8472 17 Riverview, W. Va.
8506 17 ShrewBbury, W. Va.
8608 17 Olcott, W. Va.
3611 17 Miami^ W. Va.
8512 17 Copen, W. Va.
3632 17 Roaemont, W. Va.
8468 19 Cnpp, Tenn.
3469 19 Varilla, Ky.
8481 19 JeUlco, Tenn.
8486 19 Grays, Ky.
8487 19
*8491 19 Sgg
8496 19 White Star, Ky.
3497 19 Polleyton, Ky.
8498 19 Dale, Ky.
8601 19 Elk Valley, Tenn.
3609 19 Tateiville, Tenn.
3626 19 Rockford, Ky.
8628 19 Hlracle, Ky.
3629 19 Wallins Creek, Ky.
8476 20 Lynn, Ala.
8477 20 Argo, Ala.
3499 20 Qnlnton, Ala.
3600 20 Inland, Ala.
8616 20 Brilliant, Ala.
8476 21 Scranton, Ark.
3414 28 Haweaville, Ky.
8580 24 Bay City, Mich.
3631 24 St. Charles, Mich.
8478 27
8466 29 Bower, W. Va.
8474 29 Ballengee, W. Va.
8502 29 S. Muttal, W. Va.
269
Organized.
. Dist. Location.
5 29 Sugar Camp, W. Va.
4 29 Boone, W. Va.
17 29 Fire Creek, W. Va.
6 29 Hemlock, W. Va.
Abandoned.
Organized.
r. Dist. Location.
8 2 Mclntyre, Pa.
9 2 Aultman, Pa.
6 6 Glendale, W. Va.
7 6 Moundsville, W. Va.
8 e Wellston, Ohio.
9 6 Old Floodwood, Ohio.
0 6 Snake Hollow, Ohio.
1 6 Haydenville, Ohio.
6 6 Glen Roy, Ohio.
7 6 Moundsville, W. Va.
0 6 TDtonville, Ohio.
0 6 Wellston, Ohio.
7 6 E. Liverpool, Ohio.
1 6 Lisbon, Ohio.
8 6 Cambridge, Ohio.
9 6 Pedro, Ohio.
2 6 Lndington, Ohio.
2 6 Smithfield, Ohio.
6 6 New FloodWood, Ohio.
5 8 Salina City, Ind.
1 9 Pottsville, Pa.
2 11 W. Terre Haute, Ind.
3 11 Blanford, Ind.
6 11 Jason ville, Ind.
7 11 Petersburg, Ind.
0 11 Midland, Ind.
2 11 Clinton, Ind.
B 11 Washington, Ind.
14 11 Terre Haute, Ind.
SEPTEMBER.
Abandoned.
L.U. Dist. Location.
1847 25 Connellsville, Mo.
Orguiu«d. Abandoned.
L.U. Dist Location.
8580 11 Seelyville, Ind.
8642 12 Marion, III
8643 12 Benton, 111.
3S64
12
BiBsell, III.
3&86
12
HaBcouUli, lit.
8671
Ft. Dodge, Iowa.
3698
Sheriff, Iowa.
3668
Mulbernr, Kans.
3666
Hulbeiry, Kana.
3696
Garland, Kana.
3576
Pictou. Colo.
3668
Boomer, W. Va.
3659
Julian, W. Va.
8674
Julian, W. Va.
8687
Kreba, W. Va.
36B8
Coal Bloom, W. Va.
8676
EoMdale, Alta., Can.
3680
MolUB, Kjr.
3581
Hulen, Ky.
3685
Caryville, Tenn.
3691
Turley, Tenn.
3694
Anthraa, Tenn.
3665
21
Okla.
3673
22
Superior, Wjro.
36S4
23
Beaver Dam, Ky.
3544
23
Beechcreek, Ky.
3577
23
Yoat, Ky.
3583
23
Owenaboro, Ky.
3590
23
Owensboro, Ky.
3574
27
Klein, Mont.
3546
29
Kaymont. W. Va.
3649
29
Laurel Creek. W. Va.
3660
29
Slab Fork. W. Va.
•
271
OCTOBER
Organized.
k
•
Abandoned.
. DiBt
Location. L.U.
Dist.
Location.
8
1
Moosic, Pa. 1459
2
Bracken, Pa.
17
2
Six Mile Run, Pa. 1433
6
New Straitsville, Ohio.
26
2
Osceola Mills, Pa. 1999
9
Minersville, Pa.
)0
5
S. Burgettstown, Pa. 2432
9
Kuska, Pa.
06
5
Salina, Pa. 2713
9
Shenandoah, Pa.
18
5
Centerville, Borough, Pa.
^
6
Bridgeville, Pa.
19
5
Dunlevy, Pa.
11
6
Coalton, Ohio.
.7
6
New Philadelphia, Ohio.
12
6
Wellston, Ohio.
■
!8
6
Monkey Hollow, Ohio.
11
6
Cambridge, Ohio.
A
6
Hawks, Ohio.
.0
6
Steel, Ohio.
rl
6
Uarrisville, Ohio.
>2
6
Bellaire, Ohio.
^9
6
Sand Run, Ohio.
%
'1
6
Neffs, Ohio.
'2
6
Doanville, Ohio.
^4
6
Minersville, Ohio.
»5
8
Jedpnp, Ind.
U)
9
Tamaqua, Pa.
M ]
Brazil, Ind.
L4 ]
Dugger, Ind.
53 ]
Hymera, Ind.
u :
Oakland City, Ind.
w ]
Linton, Ind.
>6 ]
Linton, Ind.
57 ]
Cloverland. Ind.
38 ]
Hymera, Ind.
U 1
L2
Valier, 111.
21 ]
12
OTallon, 111.
47 :
12
St. Johns, 111.
82
12
H'llery, 111.
Organized.
L.U. IKat Locatioq.
3664 12 Anboin, Dl.
3601 13 Des Moines, Iowa.
3666 13 Des Homes, Iowa.
3602 14 Ho.
8669 14 PittabuTK, KanB.
8608 16 Cokedale, Colo.
8599 17 HacNeer, W. Va.
3610 17 Javina, W. Va.
3611 17 BrounUnd. W. Va.
8636 17 B«lle, W. Va.
3636 17 Ganiett, W. Va.
8687 17 Vaoghan, W. Va.
3639 17 Blair, W. Va.
3657 17 Charleston, W. Va.
8660 17 Grurap Hollow. W. Va.
3627 17 Standard, W. Va.
3G97 19 Shamrock, Ky.
3609 19 Cupp, Tenn.
3615 19 Pruden, Tenn.
3619 19 Ralston, Ky.
8632 19
3642 19 Caryville, Tenn.
3643 19 Caryville, Tenn.
3644 19 Vasper, Tenn.
3646 19 Caryrille, Tenn.
8646 19 Block, Tenn.
3660 19 Caxton, Ky.
3661 19 Kitts, Ky.
3670 19 Fonde, Ky.
8630
21
Montreal, Ark.
3603
22
Point of Rock, Wyo.
3616
23
Depoy, Ky.
3658
23
Island, Ey.
3605
24
3698
27
N. D.
8668
27
^D.
3612
20
Export, W. Va.
Organized.
Location.
Big Q, W. Va.
Price, W. Va.
Surveyor, W. Va.
Mt. Hope, W. Va.
Rush Run, W. Va.
Organized.
^ Location.
Tide Dale, Pa.
Luncinaboro, Pa.
ParduB, Pa.
Saltsburg, Pa.
Crafton, Pa,
m Pa.
Fair Haven, Pa.
Freeport, Pa,
Edgecliff, Pa.
Cambridge, Ohio.
McLuney, Ohio.
Roaeville, Ohio.
Irondale, Ohio.
Wellsburg, W. Va.
South Zanesville, Ohio.
Byesville, Ohio.
Washingtonville, Ohio.
Wellaton, Ohio.
Wheeling, W. Va.
German o, Ohio.
Neffs, Ohio.
Moxahala, Ohio.
Hammond sville, Ohio.
Smithfield, Ohio.
Piney Fork, Ohio.
Ladd, Wash.
Kopiah, Wash.
Terre Haute, Ind.
NOVEMBER.
Abandoned.
L,U. Dist. Location.
2866 29 Ridgeview, W. Va.
Organized.
L.U.
Diat
Location.
3686
11
Washington, Ind.
8689
11
Linton, Ind.
3692
11
8712
11
8684
12
Bryant, III.
8708
12
Elkville, lU.
8710
12
Stonefort, III.
3781
12
Pittoburs, HI.
36B6
13
Lovilia, Iowa.
8682
14
3696
14
8742
14
Mo.
8694
16
L«iter, Colo.
3713
16
Wootton, Colo.
8741
16
Shaw, W. Va.
3723
17
Dana, W. Va.
8724
17
Charleston, W. Va.
8725
17
Sand Lick, W. Va.
8782
17
Big Chimney, W. Va.
8784
17
•mmM -Va.
3739
17
Marmet, W. Va.
3740
17
Ramage. W. Va.
8687
19
Blanche, Ky.
8697
19
Harlan, Ky.
3698
19
Harlan, Ky.
8699
19
Harlan, Ky.
8700
19
Krob, Ky.
8701
19
Glomaur, Ky.
8706
19
Ages, Ky.
8714
19
Balkan. Ky.
8718
19
Jellico, Tenn.
3727
19
Elya, Ky.
3728
19
Troaper, Ky.
3785
19
Balaton, Ky.
8748
19
Kay, Ky.
3744
19
Hartranft, Tenn.
S746
19
Straight Creek, Ky.
275
Organized. Abandoned.
L..U. Dist. Location.
3746 19 Pineville, Ky.
3675 21 Gowen, Okla.
3688 23 Owensboro, Ky.
3702 29 Meadow Fork, W. Va.
3722 29 Meadow River, W. Va.
3733 29 Sewell, W. Va.
2747 29 Royal, W.Va.
Total number organized during fiscal year ending November 30, 1917, 807.
Total number abandoned during fiscal year ending November 30, 1917, 102^
REPORT OF INTERNATIONAL AUDITORS.
Indianapolis, Indiana, January 15, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-Sixth Consecutive and the Third
Biennial Convention of the International United Mine Workers of
America, in Convention here assembled:
We, the undersigned Auditors of the International United Mine Workers
of America, have examined the books and accounts of the International Sck:-
i^etary-Treasurer, Wm. Green, for the year comnlencing December 1, 1916, and
^tiding at the close of business November 30, 1917, and we beg leave to sub-
^^it our findings for your consideration.
INCOME.
T?ax .....'. $1,102,142.86
Supplies 17,557.50
'Journal 28,143.93
t.udlow 6,087.53
Strike Donation 60,800.44
-Assessment 528,111.09
Miscellaneous 16,934.00
Total 11,759,727.34
EXPENDITURES.
Salary and Expenses $ 377,662.86
Supplies 15,182.03
Office Expenses 9,469.15
276
Printing 8,451.59
Journal 66,014.40
Telephone, Postage and Express 9,920.43
Aid District No. 2 $ 23,000.00 j
Aid District No. 5 58,000.00 !
Aid District No. 15 66,850.00 ;
Aid District No. 16— Wm. Diamond, Agent 700.00
Aid District No. 17 3,600.00
Aid District No. 19 252,125.00
Ai4 District No. 20 108,400.00
Aid District No. 23 9,523.75
Aid District No. 23— Geo. Hargrove, Hopkins Co. Agt. 120,500.00
Individual Aid 810.50—$ 648,509.25
Loan returned to District No. 1 65,000.00 •
Loan returned to District No. 5. . : 60,000.00
Loan returned to District No. 9 45,000.00
Loan returned to District No. 12 250,000.00
Loan returned to District No. 13 61,040.00
Loan returned to District No. 14 , . . . 52,238.00
Loan returned to District No. 21 '. . 60,000.00
Loan returned to District No. 22 55,000.00
Loan returned to District No. 25 30,744.0C^
Loan returned to District No. 27 12,860.0C^
% 681,882.00
Traveling Auditor District No. 1 $ 1,899.36
Traveling Auditor District No. 2 1,016.40
Traveling Auditor District No. 5.^ 2,741.72
Traveling Auditor District No. 6 1,887.34
Traveling Auditor District No. 7 802.94
Traveling Auditor District No. 8 199.70
Traveling Auditor District No. 9 1,699.22
Traveling Auditor District No. 10. 393.10
Traveling Auditor District No. 11 970.89
Traveling Auditor District No. 12 4,035.62
Traveling Auditor District No. 13 836.10
Traveling Auditor District No. 14 1,180.92
277
uditor District No. 17 153.59
uditor District No. 21 1,451.86
uditor District No. 22 1,394.72
uditor District No. 23 660.20
uditor District No. 24 143.98
uditor District No. 25 953.82
uditor District No. 27 580.21—
rican Federation of Labor 31,679.06
ng Dept. A. F. of L 4,037.92
les and Labor Congress of Canada 871.02
:ampbell, attorneys 1,000.00
)e, attorney 200.00
:, attorney 250.00
jt, attorney 200.00
lawkins, attorney 20,288.62
itgomery, attorney 1,116.50
rg, attorney 253.00
mer, Legal Advisor 463.00
irrie, attorney 312.50
rum, attorney 17,415.00
Secy., Dist. 21 — Expenses of litigation. . . 8,722.85
pin, Acting Secy. Dist. 15 — Expenses 4,000.00
pin, Act. Secy. Dist. 15 — Joint Conference 2,000.00
pin — Victims of Hastings, Col.', explosion. 2,000.00
% Secy., Dist. 18 — Explosion victims 1,000.00
y, Secy., Jos. A. Holmes Safety Assn 1,000.00
y, Secy. Dist. 14 — Explosion victims 1,000.00
non. Industrial Relations Commission... 1,000.00
, Secy. Dist. 25 — Witness in .\lex Howat
250.00
ndrew. Secy., litigation 500.00
1 Defense 500.00
an, libel suits 1,000.00
rly, for relief of men deported from Gal-
M 400.00
bonds furnished 280.00
23,001.68
278
Ed. S. Moore, premium on 26 appeal bonds, Alabama
strike 236.00
R. C. Smith, forfeiture of bond 772.30
Hugh Sullivan, one-half contract price for erection
of Ludlow Monument 3,250.00
Traveling Auditors' special meeting held in Indian-
apolis, July, 1917 2,409.68
Donation Red Cross War Fund 200.00
Jas. Moran, Pres. Dist. 16, for settlement in full with
Mrs. Haffemeyer 300.00
Andrew Churchman, Vice-Pres., Sub-Dist. 1, Dist. 7.. 1,266.94
Chris. Evans, Committee on History of Mine Workers 1,603.76
D. H. Sullivan, Com. on History of Mine Workers . . 864.66
Sam Pascoe 872.84
Robt. Osborne, Special Auditor 696.02
Frank Hughes, expenses in Irvine Field 300.00
Branch Office No. 1— Trinidad, Colo 1,660.00
J. V. Poag, expenses Madisonville office 126.04
Colo. Sanitarium expenses for Louis Zancanelli 361.37
The Misses Beatty, reporting special Convention
District 6 300.00
Harry A. Couch, reporting joint Convention Dist. 17. 236.00
Jos. Poggiani, expenses Organization work 846.02
Miscellaneous 26,767.33—1 144,*^^^
Total $1,966,^^
i
RECAPITULATION.
Balance on hand December 1, 1916 $ 417,0^^'
Income from December 1, 1916, to December 1, 1917 1,769, '7^
Total ' $2,176,74^-*
Expenditures December 1, 1916, to December 1, 1917 1,966,99^'
Balance on hand December 1, 1917 $ 209,747" '
279
■
BANK STATEMENTS.
Des Moines, Iowa, December 18, 1917.
Iin J. Mossop, Albert Neutzling, T. G. Morgan,
)rs United Mine Workers of America:
men — This is to certify that the International United
icers of America had on deposit with the Des Moines
ank at the close of business November 30, 1917, the sum
$26,000.00
Very truly yours,
J. A. CAVANAUGH, Vice-President
Birmingham, Ala., December 31, 1917.
in J. Mossop, Albert Neutzling, T. G. Morgan,
>rs United Mine Workers of America:
men — This is to certify that on November 30 the books of the
m Trust & Savings Company showed as follows:
ngs account, showing deposit of $5,000.00 under date of August
abject to the order of the United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co.,
eir local agrent, Mr. Ed. S. Moore, attorney in fact,
cate of deposit No. 6176, dated August 18, 1917, for $5,000, pay-
order of the United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co., through Mr.
re, attorney in fact.
cate of deposit No. 6078, dated August 25, 1917, for $10,000, pay-
order of the United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co., through Mr.
re, attorney in fact.
e above funds were receive^ and deposited as above indicated,
uctions from the local representatives of the United Mine Work-
irica.
Very truly,
BIRMINGHAM TRUST & SAVINGS CO.,
By W. H. MANLY, Cashier.
Scranton, Pa., December 19, 1917.
in J. Mossop, Albert Neutzling, T. G. Morgan,
rs United Mine Workers of America:
men — This is to certify that the International United
ers of America had on deposit with the County Savings
•
280
Bank, Scranton, Pa., at the close of business November 30, 1917,
the sura of $10,000.00
Very truly yours,
W. M. RUTH, Cashier.
Coshocton, Ohio, December 19, 1917.
Messrs. John J. Mossop, Albert Neutzling, T. G. Morgan,
Auditors United Mine Workers of America:
Gentlemen — This is to certify that the International United
Mine Workers of America had on deposit with the Central Bank of
Coshocton, Ohio, at the close of business November 30, 1917, the
sum of $10,000.00
Very truly yours,
CARL McGINNIS, Cashier.
United States Liberty Bonds $10,000.00
Wheeling, West Virginia, December 21, 1917.
Messrs, John J. Mossop, Albert Neutzling, T. G. Morgan,
Auditors United Mine Workers of America:
Gentlemen — This is to certify that the International Depart-
ment of the United Mine Workers of America had on deposit with
the Wellsburg National Bank at the close of business November 30,
1917, the sum of $8,000.00, which sum has been up until December
16, 1916, subject to the check of John C. Palmer, Jr., special com-
missioner given to the United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company
at Baltimore, Md.. as collateral for the bond of Frank Ledvinks.
This sum having been released from the aforementioned check
was deposited in the attomey*s account of Erskine, Palmer & Curl,
of which tlrm I am a member, in the City Bank of Wheeling, W.
Va., and is held by said firm of Erskine, Palmer & Curl, subject to
the onier of the International Department of the United Mine Work-
ers of America $3,000.00
Very truly yours,
JOHN C. PALMER, Jr.
Statements on tile show the following amounts on deposit in Colorado
banks:
Louisville Bank $ 6,303.60
Lafay^tl«^ Bank A Trust Company 46,565.50
Erie Bank 4,712.25
L
281
Indianapolis, Indiana, December 27, 1917.
Messrs. John J. Mossop, Albert Neutzling, T. 6. Morgan,
Auditors United Mine Workers of America :
Grentlemen — This is to certify that the International United
Mine Workers of America had on deposit with the Indiana National
Bank at the close of business November 30, 1917, the sum of $93,732.19
Strike Fund 8,886.62
Yours very truly,
ANDREW SMITH, Vice-President.
Total amount on deposit $237,700.16
Outstanding checks 27,952.61
Balance on hand December 1, 1917 $209,747.55
The following shows the loans received by the International organiza-
tion from various districts during the former strikes which are still unpaid :
District No. 1 $ 25,000.00
District No. 7 5,000.00
District No. 11 25,000.00
District No. 13 13,960.00
District No. 14 72,762.00
District No. 22 30,000.00
District No. 25 9,256.00
Total loans by National still unpaid $180,978.00
Total balance on hand $ 28,769.05
JOURNAL.
From July 15, 1917, to December 1, 1917:
INCOME.
Loans from Wm. Green, Secretary-Treasurer $ 4,000.00
Advertising 11,306.77
Subscriptions 7,981.27
Miscellaneous 22.48
Total $23,310.52
282
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries, business office $ 1,193.
Salaries and expenses, editorial 3,084.
Miscl. printing, office supplies, telegrams, etc 164
Postage, business office 62
Postage, mailing Journal 1,118
Advertising commission 1,805
Miscellaneous expense 48
Circulation commission paid where agents sent full subscription
price 228
Paper for Journal 8,678.
Printing Journal 4,923.
Total $21,308.
Balance cash on hand November 30, 1917 $ 2,002.
Outstanding checks 209.
Total amount on deposit % 2,211.
Indianapolis, Indiana, December 27, 1917.
Messrs. John J. Mossop, Albert Neutzling, T. G. Morgan,
Auditors, United Mine Workers of America :
Gentlemen — This is to certify that the United Mine Workers
Journal, John L. Lewis, Manager, had on deposit with the Indiana
National Bank at the close of business November 30, 1917, the
sum of $2,211.^
Yours very truly,
ANDREW SMITH, Vice-President
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN J. MOSSOP,
ALBERT NEUTZLING,
T. G. MORGAN,
International Auditors, U. M. W. of A.
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REPORTS OF OFFICERS.
Vice-President John L. Lewis presided during the reading of Presi-
dent Hayes' report.
President Hayes presided during .the reading of the reports of
Vice-President John L. Lewis, Secretary-Treasurer William Green and
the Auditors.
The Reports of the Officers were distributed to the delegates in
printed form* and referred to the Committee on Officers' Reports.
The Report of the Auditors was adopted and made part of the
permanent records of the convention.
President Hayes announced the following appointments:
Messengers — James McCormick, District No. 6; Andrew Fielder,
District No. 5; James H. Pitman, District No. 12; P. T. McGary, Dis-
trict No. 13.
Secretary Green read the following invitation from the Loyal Order
of Moose:
Indianapolis, Ind., January 15, 1918.
United Mine Workers of America, City:
Dear Sirs — Indianapolis Lodge No. 17, hojal Order of Moose, here-
with extends to you their greetings and wish you success in the delib-
erations of your grreat organization, and further extends the hospitality
of the Loyal Order of Moose in every way possible to make your visit
as comfortable as possible.
Our clubrooms and parlors are at your disposal during your stay
in this city and are located at 135 North Delaware street.
Yours very truly,
WM. ANDERSON, Secretory.
The chairman announced that the report of the Committee on Cre-
dentials would be the first order of business Wednesday morning.
Souvenir badges were distributed to the delegates by the messen-
gers, assisted by Delegates Watkins (A.), Pace, Zerbe and McGary.
At 5 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 9 a. m., Wednesday,
January 16.
287
SECOND DAY-MORNINB SESSION
Indianapolis, Ind., January 16, 1918.
The convention was called to order at 9:00 o'clock a. m., Wedn^Mlay,
January 16, President Hayes in the chair.
President Hayes: Some few days ago I invited the Secretary of
Labor, William B. Wilson, to be present and address this convention.
I received the following telegram in answer to that invitation :
TELEGRAM FROM SECRETARY OF LABOR
"Washington, D. C, January 14, 1918.
"Frank J. Hayes, President United Mine Workers of America, Indian-
apolis, Ind.:
"I appreciate very much your invitation to be present and deliver
an address at the International convention of the United Mine Workers.
The pressure of public business, however, makes it impossible for me
to accept. I would have liked to have impressed upon the delegates
the idea that the United States is engaged in this war for the preserva-
tion of our own democracy as well as the other democracies of the
world. You will recall the terms of the communication in which the
German imperial government notified our government that it proposed
to renew submarine warfare and destroy the lives of our people within
a prescribed zone without warning and without opportunity for escape.
It notified us that it would permit us to send one vessel a week to
England. Was not our Congress responsible to us for their action placing
restrictions upon our labor and commerce? It was the German imperial
government undertaking without our consent to impose rules of conduct
upon us in places where we had a legal and moral right to be; it was
autocracy pure and simple. I cite this simply as one of the examples
of the extent to which the imperial German government sought to con-
trol our institutions and our actions. Wage workers have more at
stake in the maintenance of democracies than any other portion of the
people because it is only in democracies that the common people can
have an opportunity of working out their own destiny in their own
way. I know that the mine workers generally appreciate these facts
288
and that they will continue to make every necessary sacrifice to defend
our institutions and promote the common good of mankind.
"WILLIAM B. WILSON, Secretary of Labor."
■'--'■' "January 15, 1918.
"To the Officers and Members of the United Mine Workers of America,
in Convention Assembled:
"Brothers — On behalf of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and
Joiners of America I extend to you fraternal greetings and express the
hope that from your deliberations will come much benefit to the labor
movement of our country and set an example to the workers of the
world, as I feel that in this, the crisis through which this country and
its allies are now passing, much depends on the organized labor move-
ment.
"Knowing from past experience the record of your organisation for
that which is right and just, I desire to assure you of the hearty co-op-
eration and assistance of the United Brotherhood in carrying out these
principles in the future in evei^ way that will be helpful.
"With kindest regards and wishing you a successful convention, I
remain, "Fraternally yours,
"WM. L. HUTCHESON, General President.
"FRANK J. HAYES,
"Merchants National Bank Bldg., Indianapolis, Ind."
The communications were received, made part of the records of the
convention and the secretary was instructed to make suitably reply.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS.
Printed copies of the list of delegates were distributed, the chair-
man of the committee stating that there was no contest against these
delegates and recommended their seating.
Delegate Grills, District 12, moved the adoption of the report of the
committee and the seating of those delegates against whom no protest
had been filed. (Seconded and carried.)
Chairman Mossop, of the committee, read a list of delegates whose
289
local unions were in arrears lor per capita tax or assessments and
against whom protests had been filed. He announced that those dele-
grates would be given a hearing after adjournment and a report would
be made upon the cases later.
APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES
President Hayes announced the following appointments:
Sergeants-at-Arms — Michael Hartneady, District 7; John O'Leary,
tt«trict 6; Paul Paulsen, District 22; P. J. Sweeney, District 9; Fred
Mooner, District 17; Joe Loftus, District 12.
Committee on Officers' Reports — Philip Murray, Chairman, District
^; Charles O'Neil, Secretary, District 2; J. C. Lewis, District 18; James
^oyle, District 21; Joseph Richards, District 6; Martin Flyzik, District
^^; C. F. Keeney, District 17; Archie Forbes, District 11; James J. Mc-
Andrews, District 9.
Resolutions Committee — Robert H. Harlin, Chairman, District 10;
^*«i J. Smith, Secretary, District 12; James Matthews, District 9; Wil-
iiam Dalrymple, District 21; Frank Waite, District 2; William Hargest,
^^trict 5; William Mitchell, District 13; J. R. Kennamer, District 20;
Clare^g^ McCaflferty, District 6.
Constitution Committee — Frank Farrington, Chairman, District 12;
^^*^ Wilkinson, Secretory, District 27; William Harrison, District 20;
*^Xifej» Morgan, District 22; James Forgie, District 6; G. H. Edmunds,
Let 13; Van Bittner, District 19; William Mitch, District 11; Rob-
^^ Oibbons, District 6.
Committee on Appeals and Grievances — Edward Stewart, Chairman,
^^^^ct 11; John T. Dempsey, Secretory, District 1; John Moore, Dis-
^^ ^; Thomas Kennedy, District 7; E. S. McCullough, District 5; John
District 18; John Wilkinson, District 21; John Brophy, District 2;
• t^- Duncan, District 23.
SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT OF SECRETARY-TREASURER.
bellow Delegates — I am referring to a matter of great importonce
I overlooked when preparing my report. A schedule bond can be
^*^xiged for all local unions under the jurisdiction of the United Mine
10-M. Pro.
i
290
Workers, so that no matter who may be serving asi local union officers,
the funds of local unions will be secured and the officers of each local
union automatically placed under bond.
This plan is now in effect in some districts, but because the laws of
the organization are not explicit and mandatory requiring that this be
done, I find it is not operating in a fully successful manner. The funds
of each and every local union should be protected. The membership
ought to be guaranteed that their moneys will be accounted for and the
local union fully indemnified in the event a dishonest officer misappro-
priates their money or property.
So that this may be done I recommend that the law be amended by
making it mandatory that either the international organization or the
district organization arrange for blanket bonds by which all local unions
under their respective jurisdiction will be covered in one general sched-
ule bond; the premium for said schedule bond to be paid by either the
International Secretary-Treasurer or the District Secretary-Treasurer
and the same in turn to be collected from local unions pro rata according
to their respective membership; and no local union to be considered in
good standing ¥dth the different branches of the organization until sod)
premium is paid.
If all local union officers are bonded in this manner the membership
may feel assured that their money is safeguarded in full measure. In
addition, local unions will not be required to look after the details in-
volved in the execution of a bond; the officer of the organization author-
ized to do so will perform this service.
Respectfully submitted,
WM. GREEN, Secretary-Treasurer.
The supplemental report was referred to the Committee on Officers'
Reports.
President Hayes: Some days ago I invited Dr. .Garfield, the Fuel
Administrator, to address this convention. The secretary has received
the following communication from Dr. Garfield:
291
"Washington, D. C, January 14, 1918.
'* William Green, Secretary Miners' Union, Indianapolis, Ind.:
''Mr. White has conveyed to me the invitation from Mr. Hayes ask-
ing me to attend the convention of the United Mine Workers of America,
meeting at Indianapolis tomorrow. As stated in my letter to Mr. Hayes
last week, I appreciate sincerely the loyal response made by mine work-
ers to appeals for co-operation with the Government in the present emer-
gency. The steady decrease in loss of tonnage since August by reason
of labor shortage is eloquent testimony of this co-operation. I have ven-
tured to state on many occasions that both mine workers and operators
have displayed a laudable purpose as American citizens to put aside dif-
ferences in the present emergency and to u^ite during the period of the
war in a common purpose to increase the production of coal. The suc-
cessful presentation of the war depends as much on the men in the mines
as on the men in the trenches. I regret that I cannot be with you.
"H. A. GARFIELD."
President Hayes: In a letter received from Dr. Garfield some days
ago, replying to my invitation to him to address the convention, he
stated that, owing to the serious condition of the coal industry and the
many demands made upon him in Washington, it was absolutely im-
possible for him to attend. He advised me, however, that his labor
adviser would be present and present the fuel situation to this conven-
tion. I am pleased to inform the deleg^ates that we have with us for-
mer President John P. White, who is the labor adviser of Dr. Garfield's
administration. If it is the wish of this convention I will be pleased to
have former President White address you at this time. I do not think
I need to introduce him; he has been engaged in the service of our move-
ment for more than twenty years, but I take pleasure in presenting to
you the former President of this organization, John P. White.
ADDRESS OF MR. JOHN P. WHITE, LABOR ADVISER NATIONAL
FUEL ADMINISTRATOR.
Mr. Chairman, Fellow Delegates and Friends: I am certainly de-
lighted to seize this opportunity to say a few words in defense of thing^s
that are happening and in defense of the position of our organization.
I was delighted, as I know each and every one of you was delighted,
290
Workers, so that no matter who may be serving asi local union officers,
the funds of local unions will be secured and the officers of each local
union automatically placed under bond.
This plan is now in effect in some districts, but because the laws of
the organization are not explicit and mandatory requiring that this be
done, I find it is not operating in a fully successful manner. The funds
of each and every local union should be protected. The membership
ought to be guaranteed that their moneys will be accounted for and the
local union fully indenmified in the event a dishonest officer misappro-
priates their money or property.
So that this may be done I recommend that the law be amended by
making it mandatory that either the international organization or the
district organization arrange for blanket bonds by which all local unions
under their respective jurisdiction will be covered in one g^eral sched-
ule bond; the premium for said schedule bond to be paid by either the
International Secretary-Treasurer or the District Secretary-Treasurer
and the same in turn to be collected from local unions pro rata according
to their respective membership; and no local union to be considered in
good standing with the different branches of the organization until such
premium is paid.
If all local union officers are bonded in this manner the membership
may feel assured that their money is safeguarded in full measure. In
addition, local unions will not be required to look after the details in-
volved in the execution of a bond; the officer of the organization author-
ized to do so will perform this service.
Respectfully submitted,
WM. GREEN, Secretary-Treasurer.
The supplemental report was referred to the Committee on Officers'
Reports.
President Hayes: Some days ago I invited Dr. .Garfield, the Fuel
Administrator, to address this convention. The secretary has received
the following communication from Dr. Garfield:
291
"Washington, D. C, January 14, 1918.
'* William Green, Secretary Miners' Union, Indianapolis, Ind.:
''Mr. White has conveyed to me the invitation from Mr. Hayes ask-
ing me to attend the convention of the United Mine Workers of America,
meeting at Indianapolis tomorrow. As stated in my letter to Mr. Hayes
last week, I appreciate sincerely the loyal response made by mine work-
ers to appeals for co-operation with the Government in the present emer-
gency. The steady decrease in loss of tonnage since August by reason
of labor shortage is eloquent testimony of this co-operation. I have ven-
tured to state on many occasions that both mine workers and operators
have displayed a laudable purpose as American citizens to put aside dif-
ferences in the present emergency and to uiiite during the period of the
war in a common purpose to increase the production of coal. The suc-
cesafol presentation of the war depends as much on the men in the mines
as on the men in the trenches. I reg:ret that I cannot be with you.
"H. A. GARFIELD."
President Hayes: In a letter received from Dr. Garfield some days
ago, replying to my invitation to him to address the convention, he
stated that, owing to the serious condition of the coal industry and the
many demands made upon him in Washington, it was absolutely im-
possible for him to attend. He advised me, however, that his labor
adviser would be present and present the fuel situation to this conven-
tion. I am pleased to inform the delegates that we have with us for-
mer President John P. White, who is the labor adviser of Dr. Garfield's
administration. If it is the wish of this convention I will be pleased to
have former President White address you at this time. I do not think
I need to introduce him; he has been engaged in the service of our move-
ment for more than twenty years, but I take pleasure in presenting to
you the former President of this organization, John P. White.
ADDRESS OF MR. JOHN P. WHITE, LABOR ADVISER NATIONAL
FUEL ADMINISTRATOR.
Mr. Chairman, Fellow Delegates and Friends: I am certainly de-
lighted to seize this opportunity to say a few words in defense of thing^s
that are happening and in defense of the position of our organization.
I was delighted, as I know each and every one of you was delighted,
292
to listen to the splendid and edifying reports of our officers which be-
speak the hopes and aspirations of the subterranean toilers of this coon-
try. As I look into your faces this morning I am deeply impressed with
the fact that you have come here, as others have come in former years,
with a high resolve to perform the duties that devolve upon yoa in this
convention in such a manner that when your work has been completed
it will redound to the everlasting credit and benefit of those who hon-
ored you with their confidence.
I retired from the presidency of your great organization to aeoept
a position as adviser to Dr. Garfield in the Fuel Administration in Wash-
ington. I went to Dr. Garfield a few days ago and importuned him to
accept the invitation of your President, knowing he would have a mes-
sage for the mine workers' representatives here. He deeply re^pretted
that the burden of business that devolves upon the fuel administration
prevented his meeting and mingling with the delegates in tiiis conven-
tion. I know you would be impressed with the sincerity of Dr. Gar-
field's aims and purposes, as I have been impressed during my brief
association with him in his cabinet. I found him to be a great, upstand-
ing American, imbued with deep sympathy for our cause and our pur-
pose, and I am sure his decisions affecting the mine workers have been
such as to commend him to the kindly consideration of our vast con-
stituency.
There has been a marked departure in the conduct of the affairs
of the mine workers in the past year because of the great
world-wide war. Rules that had been set up for the conduct
of war and organizations heretofore no longer suffice, for we
are living in the most important hour of our nation's history,
when the world is engrossed in the greatest war that has
ever occurred among the nations of the earth. Our organization,
representing as it does the greatest basic industry in this country of
ours, plays no small part in the success of this great struggle that is
now going on. When our country decided to cast its lot with the democ-
racies of the world and when our sons were mobilized for the contest the
hour of debate ceased in our lives and the decision of our Gowmment
became the decision of all loyal citizens. The stars on this service flag
bespeak the loyalty of the mine workers. The President o£ the United
States in his message to this convention clearly indicates that there is
293
no question about the loyalty of this great organization in the contest
in which we are now engaged^ For that reason much of the subject-
matters that will concern you in this convention will be matters that but
a few days ago it was my responsibility to defend. By reason of my re-
tirement from the presidency of your organization thosei responsibilities
are now transferred to the shoulders of my worthy successor. It will
not be amiss for me to say, however, that I believe it will be necessary
that I darify some of the situations surrounding the negotiations of our
recent wage scale.
It became evident to the mine workers' officials in the Central Com-
petitive Field that there was widespread unrest among our people as a
result of the high cost of living and other factors over which this organi-
zation has no control and which were not affected by its policies. It
seemed to be time for us to again approach our employers with. the end
in view of securing from them additional increases in wages to meet these
new-found responsibilities. After full consultation our international offi-
cials and the representatives of the organizations in the Central Com-
petitive Field again took this matter up and decided to approach the
operators in an endeavor to secure another substantial increase in wag^.
Ere we had succeeded in formulating our plans and policies the Federal
Government, under the influence of public opinion, decided to exercise
Federal control over the selling price of coal at the mines and to police
all of the coal industry, both in the producing end and in the retail or
distributing end of the business. We could readily foresee that the same
law that gave the Federal Government, through the President of this
country, the right to fix the selling price of coal also gave to the Presi-
dent and his associates the right to reg^ilate the hours of labor and the
wages of the employes in the coal mines of this country.
This was a marked departure from ordinary procedure and was
bound to have a far-reaching effect upon our organization and its policies.
We went out an invitation to the representatives of the operators of the
Central Competitive Field and asked them to attend an informal confer-
ence in the dty of Indianapolis early in September. They responded to
our call, but before we were thoroughly organized in that meeting Dr.
Garfidd, who had been appointed by the President Chief Fuel Adminis-
trator of this nation, vnred and asked us to defer the conference until his
department was organized. We submitted readily to his wishes in this
294
matter and in due time he gave his consent to the convening of that wage
conference. He appeared before us in Washington and told us that the
powers that belonged to us as joint negotiators of wage contracts wens
still with us. He recognized that our organizations were there to per-
form 1^ certain legitimate function and, so far as he was concerned, he
was perfectly willing to have us determine that, subject to the approval
of the government.
After days of debate another increase in wages was secured for
the mine workers, the third increase in about eighteen months.
This last increase in wages was made subject to the Federal Gov-
ernment increasing the selling price of coal; in other words, your
representatives agn^ed with the coal operators that they could not
increase the wages to the extent we demanded and secured out of
the then existing prices that had been fixed by the g^ovemment. It
therefore became necessary, in order to secure that which the operators
said they were willing to give us in order to hold the men at the mines
and stop them from drifting into munitions plants, as well as to quiet the
widespread unrest, for the government to increase the selling nrice of
coal. The increase could not be paid out of the then existing prices.
When we had concluded our joint negotiations we proceeded to Dr. Gar-
field's office and presented to him our handiwork, which is now known as
the Washington Agrreement. It gave the mine workers a large wage in-
crease. In due time Dr. Garfield recommended to the President of the
United States the approval of that wage increase. He held, after exami-
nation of all the facts relative thereto, that it was highly necessary that
this wage increase be granted, and in order to meet that and stabilise
the production of coal during the war it was necessary to advance the
price of coal at the mines to absorb that wage increase. That was done.
In the Wasliington Agreement the mine workers agreed to another
proposition that has caused some of the members to either be confused
about its provisions or to niisunderstand the aims and purposes contem-
plated by that new innovation in our ag^reement. I refer to the penalty
clause. This was one of the factors that made it possible for the repre-
sentatives of the government to acquiesce in our ag^reement. It was In*
tended to stop sporadic strikes and prevent an ultimate course that some
are even advocating today, which the mine workers do not want to see
take place. As the largest single trade union of this American continent
296
we have retained all our collective powers, retained the management of
our organization, and we ought to rejoice in the fact that we have fared
so well in the face of what is going on in all fields of endeavor as a re-
sult of this war and the emergencies surrounding it.
i
Some of our people have been misled or they have received incorrect
information in regard to this penalty clause. It is .not an infrequent
thing for me to receive letters from local unions or to hear men making
the statement that Dr. Garfield established the penalty clause. That is
an error. Dr. Garfield did not do anything of the kind. The representa-
tives of the United Mine Workers of America and the operators agreed
to this penalty clause in their own councils. It was one of the things we
had to breathe into the agreement to show the Fuel Administrator and
others that we were really in earnest in our efforts to stabilize coal pro-
duction. I point this out now because many who have approached me
have left the impression that they believed Dr. Garfield was the man who
negotiated the penalty clause.
A great deal will be said about the penalty clause and the wisdom
of its enactment. I want to say to you that as the President of your
organization during the negotiations referred to I share the full re-
sponsibility for all my ofiicial acts; I stand ready and willing to defend
them as a method of saving our organization from its internal foes.
The agreement gave the miners the highest wages ever paid to miners
and placed them and their organization upon a plan^ of public confidence
they never enjoyed before. Then some of you say that White and his
associates took away from you a right. I ag^ree with you that we took
away from you a right, but it was the right of your local unions to do
wrong that we suspended, and insisted that you respect the courts of
your own organization and have your grievances settled in harmony with
your agreements and your constitution, your organic laws.
From this voluntary wage increase every one figured that happi-
ness and contentment would pervade the ranks of the mine workers
everywhere, and, with few exceptions, that has been the result. I re-
joice with you as an humble member of your organization that you are
here today in - such large numbers, representatives of a great, proud
constituency that is performing its part manfully and well. I know that
when you go away from this convention you will have acquitted your-
s^ves creditably in the eyes of the public, thmt you will have discharged
yoar duties faithfully and well to that great army of deserving men
you represent. I know that the mine workers, after listening to llie
splendid reports of your officers made here yesterday, are going to obey
the mandates of those splendid reports and measure up to every re-
quirement.
We have done more than pledge our word to the maintennncA of
contracts with coal operators; we have taken a step farttier. We have
not <mly told the coal operators and the American public that we wovld
make this a war measure; in other words, that this contract would en-
dure intact during this war, not to exceed two years, oommendng^ in
1918; but we told the President of this mighty r^ublie that tliis qnoa-
tion« although submitted to the approval of this convention, woold be
patriotically met here and our handiwork would be oidoraed. We ought
to demonstrate to the world that we are men of our word and that ihm
bond of this organization can be guaranteed by those who represent it.
1 want to lead myself to the belief that nothing will be done by this con-
vention that will repudiate a word that has been given to oar govern-
ment up to this time. I know the mine workers well enough, I beUeve,
to understand that they are going to approach these qnestions witii
great seriousness and give them their proper weight and considermtion.
In my new field of work 1 shall serve you, as your President states,
just so long as it is your wish to have me serve you. The hardest tiling
in my life was the separation from the association I had formed during
more than twenty consecutive years of service in your orgnnixation.
But, my friends, I may be pardoned when I refer to the fact that al-
though perhaps I have not shone in the limelight of publicity or sought
the gilded hall, 1 have been content to work in my own quiet way in the
interests of a class I felt was deserving of great things in this life. I saw
your organization grow from a fragnnentary movement to its present
proud proportions. I have witnessed all your struggles during the twnety
years of service in which I have been associated with your
in an official capacity. I have noticed the great strides made by the
in the past that have led your organization, and I am proud of the fact
that in all these great achievements that have contributed to the sun of
human happiness, in some small way I have at least satisfied my con-
science that I played a little part in their upbuilding and their perfection.
297
Nearly seven years of service I rendered as international president.
I came into office when the old rafters of our institution were shaking
from one end to the other, when warring factions had the policies and
the fundamentals of this organiza^on almost by the throat, when men
were almost giving up in despair, when dual movements were being
established in the great coal-producing districts. I do not claim credit
for all the achievements that have come during my administration. My
oflScial associates, the members of the International Executive Board,
the field workers and the great rank and file ftiade it possible during the
years I served you to iron out these internal differences and place our
organization on a solid basis again. The result is that during no like
period of our history has there been crowded into it more achievements
that are fundamental than during the period I have referred to. The
eight-hour day is now practically established. The organization is grow-
ing in the non-imion field. The dream and hope of the mine workers
of the anthracite field have been realized, for the organization has been
recognized there, the eight-hour day has been granted, and the bitumi-
nous fields of this country that have dreamed of the day when mine-rim
vrould be their portion have seen their dream realized. I fancy I hear
the pioneers of long ago, men who stood on the fioor of this convention
and said: "Give us mine-run; waive every other consideration, but give
us that fundamental reform that will fill so great a place in our lives."
That was accomplished without the loss of a day's work in our 1916
agn^eement. All these fundamental reforms that mean so much to you
are new yours to have and to hold.
In my humble judgment the mine workers are standing at the
threshold of a great future. Of course there will be new responsibili-
ties, but my confidence in the trio of men who lead your organization,
their associate members on the Board and the men in the district and
local organizations are going to meet that responsibility in manful fash-
ion. I shall rejoice at your continued success and I shall be pained at
your disappointments. Nothing will ever come into my life that will
make me strike at the success of this organization or the welfare of its
members; nothing will ever come, I hope, in my life that will make me
forfeit the confidence of the great constituency that has honored me so
signally in the past.
I want to add one little word to the splendid statements that were
298
made in appealing: to your good sense and loyal judgment by your officers
yesterday in upholding the decision of our country, in oontributmg to
the future as you have been doing so loyally since we entered this war
in producing coal, in making the succ^s of our army possible. I watched
with a great deal of interest in Washington the numerous attempts
made by those who would have the public believe you are not doing
your part 1 am there to register my protest and to clarify the situa-
tion whenever opportunity presents itself. You have the word of those
in authority, from President Wilson, from Dr. Garfield, from Secretary
W. B. Wilson and from the grreat voice of public opinion comes word of
approval that the mine workers are doing their part in such a magni-
ficent manner.
The great strikes and struggles that characterized your career, my
friends, are milestones in the life of this great movement. As I look into
the faces of the delegates here today I miss many of the old-timers who
made so much splendid history in this organization. I see the young men
pressing forward — a very hopeful sign — ^to meet the new and added re-
sponsibilities that come by reason of the old giving way to the new. This
is the regular order of things. The young men in our movement should
take hope and encouragement out of the fact that those who went be-
fore and yielded their all in order that this magnificent institution might
grow and thrive and serve its great constituency in a way that would
bring the most substantial results. I know your ambition to meet every
legritimate requirement that will be imposed upon us as delegates in this
convention.
I want to say to you before I conclude that I will only exorcise those
privileges that belong to a delegate in this convention. I will be keen to
defend my good name and to render such service to the success of this
convention as I am capable of. The responsibilities that came to me as
President I have tried to meet in such a manner as to meet with your
approval. That I have made mistakes and that I have men who cbmaafj
themselves as my enemies I have no doubt; but, my friends, I am willmg
to submit to the judgment of this convention, as I have always been will-
ing to submit to the decision of the institution I hold membership in. Of
course I have made mistakes. Show me the man who says he has made
no mistakes and I will show you a man who is not actively engaged for
your welfare; and the man who figures that he can shoulder tiie vast
299
responsibility that is represented in this great convention and will not
make mistakes is laboring under a misapprehension. Therefore, my.
friends, I hope the mistakes I have made will be looked upon as mis-
takes of the head; I know they are not of the heart.
And for my detractors, those who see no good in anything I have
accomplished, I have nothing but compassion. I love the movement all
the more for the enemies I have made. Let me say to you that it will
be the pride of my life to watch this great movement of ours and to see
my successor and his official colleagues winning new accomplishments,
greater emoluments and a higher position than I was ever able to place
you in. Out of the fullness of my heart I acknowledge the debt of grati-
tude I owe the men of the mines, and no service I can ever render, no
matter how great it may be, will ever repay them. Therefore, if it should
be the judgment of some men in this convention that I have maliciously
done anything wrong I do not want them to shield me or to grant me any
immunity. If they feel that my conduct as an officer or as a man while
serving you in this tremendously responsible position has not been what
it should be, I want them to have the courage to meet me in the open
here and do it in manful fashion. I am ready to answer for my steward-
ship, and I believe I will be able to answer in a way that will meet the
approval of all lovers of fair play and justice in our organization.
It is a long step, my friends, from the first day I felt the initial re-
sponsibility of our organization to this day. I met with the men many
years ago as a boy, when "^e were not permitted to meet in the open, as
we are today; when governments, local, state and national, gave no con-
cern to the cause we represented. I have seen the steps taken all the
way up; I have seen the conditions in the mines improved and I am glad
that the old evil conditions have been driven out of them. I went into
the mine, as hundreds of other boys of my age and day went in, and
worked twelve long, weary hours for the magnificent sum of 65 cents a
day. And despite the fact that some say our organization has not accom-
plished anything, an examination of the wage scales and the conditions
under which our people work now plainly show the remarkable progress
that has come to the mine workers through their organization. From
every public rostrum in every coal-producing district in this country to
which I have journeyed in the seven years I have served you I have
sought to impress this upon the mine workers. In all that time I have
300
I rind to lerve you. I have mingled with the men on the mountain slopes
at Pennsylvania and West Virginia, I have journeyed to the far western
(toast, I have met with the men on the boundlesa prairies of the Golden
West, I have gone to the mountain districts of the Northwest, I have
mingled with the men eversrwhere, and I have nothing but praise and
approval for them. I know something about their in^ulses, their hopes
and their desires, and I have sought to defend those ideals that went so
fHr into their lives with the best ability of which I was capable.
My administration was characterized by great strife, and, as is indi-
fttted by the r^orts of your president and secretary, we were dogged
u[\ along the line by litigation in the hope that our memies would succeed
ih destroying our organization by that method. Strikes of great magni-
tude, where the greatest brutality possible to be displayed, occurred
«(uring my administration of your affairs. When I transferred the re-
uponsibility to my good friend and co-worker, Frank J. Hayes, it was the
proudest moment of my life — although I regretted to lay down the cares
—to know that I was handing to him an organization that had been
purged of internal factional strife and that no great strikes were there
iu mar the success of his administration.
The organization has expanded to the extent of more than 176,000
UDW members ; it has reached out into the dtadds of oppression to lift up
I hone men, and the organization is strong enough and capaMe enough to
tetirvd as a shield against the agents of oppression. The United Mine
Workers organization is the greatest single force at work today in this
country for the elevation of the men of the mines. Mark well what I tell
ytui now. If ever the mine workers of this country listen to the siren
Httng of the deceiver and turn the aims of the organisation from the path
of i-t«ctitude, an evil hour will strike in your life. Guard well the progresi
yww have made, heed the advice of the men who are laboring under the
rii«|u\naibilities of leadership in your organization, maintain your dis-
tMpUne and you will always be able to secure redress of such grievances
MM you may have in a Urgter and better way than by any other method
\\\\{ oau pursue.
1 was ind««^l gUd to bo able, along with these men ii^ have assisted
WW so w^^lK and aUv^ with >x>ur holp. to bring to ttte mine workers the
\\A||«« th^y itfH'ur^l. Kivr dollar? s day isi)^ enough for the men in the
301
mineSy but it is a great deal better than the $2.70 they received when I
took it up; 12.65 a day for a trapper boy on an eight-hour basis is a re-
mazkmble stride since the day I trapped a door for twelve hours at 55
cents a day. And if we are able to convince our younger men, at least
some of them, that there have been sacrifices made to bring this grand old
institution to its present accomplishments hope of the future is doubly
secured.
In conclusion^ I want to express my deep appreciation of the many
honors I have received at your hands. You will find that I will in the
^^itiire, as in the past, endeavor to so conduct myself that I will continue
^ merit your conAdence and esteem. There are no more honors that I
*^; I will not be concerned about the political machinations of any one;
I am only concerned that the great work that has been going on in your
^'i^ganization, the result of great leadership that preceded me in this or-
S^'^zation, with the help of the men in the rank and file, will be conserved.
-' faiow it will if you heed the advice of your President and his associates.
^ you do that I feel the future generations will arise and bless you for
"^ splendid organization you have erected for them.
Orators have extolled the virtues of princes, kings and heroes of
*^*ttles; but during my journey through life I have observed that here
**^^ there, in selecting their themes, they have almost invariably over-
^^^ked the great underlying cause of labor. Labor, like the rain, the sun-
ahlixe and other indispensable blessings, has never been properly appre-
^ted. There are men in this land of ours today who would deny to us
^^ splendid association, the right to legislate here in freedom for our
own interests. They would have us, as the Lazaruses of our time, sub-
UBting on the crumbs that fall from the tables of the more fortunate;
bot, thanks to the democracy of our labor movement, we have been pre-
served from those arrows of oppression. Your fight must go on and on
ontil alt of these non-union fields shall be brought into the fold of this
mighty union. Then, and not until then, will the work of your great or-
ganization have been accomplished. Nor can you rest from your labors
until that is done. The high wages you now enjoy, the remarkable achieve-
ments that have been enumerated in your officers' reports, are splendid
testimonials to your loyalty to a great principle and your fidelity to the
icreat institution you have erected with your own hands. While I rejoice
that I have played a small part in these accomplishments, let me say to
you that it will require more tact and more ability to hold what we ha?
tC»iuis4\ than it did to obtain it. My confidence in your officials and you.
orf^anization \b unbounded, and I hope for the greatest. possible succesi
of th«lr administration.
I want to thank the officers and the men here, and request you
I'onvoy to tho members at home my appreciation of their kindness to m
U\ i\w yvnrn I have served you. I will take leave now and thank the dele—
Knl«M Mn<l officers for this privilege. I will take my place among you
itnd hop« to be able, if opportunity to do so presents itself and I am called
(i|Min to answer anything that may seem to affect your happiness or the
litiwnr and progress of your organization, to do it in a manner and way
that will bo clear and bring to you the understanding essential to the
MUccoMi of Uiis eonvontion.
Pronldont Hayes: I am sure that I express the sentiment of the
ili>l9tfaU»ii to this convention when I say to former President White that
Yfp dooply apprt»clate the splendid address he delivered this morning and
{\\p irnmi norvic^ ho has rendered this international organization. I feel
nwTp thai tho m)no workers of our land are conscious of the great part
ho ptayod an pronldont of this union in securing great fundamental re-
forinn. I upont aln\iuit seven years in pleasant association with the man
whv) Juot addrowNMi you» and while it pains us to see him leave us in an
oHicial way. wo know ho will alwajrs be with the United Mine Workers of
Amorica in hoart and in spirit
l>olo|rate Matoo: I mox'O that the convention give our former Prea-
idonU John P. White, a riaing vot« of thanks.
Tho motiv^n was adopto\i by unanimous rising vote.
l>oloirato rhillipo. District SI: I move that former Prasid«t
Whito'» »v>^^'h bo printo\i and distributed to tha ddegates.
*rho motion wa» oocondod and carriod unanhnonaly.
»So«^ivtary i«reon announcod that in the past rquresoitatives of the
Viihihtoo)^ of .\morica had boon allows to take up a coQeetkm in the
MiuvoitMon Ho oxi^lainoxi that tho Volunteers collected the mmey to
(itllovo (ho want* of tho noo^ly and minist» to the side and aged. Fmr-
\\\\wU\\\ ^^al« mranttsi to taWo up tho os^Hoctkn. While the cdllectioB was
303
bein^ taken up other representatives of the Volunteers entertained the
delegates "Vfrith vocal and instrumental music, rendered in a most delight-
ful nuumer.
President Hayes: On account of the storm several of the members
of tlie committee that usually begin their work in advance of the conven-
tion bailed to reach here in time to have reports prepared to submit to
the convention. I think a motion to adjourn until tomorrow morning
will g^ive these committees an opportunity to report.
Delegate Gay (Iowa) moved that the rules be suspended and an ad-
joimment taken to 9 a. m., Wednesday. The motion was seconded and
Prior to adjournment Secretary Green had the messengers and ser-
S^nts-at-arms distribute copies of the Credential Committee's report and
^^ the minutes of the previous day's session. During the time the docu-
i&ents were being distributed the convention was entertained by Delegate
Jaek Bell, of Ohio; Delegate P. F. Walsh, of the anthracite field, and
Delegate Bierbrodt, of Kansas, with several songs.
Delegate Fowler, of Pennsylvania, g^ave a very clever impersona-
tion of a country minister, handicapped by the absence of his glasses,
giving out the hymns to the prayer-meeting. Deleg^ate Joe Loftus, Dis-
trict 12, recited a clever original poem dealing with the present war and
the fate he hoped would overtake the kaiser.
At 11 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 9 a. m., Thursday,
January 17.
THIRD DAY-MORNINS SESSION
The convention was called to order at 9 o'clock a. m., Thursday, Jan-
uary 17, President Hayes in the chair.
Secretary Green read the following conmiunications :
''Kansas City, Mo., January 16, 1918.
'^Wm. Green, Secretary United Mine Workers, Indianapolis, Ind.:
"Please extend to officers and delegates my best wishes for a suc-
cessful convention, also happy, healthy and prosperous new year.
"W. D. RYAN."
804
''Santa Fe, N. M., January IB, 191S.
"Gub Maye^, Tomlinson Hall, Indianapolis:
Members of the State Federation of Labor of New Megdoo extend to
your convention their hearty congn^atulations and wish for your body a
prosperous meeting. May much good result both for the U. S. A. and
the laboring people.
"H. B. KARR, President New Mexico State Federation of Labor.''
Secretary Green: The Bricklayers, Masons and Plasterers' Inter-
national Union, which is aflUiated with the American Federation of La-
bor, is now holding a convention in Philadelphia, Pa. I have taken it
upon myself to prepare a message from this convention, which I wish
to submit for your approval before sending. The message is as follows:
"Indianapolis,* Ind., January 17, 1918.
"Mr. Wm. Dobson, Secretary Bricklayers, Masons and Plasterers' Inter-
national Union, Hotel Walton, Philadelphia, Pa.:
"Delegates attending International Convention United Mine Work —
ers of America, now in session in this city, extend to delegates of yom^
convention meeting in Philadelphia fraternal grreetings. We express th^^
hope you may have' a harmonious and profitable convention. May youi^
actions tend to promote the interest of jrour own organisation especiall^K
and that of the entire labor movement generally.
"WM. GREEN, Secretary United Mine Workers of America."
The convention endorsed the message and the secretary was in —
structed to forward it to the convention in Philadelphia.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS
Delegate Harlin, chairman of the committee: The Committee on ^
Resolutions is prepared to submit a partial report to the convention. «
The delegates have been given copies of the printed resolutions and the ^
secretary of the committee when reading the resolutions will refer to
the pages upon which they are printed so that delegates can follow the
report of the committee. A number of resolutions have not yet been
acted upon by the committee. In some instances we desire additional
information. When we act upon these resolutions they will be reported
to the convention.
805
Del^r^te Paul Smith, Distriet 12» secretary of the eoiiiiiiittee» re-
ported as foUowe:
RESOLUTION NO. 48.
Sublet, Wyo., December 10, 1917.
To the Ofl&oen and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth ConsecutiTe and Third
Biomial Gonyention of the U. M. W. of A.:
At our regular meeting held on Thursday, December 6, 1917, the
following resolution was adopted:
We, as members of Local Union No. 2752, located at Sublet, Wyo.,
Resi^ved, That if there is any increase in wages granted in the EUuit,
that the same shall be granted in the West and all of the United Mine
Worlcers of America.
E. WARD,
JOHN B. SMITH, President,
JAS. ROBERTSON,
Resolutions Committee.
The committee recommended that the resolution be referred to the
various districts in the Northwest.
Chairman Harlin: This resolution comes from Sublet, Wyo., and
while it makes reference to the West, I think it means specifically the
Northwest. This local union in Wyoming apparently desires that the
agreement of the Interstate Competitive Field be recognized as the bas-
ing point for the settlement in Wyoming, Montana and Washington, the
three Northwest districts. The Interstate agreement is the basing point
invariably for the Southwest, Iowa, Michigan and in other Western dis-
tricts. When an agreement was signed in Colorado a little less than a
year ago with the Victor-American Fuel Company it provided that Illi-
nois, Oklahoma and Kansas would be the basing point for Colorado.
In the Northwest there have been on occasions some discrepancies
between the increase granted there and that secured by the Interstate
Central Competitive Field, so that the miners from Wyoming apparent-
ly desire to have the Interstate Agreement recognized as the basing
point for their wage settlements. We haven't an interstate movement
in the Northwest. Some time ago we organized an association known
806
MM the Rocky Mountain Association of Miners, but in spite of ite some-
what high-sounding title it did not accomplish the things we ezpeetod it
would. I had something to do in promoting it, but I am frank to con-
fess it did not succeed as I had hoped. It was decided that in this con-
vention the delegates of Wyoming, Washington and Montana would be
asked to meet in conference during or following this convention. The
purpose of this conference will be to provide some plan to Ining about
the co-operation necessary in the Northwest, with a view of having in-
creases granted in the East recognized as a basis of settlem^t in the
Northwest.
This resolution ought to be referred, as suggested by the report of
the committee, to that conference of the Northwest delegates. I am
quite sure they will be able to take care of their own affairs and they
will probably be able to agree upon some basis of settlement that will
allow them to secure the increase granted the East and Central West.
I do not think this resolution requires any discussion in the convention,
inasmuch as it can be attended to by the conference to which I have
Just alluded. For that reason I sugrgest the adoption of the reconmien-
dation of the committee.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted unanimocisly.
Resolutions No. 68, 147 and 157, dealing with the subject of private
guards and gunmen, were covered by one report as follows :
RESOLUTION NO. 53.
Fayetteville, W. Va., December 5, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, There is an army of mine guards and private gnmnen,
other than the state deputies provided as peace officers in the absence
of the state military, which are maintained by the coal operators of
West Virginia, as we believe, for no other purpose than to retard and
hamper the growth of our organization, and
Whereas, The investigation by the Industrial Relations Conunittee,
in the year 1918, proved that we were law-abiding citizens, and,
307
Whereas, The Honorable Grovemor, H. D. Hatfield, at that time
reoommended that the guard system in West Virgrinia be abolished; and,
believing as we do, that the guard system is not only a menace to society,
bnt a hindrance to the upbuilding of humanity as well; therefore, be it
Resolved, That ihe delegates in convention here assembled, draft
reaolutions and appeal to the Honorable W. B, Wilson, Secretary of
Labor, to immediately take steps to have the mine guard system abol-
ished in all coal mining fields in this United States of America.
Respectfully submitted for your consideration by the members of
Local Union No. 2898, located at South Fayette, Fayette County, West
Virginia. ^ ^ McNEIL,
M. L. HITCHCOCK,
^. W. STEVENSON,
' Committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 147.
Cameyville, Wyo., January 4, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, It has become a custom for employers of labor, during
strikes and industrial cUsturbances, to import irresponsible and dan-
gerous persons for the purpose of intimidation and cruelty towards
our workmen and their families; and
Whereas, It has become manifest that the persons so imported
under the guise of honest labor are invariably men of criminal ten-
dencies, and not infrequently ex-convicts, whose sole aim is to insti-
tute a reign if terror among the homes and families of our workmen
by the perpetration of brutal crimes and gross impositions upon and
against our brothers; and
Whereas, Said persons are not infrequently commissioned as pub-
lic officers at the instance of the employers of labor in order to better
facilitate their brutalities against our brothers, done and perpetrated
under the direction and with the approval of unscrupulous employers;
and
808
WhereaB, Such persons constitute a menace to the well-being of
all honest laborers and their families; and
Whereas, It appears necessary for the proper safeguarding of the
welfare of our brothers and for the better protection of their homes
■
and families and for the future security of all industrial worken of
the nation that the importation of such characters, whether strike-
breakers, so called, hired assassins or pretended workers, be forever
prohibited. Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the convention that the officers
and members of the United Mine Workers of America take such steps
as will insure the passage and enactment by the Congress of the United
States of such laws as will prevent the transportation, in interstate or
foreign commerce, or in any territory or in the District of Columbia,
of persons to be engaged or used in anywise in connection with any
strike or other industrial dispute or disturbance, either as strike-
breaker or otherwise, and that thd officers of the United Mine Workers
of America employ such means as will best effectuate the aims and
objects of this resolution and use such means as will insure the early
presentation to Congress of a measure that will forever rid the lives
and homes of our workers of the menace of outrage and murder; and
be it further
Resolved, That the membership of the United Mine Workers of
America be made acquainted with the purposes and objects of this
resolution and of the proposed measure that they may be better able
to promote the promulgation and passage of such proposed law.
HENRY CANDRON, President
JOHN TENNANT, Secretary.
Resolution unanimously adopted by Cameyville Local Union No.
2742, U. M. W. of A.
RESOLUTION NO. 159.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Privately hired gunmen are dangerous, are a menace to
peaceable working men, are unlawful; and the use of them by cor-
309
porations and employers is an unwarranted usurpation in a free coun-
try; therefore, be it
Resolved, That when privately hired gunmen are brought to any
place for the purpose of intimidating peaceable members of this organi-
sation, that the entire membership quit work until the offensive privately
hir«d gunmen are removed.
GEO. KARNES, President,
JACOB F. BIRZEL, Sec'y,
Local Union No. 644, Hillsboro, 111.
The committee offered the following as a substitute for Resolution
58, Resolution 147 and Resolution 159:
Be it Resolved, That we reaffirm our position as expressed in past
conventions wherein we condemn the use of armed gruards by private
corporations and the importation of professional strike-breakers, and
we instruct our resident International officers and the International
Executive Board to continue their efforts to have Federal legislation
enacted prohibiting same.
The substitute offered by the conmiittee was adopted.
RESOLUTION NO. 55.
Witt, 111., December 17, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The U. M. W. A. has, at different times, secured for its
members increases in wages, but the wages secured have been taken
away from us in. the way of having to pay higher prices for the neces-
sities of life, owing to the food gamblers and the vast army of mid-
dlemen exploiting the consumer;
Whereas, Statistics prepared after searching investigations have
been made show that the cost of living has gone up quite a good deal
more than wages have gone up, and apparently will continue to do so
as long as we, as producers, permit the present anarchistical system
of distribution of the nation's food supply to continue, making a few
rich, while on the other hand working people go hungry, and which has
310
• ■
resulted in many an instance in food beinc: destroyed for the purpose of
price boosting, and at the same time men, women and children have
begged and gone hungry for these things; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the U. M. W. A., through the officers and del^^ates
assembled, go on record as favoring organization as consumers, and
that we recommend *to our members the Rochdale plan of co-operation,
so successfully carried out in Great Britain; and be it further
Resolved, That we direct our officers to take steps to wage a cam-
paign of education and to encourage the establishing of stores based on
the Rochdale plan, and that they take whatever steps they think will
be the most successful in accomplishing this end.
Signed in behalf of Local Union No. 1898, U. M. W. A.
ALLEN S. HAYWOOD, President.
FRANK H. BEASLEY, JR., SecreUry.
The committee offered the following as a substitute for Resolution
No. 55:
We concur in the spirit of this resolution and recommend that we
reaffirm our position of four years ago wherein we endorsed the Roch-
dale system of co-operation and referred to the various districts the
question of assisting and encourag^ing the co-operative movement.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
Delegate Haywood, District 12 : We realize that evety raise in wages
we have had has immediately been taken away from us in the way of
high cost of living. I can say without fear of contradiction that the
mine worker's condition today is no better by one cent than it was ten
years ago. Today is the time we should wage a vigorous campaign
against exploitation. We have the food gamblers of the nation talking
patriotism, but if you take the "pay" out of that patriotism there will
be nothing left. We know that not later than last August food was
dumped into the river and into the ocean. Our little co-operative store
had some experience. We ordered a carload of potatoes. We found the
car was being held in Chicago with other loaded cars. Somebody, for
some reason — ^to fatten his pocketbook, I presume — ^was responsible for
811
Molding those potatoes. When they arrived at our store they were frozen.
We wrote to Mr. Hoover about it, but received no reply, and we have
no record that ansrthing has been done about it.
If it is desired to conserve food and people are in earnest about it
they, will arrange for the food to go from the producers to the consumers
and give the middlemen jobs in the mines, on the farms and in the
factories helping produce things to keep the army supplied. The gov-
ernment has not taken any vigorous steps to prevent the abuse I have
spoken of. The price has been set to the retailer and the wholesaler
knows how much he is allowed to make at the government's price. The
co-operative movement in Britain in this war has proved its value to
society. The government, in fact, has gone so far as to recognize that
the i>teple of Britain had been forced to organize co-operative societies
and have increased their membership tremendously since the war. If
it had not been for that movement the profiteers would have fattened
their pocketbooks.
You can accuse me of being pro-German, or pro-anything else, but
I will not back up profiteering. I am going to fight the enemy in this
country exactly as I fight the enemies outside of America. The same
ereinies are here today and are going around advocating that the miners
work sixteen hours a day to relieve the coal shortage, and tl^ey would
not work eight hours a day themselves sitting in ofiice chairs. It is
necessary to reduce our hours and get increases in wages. It is just as
essential that we organize on the busring end and make our increase in
wages what they ought to be — something that will bring more comfort
to the homes of the working men, the only real patriots in the country.
I hope you will adopt a plan to establish a bureau of information in
our organizati9n and send out literature on this important question.
Delegate Brown (Wm.), District 17: The pl|in contained in the
resolution is something we have fought for in West Virginia for quite
a number of years. No one in West Virginia feels the effect of the
high cost of living more than us colored people, because we do like our
food. Wherever there is a proposition that interests the American work-
ingman, the American neg^o, and especially the West Virginian under
the auspices of the United Mine Workers, will advocate such a policy
and will stand by it. We are determined not only to use our energies
812
to fight any one who raises his hand against our democratic nation, but
the American negro of West Virginia will raise his hand against any
one who does anything that affects his stomach just as he will against
the kaiser.
The miners of West Virginia in their last convention drafted resolu-
tions similar to the one just read. The United Mine Workers of West
Virginia too long have waited, not only to carry out the iiolicy of doing
away with thugs who oppress us, but have waited too long to do those
things that will better their conditions in others ways. Now we have
decided that the American white men, backed by the American negroes
under the auspices of the United Mine Workers will rise and ask for
immediate relief in this food question, because our stomachs need better
food. Of what use is it for our honored President to recognise a reso-
lution that will fix a time for a commission to act? We want immediate
action, because our stomachs can't wait. Not only are the colored miners
of District 17 awaiting the action of this convention, but the entire
delegation and the entire group of miners who have strug^gled so long
and who have been helped by you to reach a decent standard of living
want action.
Today we are represented in this convention by a large d^egation,
and we are as grateful to you for what you have done for District 17
as any delegates here. Now let us go back to West Virginia knowing
that a satisfactory resolution has been adopted, not to take effect next
month or next year, but immediately. I am not in favor of going back
to District 17 and District 29 with a resolution that will not give us
immediate relief. The American negro and the West Virginia negro
has expanded under the advances that have been given us, but he will
be better satisfied when you help us build stores in West Virgfinia and
all over the United States where the material man, whether black or
white, will get the benefit of the wages he spends.
Delegate Pollock, District 19: During the great strike in the Nine-
teenth district last summer the greatest enemies we had in my city were
the merchants and the preachers. I took it upon myself to inform those
two classes that when we whipped the operators I would turn my atten«
tion to them. I did that. The first day of January I started a co-
operative store in my city, and today I can furnish evidence to show that
818
I have reduced the cost of living to the workingmen 45 par cent. You
mod are to blame for the conditions under which we live. I want the
convention before we adjourn to go on record condemning the outrages
that are being practiced upon the American people.
Delegate Hoffman, District 21: This is a subject in which I have
been interested for a number of year^. After the strike in Pennsylvania
was won with the aid of President Roosevelt conditions were investigated
and the miners were given an increase in wages that amounted to ten
million dollars a year, but the price of coal was raised a sufficient sum
to give the operators one hundred million dollars. This co-operative
movement will benefit the conditions of the miners. I believe we are
the strongest organization in the United States and we should set the
example to the others. We should lead in this movement. Every wage
increase we have received has been offset by the increased cost of living.
We ought to make a united effort to remedy this condition before we
are driven into it by drastic means. We can never hope to better our
conditions unless we can control the price of food to some extent.
Ddegate Walker (J. H.), District 12: I am in favor of the report
of the committee, because next to the trade imion itself I believe the
establishment of a co-operative movement in all its branches is of more
importance to the men who work for their living than any other organ*
ization there is in existence at this time. I know of no place where it is
more needed or where it will do more good than here in our own country.
The only way anything can be done permanently, intelligently, and on
a basis of fairness with the necessities of life, in arranging for buying
the things that you must buy in order to live, is by org^anization. That
is the only way to deal with the employers intelligently or to have any
degree of permanency assured.
We used to denounce the employers; we used to have investigations
and pass resolutions condemning them, but as long as we stopped at
that we made no progress, we did not get any better conditions. It was
only when we established an organization, when we developed the intelli-
gence and the fighting resources of our people and compelled them to
grant us recognition that we received any consideration. And it is just
as true of the commercial interests of our nation as it is of the employing
interests. A comer groceryman will steal a dollar from a working man
S14
when he can do it legally just as quick as an employer will ; he will steal
as many of them and he will steal from as many people as the employer
will. We have investigated them and have passed resolutions condemn-
ing them, and in the face of this, in the face of the fact that every- one
agrees they are taking more than they ought to take, they are going
higher and higher except where some strong influence backed up by an
organization requires them to do something near what is right. We
are going to have the same kind of organization here before we can
deal with the question of the cost of living intelligently and put it on a
basis that will allow us to get our living at the prices that should obtain.
How many of you know what made possible the Russian Revolution ?
They had no trade union movement, the employers would not stand for it;
they had no permanent organization on a large scale politically, but they
had twelve million heads of families in the co-operative movement and
the power of that organization, with the knowledge and the experience
they obtained in dealing with every phase of commerce and industry,
enabled them to overthrow the old government. Every man who knows
anything about the success of the Russian Revolution gives credit to
the co-operative movement for being the most powerful single influence
that made possible its success. In every civilized country in the world —
and we must use a question mark now when we speak of civilization —
but in every so-called civilized nation in the world the co-operative move-
ment had been started. We have it started in our own country. We
are behind every country in that respect, with the possible exception of
Canada. In Germany, next to their trade union movement, it was the
most powerful influence they had in the interest of the worker, and that
was true of Austro-Hungary, of Italy, of the Scandinavian countries,
France, Belgium, Holland and Switzerland.
In the last convention of the British Trade Union Congress, for the
first time in its history, a resolution was adopted declaring that every
co-operator should be a. trade unionist and every trade unionist a co-
operator. They instructed their parliamentary committee to work in
conjunction with the directors of the international wholesale department
to arrange for putting the number of retail stores in each community
that would serve that community, and then provide that every working
man in that community should trade in that store, thus reducing the
cost of unnecessary rent and clerk hire. In Springfield, 111., there are
815
375 grocery stores. One day we sat down and figured that we could
put a grocery within a block of every residence of that town and only
need 33. You can figure out the saving in rent, clerk hire, delivery
service, etc They had about 342 unnecessary grocery stores; they had
to buy 342 lots, 342 stores, stocks for these stores, delivery trucks, tele-
•
phones and labor. When the workers paid their bills they were paying
a share of that unnecessary cost. There are just as many middlemen
over the number needed as there are grocery stores, and there are as
many unnecessary wholesale men as there are middlemen. In addition
to that, under the present arrangement, there is no law that prevents
them from changing every penny they can compel the workingman to
pay, either through ignorance or lack of knowledge, for the cost of his
living.
There is only one way you can deal with this question and it will
not be an easy job. It takes just as much intelligence, just as much
patience, tact, g^ood judgment and courage to stay in a fight to establish
a co-opeiative society as it does to establish a local union in a non-union
field. You have every employer to fight, you have every business and
financial interest and every crooked politician, but you can make a success
of it if you give a little time to it. Organize, use good judgment, stay
on the job and stick with the institution. This has been done in at least
sixty stores in Illinois. Some of these stores have been more successful
than others, but it has been demonstrated beyond any possibility of doubt
that it is not the, fault of the co-operative movement when a store fails,
it is either weakness in the organization, lack of knowledge, neglect,
incompetency, or worse. Wherever a store has been handled intelligently
it has been successful. The last statement of the Gillespie store showed
they had paid something like $3,000 in dividends and interest on the
money invested. The very fact that a co-operative store was established
in Gillespie reduced the cost of living at least 10 per cent to everybody
in the town. It reduced it even to those who did not belong to the
co-operative society, for the business men knew the larger the prices
they would charge the greater the dividends of the co-operative store
and the sooner the customers would leave them and go to the co-opera-
tive store.
At the last convention of the American Federation of Labor, for
the first time in its history, the co-operative movement in our country
816
was endorsed unqualifiedly, whole-heartedly, with no reservations or eva-
sions, and it was decided that the American Federation of Labor would
get behind the movement and do everything in its power to establish
and build it up. They said it was Just as necessary to have a co-
operative movement to protect ourselves from the merchants as it was
m
to have a trade union movement to protect ourselves from the employers.
If you had a co-operative movement you would not need Hoover, and
Hoover will never be able to do for you what you will be able to do for
yourselves through the co-operative movement.
In the degree that you establish your own co-operative movement
you add that much strength and intelligence to the trade union move-
ment, you make it easier to fight against injustice and make progress.
I hope every worker will take the question up seriously. Establish
your retail stores, and as soon as you have enough oi these stores to
make a wholesale department a success that department will be started.
As soon as you have a substantial wholesale department you can start
manufacturing and you will go the road every other co-operative move-
ment has gone. When we g^et that far there will be less opposition from
the other side and we will have double the strength we have now; it
will be easier to make progress and we will get to the place where the
workingmen will secure what they are really entitled to.
Delegate Conners, Local 792: I know the co-operative stores arc
all right, but what are you going to do with the truck store? That
is the biggest evil we have in America. In lots of camps in Illinois,
and I presume in other parts of the United States, they have them. If
you are raising a family and have two or three boys coming up you will
have to deal in the truck store or you will get no show to work. The
men are put up against the "sticker" question and when pay day comes
10 per cent is taken off the dollar for advancing money. Why doesn't
the government make those stores quit as they did in England ? England
said, "No, we want no truck stores," and they were done away with. I
am working in a place where they pay every Saturday night. I was
put on the road in a place where I had work, because I was on the
committee and was active. Now I am at Norris, and we are paid every
Saturday night. I had twenty-seven dollars coming one week and they
gave me $3.38. I said I had more coming, but they had me charged with
817
powder, rent and fuse. Thousands of men in America are being ruined
by company stores.
Delegate Smith, Alabama: I would like to ask the committee if
they have provided for a campaign of education in their recommendations.
If you are just reaffirming a resolution adopted four years ago— and we
haven't made any progress under that — it seems to me we need some
other resolution that will provide for encouraging those stores. The
resolution does provide for an extended campaign of education in favor
of co-operative stores.
Chairman Harlin: The committee recommends that the matter be
referred back to the various districts. We cannot organize co-operative
stores, in this c<mveation. You must take this back to your districts
and take it into your local unions and your localities. The district can
do more to help the co-operative movement than we can in this conven-
ti<m. The districts can take the matter up with the various local unions
and do what they can to foster the co-operative movement. You have
discussed the high cost of living. We deal with that in a separate
resolution. I believe the only sensible thing we can do is to reafflriQ
our position of four years ago. It is upon the amount of interest the
individual miner has in the co-operative movement the success of the
movement depends. I think you can understand that as readily as I
can and see the logic of the position of the Committee on Resolutions.
Delegate Green way, District 11: I favor the resolution as it reads.
Too often have we as districts branched out in the co-operative movement
before the people were educated to the proper extent. The result has been
failures that have injured the co-operative movement. We need a cam-
paign of education all over the land. Whenever we get the proper educa-
tion we will be able to maintain these stores. If we had the proper mediuir/
of education to supply literature and the true facts about the co-operative
movement we would be able to establish and maintain stores that would
be of benefit to the miners and to the public generally. We do not have
to talk about the high cost of living — we can feel it when we put our
feet under the table. It is only through education the co-operative move-
ment will ever be made a success.
Delegate Sabo, District 5: I believe it is necessary for this Inter-
national convention to provide some means to protect the membership
818
in the various districts through the co-operative movement. In the local
I represent we went into the co-operative store business last November.
We took this up because every time we got a nickel or two advance in
our wages our brother merchants took a quarter away from us. Since
we started the store we have sold $3,160 of stock. We have 212 mem-
bers. When we started the store we had some very intelligent and
active men connected with it. After the coal company found out what
we were trying to do some of our very active members dropped out.
They had big families dependent upon them and they did not want to
lose their jobs. It was not because they did not see the benefit of the
co-operative movement, but they had to save their Jobs. I think the
International should protect the membership. Committees should be
appointed to go J;hrough the various districts to educate the members in
regard to the co-operative movement. I hope this convention will do
something in that respect. We have not only the coal companies to fight
but our brother merchants as well. They are now charging us from
35 to 60 cents a pound for meat. As soon as we open the door of a
co-operative store it reduces the cost of living. The merchants are op-
4)osed to that. When we opened our store they reduced things and tried
to force us out of business. When we tried to interest our members
they said, ''It is a good thing if it- is run right. If you get the right man
at the head of the store it will succeed." They never question the
honesty of the man at 'the head of the private store. I sent resolutions
to a convention of District 5 some years ago requesting the district to
take up the co-operativ;p movement, but the resolutions were thrown into
the waste basket. Now the International convention is referring this
matter to the district. I think it is time the International convention
should do something.
•
Delegate Franklin, District 15: The International organization
ought to do something to give real instruction to the members in reg^ard
to the co-operative movement. In Colorado we are suffering the same
difficulties the other districts have suffered because of the high coat of
living. We have succeeded in organizing the greater portion of Colorado
and bring^ing our people, the people of my race, the American negroes
especially, into the United Mine Workers. As American citizens and
United Mine Workers we are loyal to our country and to our organiza-
tion. We feel the organization ought to adopt some resolution that will
319
brin^ down the cost of living. In Colorado we pay a higher price for
the necessities of life than any other State in the Union. For a quarter
of a century the operators of Colorado have been holding the laboring
people by the neck, but, thank God, the workers are getting together
and breaking the hand of power that has dominated so long in that State,
the hand of the Welboms and the Rockefellers. That iron hand of power
today in Colorado is being loosened, and it is being done by placing the
organization on a firm foundation. We need education through the
United Mine Workers' Journal and in other ways. The Journal is printed
in three languages now, but I think a portion should be printed in
Spanish.
Delegate McGuinn, District 12: I am heartily in favor of the reso-
lution. I would like to have it go even farther. I have had some expe-
rience in the co-operative movement. I happened to be one of the men
in a co-operative store that went broke. I will give the history of that
store to the delegates and clear up some things we have been rrit-
idaed for.
A co-operative store was started in Eldorado, 111., on the 15th of
November two years ago. The most active members in starting the
store were men who were looking for jobs. They raised $1,750 to start
the store. This money was turned over to a manager, a man named
Matthews, an ex-International organizer. The Board of Directors were
at loggerheads. The manager was a good fellow. They turned the
money over to this distinguished gentleman. He went to St. Louis and
bought from the wholesale houses there, brought the stuff to the co-
operative store, got a lot of his friends to help knock the tops off the
boxes and throw the stuff on the shelves with no cost price or selling
price marked on it. He was in the store from the 15th of November
till the 9th day of February, and by that time there was $2,200 indebt-
edness on the store. There was a special meeting of the stockholders
called to show the actual condition of the store. This distinguished
grentleman got up and reported to the stockholders that when they paid
up their store bills on pay day the store would be 250 per cent better
off than it was in the beginning. Now, I want to show you how he
performed.
He bought canned goods for 7h cents wholesale and sold them for
820
5 cents; he bought a bucket of fish that cost 2i cents a pound and
offered to sell it for 12i cents a pound The consequence was he did
not sell any. He paid 14 cents for coffee, paid the freight and drayage
en it and sold it for 16 cents a pound. And yet he made the stockholderi
believe he was making 250 per cent! When I happened to call his hand
and asked how he was doing it by paying 71 cents for an article and sell-
ing it for 5, he said he was selling below cost to induce the stodcholders
to patronize themselves. They fell for it. He was supposed to be under
bond, but he was in- the store for several weeks without furnishing the
bond. He gave the coal company he had worked for as reference to
the bonding company. Immediately after he got his bond it was dis-
covered the store was broke. I was selected as the goat. I went into
the store on the 8th of November and borrowed from the stockholders
something like $120. The next morning a sight draft of $228 came in
from the Butchers Supply Company of St. Louis. He was overdrawn
$33 at the bank. The butcher's outfit was covered by a chattel mortgage.
The sight draft remained in the bank three days. I went out and
borrowed $210 to take it up. Nobody knew what he paid for the outfit.
There was no record of it. He bought a rendering kettle for the butcher
shop. When it arrived the door was broken off and he accepted it.
When the inventory was taken he had 100 pounds of candy in the iitore
and one barrel of flour. On Christmas Day or just before the holidays
he had fifty cases of orfinges for that small co-operative store. About
forty-eight cases of the oranges spoiled. He bought ten bags of sweet
potatoes. Every bag was opened and from a peck to a bushel taken
out. The rest froze and had to be thrown out. There was a bill sent
in from the St. Louis Produce Company for $256. There was no record
or bill to show he owed it. I wrote the firm and demanded an itemized
statement. They sent me another bill for $266 due. I demanded an
itemized statement They sent me an itemized statement and got the
bill down to $200. I presume they got by with those things time after
time for he kept no record. He allowed one family to have credit to
the amount of $109.80 and they never paid a penny in the store.
A delegate arose to a point of order and stated that the question
before the house was not the Eldorado store.
Delegate McGuinn: I am showing why the resolution is not strong
enough.
321
President Hayes: The chair rules that the delegate is in order.
This is a discussion of the mistakes and successes of the co-operative
movement. Delegate McGuinn is discussing the mistakes.
Delegate McGuinn: The family did not pay a penny to the store.
Traveling Auditor Sharpe came to Eldorado and I told him to come over
and I would show him what I had in the store. I told him I did not
think there was any way we could get a record that the man was crooked.
The only thing I could find was a slip of paper in the accounts register
where he had paid one member of his family $6 cash for helping put
the stuff on the shelves. He was not the only one who helped. There
were several others. The statement has been made that McGuinn got '
away with a pocket full of money. They said I stood responsible for
$600. The secretary of our local union accepted the job of boss. I was
treasurer. The traveling auditor came down and appointed me to fill
his place until some one was elected. Consequently I had to make out
the check-off sheet. The wholesale people took advantage of that and
foreclosed. I happened to have S600 in my pocket to pay off the debt,
but that was in checks that were worthless. I never got a penny for
running that store for six months. To be exact, I was there five months •
and three weeks. When they ran the attachment on the store I called
the board of directors together and turned the $600 over to them. The
secretary and myself were under bond. The directors wanted to pay
me my salary first. I said, "No, if there is going to be any loser in
this case I will be the loser." The meat cutter had never got any money
from the time I went in and a clerk who had been there from the time
the store opened up had not drawn any money while I was in the store.
Consequently I was lucky that they closed it up or I would have had the
$600 debt left hanging over me. A traveling salesman told me in the
presence of the clerks that he knew this man was paid by the merchents
of that town to break up the store. That was a salesman of the Smith
Baking Company. It looked very suspicious to me. The man was wise
enough to cover up his tracks and leave no records. I had to write the
wholesale house to see how much he paid, for this stuff.
I believe in adopting a resolution providing for a committee to make
an investigation of a man's qualifications and see that he is bonded
wherever a co-operative store is started. That will protect the manager
11 -M Pro.
322
and it will protect the interests of the stockholders if they haven't intelli^
^ence enough to pfotect themselves.
Delegate Moyer, District 6: I would like to move that we table
the substitute so we can get action on th^ resolution that was sent in.
by Local Union 1893. (Seconded and corried.)
President Hayes: The resolution is before the house.
Delegate Haywood moved the adoption of the resolution,
motion was seconded and carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 58.
Hazel Kirk, Pa., December 17, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and TK
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, The members of our Union District No. 6, in the Pi'^
burgh district, being in direct competition with non-union fields, F
ette and Westmoreland counties, and who have had a bitter struggle
years to maintain and keep our organization in District No. 5, theref*
be it
Resolved, That the International convention now assembled
us in organizing Fayette and Westmoreland counties both morally a-^^^^
financially at the earliest possible date.
PRANK BUTLER.
Local Union No. 1477, Hazel Kirk, Pa.
The committee recommended that the entire matter be referred to
the International Executive Board.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted
RESOLUTION NO. 67.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Issaquah, Wash., December 3, 1917.
Whereas, It is claimed that a large number of Chinese laborers are
needed in this country to relieve the labor shortage; and
323
Whereas, We believe this statement is being used to get an oppor-
tunity to use Chinese labor to lower existing standards of labor; and
Whereas, We know that the introduction of Chinese labor in this
country would result in a lowering of existing standards; and
Whereas, The existing shortage of labor can be met by the establish-
ing of fair working conditions in all industries; therefore, be it
Resolved, That Local Union No. 2747, U. M. W. of A., most emphat-
ically protests against any and all proposed amendments to existing im-
xnigration laws that will admit of any greater freedom of entry for Chi-
xiese labor.
Presented on behalf of Local Union No. 2747.
CHAS. SHORT,
Secretary-Treasurer District No. 10, U. M. W. of A,
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation
^)f the committee.
Delegate Short, District 10: I would like to ask that, in addition
^0 having the endorsement of this convention to the resolution, it be
submitted by the officers to the American Federation of Labor and have
it transmitted by them to the labor lobby in the present Congress.
There has been an attempt, for several months, that has the backing of
Mr. Rockefeller and a number of the grreat predatory interests of this
country, to allow the importation of Chinese labor. They claim there is
a labor shortage in this country, and they have conducted a campaign
of advertising for labor in sections of the country where there is no
shortage. They claim they require 20,000 laborers in the shipyards, yet
only three blocks firom our headquarters in Seattle there is the largest
shipyards in the Northwest, and each morning you can find from 200
to 500 men applying for work. I am sure this resolution, with the en-
dorsement of this convention, will be of great assistance to the labor
lobby now in Congress to defeat the proposed amending of the inunigra-
tion laws to allow the importation of Chinese labor. I hope it will be
immediately submitted to the labor lobby in Washington.
Delegate Rees, District 18: I have no doubt this motion will be
adopted unanimously by the convention, but some few words by myself
824
may not be out of place at this time. I am a Canadian and know some-
thing about the Chinese question. There is an understanding between
the Canadian government and the Chinese government that is something
to the effect that 200,000 Chinese be transported from China across
Canada to work behind the lines in France. There is wide-spread agi-
tation in Canada, owing to a shortage of labor, that a number of those
Chinese should be put off in Canada to do work there. There is a $500
head tax for the supposed prevention of Chinese coming into Canada,
but, notwithstanding the head tax which is collected to a large extent,
there are a number of Chinese coming in both openly and clandestinely.
This has affected your organization in Canada.
The reason I arise is to have this convention know, and by knowing
move against the business element of Canada that is attempting to have
these Chinese dropped off in Canada at this time. To my mind there
is no need of the Chinamen who are supposed to be sent to the war
zone dropping off in Canada at this time. If the government arranges
some method of co-operation, such as was spoken of recently by Walker
and others, I am convinced the Chinamen will not be needed in Canada.
We have all kinds of men there at the present time who are not doing
any useful labor. With this in mind I think we should strenuously
oppose, both in Canada and the United States, the dropping off of these
Chinamen at this time. Some of the districts in the United States
haven't this menace at all, doubtless, and I arise to warn you who have
not this menace to help us who have to light it.
Delegate Sembo> District 2: They want the Chinese here and they
don't give us enough cars to keep us at work. If they give us enough
cars there will be no shoi'tage of coal. Each mine and each local ought
to have a list of the number of cars they receive and the number they
need.
Delegate McCleish, District 12: I move that this convention endorse
the resolution of Secretary Short and that our secretary be instructed
to communicate with the American Federation of Labor and the labor
lobby.
President Hayes: The report of the committee provides for that.
Delegate Haywood, District 12: I believe this matter ought to be
325
l^one into in a serious way. My recollection is that when the patriotic
capitalists of Britain, at the time of the Boer war, shipped in Chinese
labor to take the place of white labor in South Africa the Chinese were
paid much less than the Boers and the Britishers had been working for.
Now I understand that no mention is to be made of the importation of
labor during the war. I think this is a rather ticklish affair, when
China apparently is lined up with the Allies. However, I have no
objection to any man from any part of the world going any place- in
the world to work for a living, but I do object strenuously to gathering
uninformed workers from all over the globe and bringing them into a
country to keep the employing class down and reduce their standard.
I am going to object as best I know how when this is done.
I am informed that in some parts of Canada where soldiers have
volunteered to go and fight for democracy the Chinese have taken their
jobs and are working for less wages. We have professors and big
employers advocating Chinese labor as a solution for the labor shortage.
Their solution, from my point of view, is a plan to get more profits
and pay the people less wages. The standards of living of a Chinaman
are away below the American standard, or the standards of the white
men of any race. Wherever the Chinaman works today it is under
conditions that white men will not work under. We must face these
facts. Theoretically they should be allowed to come in here, but we have
to contend with the employing classes, and I believe our government is
sincere in the statement that the status of the workers shall not be
reduced. If that is so I think they will prevent these people being
shipped here to lower wages.
This is such an important matter that if labor falls asleep you will
be left when the war is over. You must be loyal to your country, but
we have enemies to fight at home as well as the enemy abroad. I have
here an article from the Painters' Journal which says that men are
virorking in Chicago on government jobs for 30 cents an hour, although
their ordinary scale has been 72 cents an hour. I have one of these
men working in the mines with me now.
Chairman Harlin: The only purpose of the argument, so far as
I can see, is to endeavor to impress upon the convention the importance
«f this question. The committee has concurred in the resolution — and
826
it is a very sweeping resolution. I believe the average man doesn't
appreciate the importance of this Asiatic question, because he doesnt
realize just how many millions of Chinamen there are in China or
appreciate what they could do to the standard of living in the Occident,
the western nations, if they were allowed to come in freely. A school
teacher, in trying to impress upon the minds of her class the number
of Chinamen there were in China, said: "Every time one of you children
winks your eye a Chinaman dies." A little later she saw Tommy in
the corner winking his eye energetically and asked what he was doing.
Tommy said, "I was killing Chinamen." The resolution is very sweep-
ing; there is no opposition to it, and I think if we comply with the request
of Secretary Short, of the Washington miners, and send it to the Amer-
ican Federation of Labor and tho labor lobby we can very well afford
to vote unanimously for the report of the committee.
Delegate Mahan: I want to ask the chairman of the committee
if Canada will be included in that resolution?
Chairman Harlin: We cannot legislate upon the question; we are
only stating to the world the position of the United Mine Workers, and
our fellows in Canada can use the moral effect of our action in trying
to prevent the lowering of the bars in Canada to permit the importation
of Chinese labor. The effect, after all, is only moral.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
Resolution No. 69 and Resolution No. 128, dealing with the same
subject, were covered in one recommendaton of the committee, as fol-
lows:
RESOLUTION NO. 69.
Buxton, Iowa, December 24, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
We ask this international convention to adopt these resolutions and
to appoint a committee to wait on Mr. Herbert Hoover in regards to this
matter and report back to the convention, as this matter is very im-
portant to the rank and file of our organization.
327
To the Honorable Herbert Hoover, Federal Food Administrator, Wash-
ington, D. C.
Dear Sir: — Whereas, The members of Local Union No. 1799, of
the United Mine Workers of America, of Buxton, Monroe County, State
of Iowa, and comprising an aggregate membership of 900 miners and
employes in and around the mines of the Consolidated Coal Company,
a subsidiary company of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, witli
a daily output of nearly 3,000 tons of coal, and a population of nearly
5,000 in Buxton and vicinity, take this method of voicing their protest
ag^ainst the profiteering practiced by the various storekeepers and mer-
chants of this locality; and
Whereas, The recent advance granted to the miners in the Wash-
ington conference, for the purpose of stimulating production and en-
abling our members properly to provide for themselves and their fam-
ilies, is being systematically filched from them by the merchants in this
locality, who, after the advance was g^^anted, immediately increased the
selling prices of their commodities to such an extent that the raise in
wages was more than absorbed, thereby rendering the advance ineffec-
tive as a means of accomplishing the purposes for which is was de-
signed; and
Whereas, We believe it is within our power to take such action in
food control as will definitely allay the industrial unrest, thereby stim-
ulating production, stabilizing industry and placing business on a sound,
economic basis; and
Whereas, The United States Government, by establishing and en- '
forcing fair and equitable retail prices on all commodities, will dem-
onstrate to our people the fact that the government intends to protect
the public from those who, with deliberate intent, are taking advantage
of the unusual conditions created by the war to exploit the people; there-
fore, be it
Resolved, That we, the members of Local Union No. 1799 of the
United Mine Workers of America, of Buxton and vicinity, represent-
ing nearly 5,000 men, women and children, dependent on the coal mines
for their means of livelihood, desire to assure you that our interest in
the welfare of the nation is second to none, and that we stand ready
to do all in our power to assist the government in the successful prose-
328
cution of the war. We realize the importance of a maxiinqm produc-
tion of coal at this time, and, handicapped as we are because of so many
of our members being called to the fields of battle, we assure you that
we stand ready to exert ourselves to the uttermost to bring about the
results so much desired ; and, be it further
Resolved, That as long as individuals or groups of individuals are
permitted to exploit the people by charging exorbitant prices for the
necessaries of life, just that long will it be impossible for us to guar-
antee to the government the results which are so necessary in this,
the hour of the nation's need.
We therefore urge upon you the immediate necessity of taking such
action as will effectually curb the activities of the unscrupulous mer-
chants and speculators who place self-interest and private gain above
the public weal.
We further urge you to appoint a man in every coal camp to rep-
resent you and to see that the government prices set by you are rigidly
lived up to; and, be it further
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent to the local
press and a copy spread upon our records for future reference.
J. C. HUNT,
J. G. RODGERS, <
THOMAS LIGHAN,
Committee on Resolutions.
RESOLUTION NO. 128.
Ward, Iowa, December, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We ask this convention to adopt these resolutions and to appoint a
committee to wait on Mr. Herbert Hoover in regard to this matter and
report back to this convention, as this matter is very important to the
rank and file of our organization :
829 , ,
To the Hon. Herbert Hoover, Federal Food Administrator, Washing-
ton, D. C:
Dear Sir — The recent advance granted to the miners in the Wash-
in^rton conference for the purpose of stimulating production and en-
abling our members properly to provide for themselves and their fam-
ilies, is being syst^natically filched from them by the merchants in the
mining camps. The merchants, after the advance was granted, inmiedi-
mtely increased the selling prices of their commodities to such an extent
that the raise in wages was more than absorbed, thereby rendering the
advance ineffective as a means of accomplishing the purpose for which
it was designed. We would urge an immediate representative in each
camp or sub-district to see that the government prices are rigidly lived
up to. H. B. DYHRMAN,
JAMES BUCKLEY,
THEO. BOURLARD,
Committee.
The conunittee recommended the following as a substitute for Reso-
lution No. 69 and No. 128:
■
Whereas, The Honorable Herbert C. Hoover has been appointed
Federal Food Administrator with power to regulate and control the
price of foodstuffs; and
Whereas, Through the instrumentality of said Food Administrator
retail prices have been established and regulations enforced affecting the
sale of food supplies that have been of great benefit and assistance to
our people during the past months, when we have been called upon to
meet the abnormal and trying conditions created as a result of our entry
into the great world war; and
Whereas, We have evidence at hand to prove that notwithstanding
these efforts to remedy the injustices practiced in the sale of food sup-
pHes, there are still many unscrupulous individuals who do not hesitate
to coin our country's need to their own private advantage, and nowhere
is this more true than in many of the isolated mining communities of
our country; and
Whereas, The unreasonable and exorbitant price of the necessities
of life prevailing in many of these mining communities have brought
forth protests from the local and district branches of the United Mi
Workers of America in every section of the country; now, therefo:
be it
Resolved, That we, the International Convention of the United Min»
Workers of America, urge the Hon. Herbert C. Hoover to use the anthoi
ity vested in his office to investigate the conditions complained of am
to take such action as will prevent the further exploitation of our peopl
by the unprincipled merchants and speculators who, like the vulture thai
hovers over the field of battle, would use this as the opportunity to fattei
himself and his kind at the expense of the need and the suffering of
people called upon to meet the emergencies of war.
The substitute offered by the committee for Resolutions Nos. 69
128 was adopted unanimously.
RESOLUTION NO. 77.
Black Diamond, Wash., December 8, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Thu>
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, We believe the time has arrived when there should
closer relations between unions affiliated with the American Federation
of Labor; and
Whereas, We believe that the best way to bring this about is by the
exchange of transfer cards between all local unions affiliated with the
A. F. of L.; therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Twenty-sixth Successive Constitutional and Third
Biennial Convention of the United Mine Workers of America, in conven-
tion assembled. That the delegates to the next convention of the A. F.
of L. be instructed to act in favor of the above resolution.
Submitted by Local Union No. 2257, Black Diamond, Wash.
The committee reported as follows on Resolution No. 77:
That we affirm our position as expressed in past conventions wherein
our delegates to the American Federation of Labor have been requested
to work in favor of a more liberal exchange of transfer cards between
331
te various organizations affiliated with the American Federation of
&bor.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted unanimously.
RESOLUTION NO. 79.
Fayetteville, W. Va., December 27, 1917.
^he Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, On August 1, 1917, the International Executive Board
^ xited autonomy to District No. 29 ; and
Whereas, Since that day the duly elected district officers, including
- district board members, besides their other respective duties, have
-XI actively employed as field workers and organizers with the most
^tifying results; and
Whereas, These results were obtained and could have been obtained
^3^, first, because the International organization bore the financial bur-
>^ ; and, second, because said district board members were thoroughly
Miliar with the almost unique conditions, geographical, political and
^\al, that prevailed in District No. 29, augmented by a natural civic
^de in addition to their thorough conception of true unionism and the
^nciples of the U. M. W. of A.; and
Whereas, There are still approximately 10,000 unorganized mine
'orkers in District No. 29, recognized as a great menace to the existing
rganization with its threatening army of mine guards maintained by
e operators; and
Whereas, Notwithstanding this fact, the International Executive
>ard has decided to discontinue further financial support to District
>. 29 after December 31, 1917, and thus practically likewise will dis-
Dtinue the employment of district executive board members as field
»rkers and organizers ; therefore, be it
Resolved, That this convention go on record as being in accord with
s sentiments expressed in this resolution, and the delegates hereby in-
met the International Executive Board to provide the funds for the
]
332
maintenance of at least four board members frpm DistriGt No. 29 as
field workers and organizers to work in said district, but their selection
to be left to the discretion of the president of District No. 29.
H. J. WOOD,
W. E. STULL,
DAN STEVENSON,
Committee.
The committee recommended that Resolution No. 79 be referred to
the International Executive Board.
«
The recommendation of the committee was adopted unanimously.
RESOLUTION NO. 84.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
<
Whereas, The International conventions are held preceding tl^e dis-
trict conventions; and
Whereas, Such a procedure is putting the cart before the horse and
does not give a true representative feeling of the miners in the districts
concerned on questions of national importance which come before the In-^
temational convention; and
Whereas, Resolutions on questions of national importance being en-
dorsed by the district conventions before the International conventions
take place would carry more weight and would be more truly representa-
tive of the democracy of the organization; therefore be it
Resolved, That we, the members of the U. M. W. of A., in conven-
tion assembled, urge that such arrangements be made so that all district
conventions precede the International conventions in the future.
LOCAL UNION NO. 376.
The committee recommended that Resolution No. 84 be referred to
the various district organizations.
Chairman Harlin: I want to say in behalf of the committee that
we did not feel it would be the proper thing to legislate on this matter
in this convention. I personally do not want to interfere with the
333
autonomy of the district organizations in matters of this kind. I don't
know that it would be better for aome districts to have their conven-
tions before the International convention. Some districts, notably Ohio,
hold their conventions prior to the International convention; others argae
that they want to hold them after the International so they can amend
their district laws to conform to the changes made in the International '
Constitation. We find it most expedient in our district to meet in the
summer time. I think the habit can very well be left to the wisdom of
the district organizations that leg^islate for themseves in matters of this
kind«
Delegate Bell, District 6: I believe this is a subject that should
be brought up in this convention. If that is done the districts will be
prepared to take the matter up and discuss it.
Delegate Arscott, District 12: If we let this go back to the districts
it will be two years before it can become a law, if the various districts
adopt the resolution. I think it will not come at an opportune time for
US to act upon it. The original resolution ought to be adopted.
Delegate Hamlin: I think it is better to let every district legislate
for itself along this line. The men in a district know the conditions
better than the men who have not been there.
Delegate Smith (Paul), Secretary of the Committee: Recognizing
the autonomy of district organizations we are bound to recognize the
fact that they have absolutely authority to decide when and where they
-want to hold their conventions. This is a matter that concerns the
district organizations entirely. For that reason the committee recom-
mends that it be referred to the various district organizations. They,
and they only, have a right to say when their conventions shall be held.
The motion to adopt the recommendation of the committee was
carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 88.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, Our international organization is progressing rapidly
year by year, and is now in the most prosperous stage of its career,
1
334
and through its strength it has become a force in the nation that
must be seriously considered, yet we are slow in obtaining some very
important and material things, such as pensions for old and disabled
miners. No provision has been made for them in their old age, yet
they served society well. We find many of them injured or maimed
for life, through a lifetime of service in the mines, and the only hope
or place of refuge for them when they become incapacitated frmn work
is the poorhouse; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the international organization, at the next con-
vention, draft such measures providing for pensions for miners in their
old age, and present the same to the United States legislature for
prompt action, and also to take such steps within our own organiza-
tion that will bring about immediate results.
JOHN E. MILLER,
SHERMAN DAVIS,
JAMES MUNDY,
Committee.
The committee reported as follows on Resolution 88: Inasmuch as
this matter will be covered by the report of a special committee ap-
pointed by the last convention to deal with the subject matter, this reso-
lution and several similar resolutions are referred to the Committee on
Old Age Pensions. Your committee has taken no action on the subject
and will not until the special committee makes its report.
The report of the committee was accepted without formal motion.
RESOLUTION NO. 89.
Klein, Mont., December 28, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolutions drawn up for introduction at the National Biennial
Convention held at Indianapolis, Ind., January 15, 1918, by Joint Com-
mittee of Local Unions No. 2866 and 3574, and endorsed by the above
local unions.
Resolution No. 1. — On account of our country entering into this
836
world war, and so many of the membership of the United Mine Work-
ers of America have volunteered or have been drafted to serve in dif-
ferent capacities to serve this country; and so many different societies
approaching the membership for donations, and the membership re-
sponding do liberally either collectively or individually, and the organi-
zation in general does not get credit for donations that it has so lib-
erally given to the various societies for the upkeep of places of recre-
ation for the men who have so willingly responded to their country's
call; and
Whereas, We realize that this great organization of ours aims
higrher than mere recreation for men; and
Whereas, We realize that this organization wants to serve its
membership and others who have responded to their country's call at
the front in the form of first aid to the injured; be it
Resolved, That the national officers be empowered to levy an as-
sessment of 25 cents per month on its membership for the duration
of the war, and the funds derived therefrom be used to equip and
support as many ambulances as the 25-cent assessment would allow,
^with the U. M. W. of A. emblem on; and be it further
Resolved, That the National Red Cross' Society be approached on
the subject relative to equip and maintain ambulances at the seat of
The conmiittee recommended the adoption of the following substi-
tute for Resolution No. 89:
We, the United Mine Workers of America, in convention assembled,
hereby testify our appreciation of the splendid humanitarian work that
is being done by the Red Cross.
We feel that in making the question of supporting the Red Cross
a matter of community interest the correct policy has been pursued, and
-we are gratified to know that our membership have responded liberally
in their respective home communities to the need of this splendid institu-
tion, and we now urge upon our members everywhere to continue to give
in full measure their ungrudging support to an institution that stands
out in the red glare of world war as an emblem of mercy.
334
and through its strength it has become a force in the nation that
must be seriously considered, yet we are slow in obtaining some very
important and material things, such as pensions for old and disabled
miners. No provision has been made for them in their old age, yet
they served society well. We find many of them injured or maimed
for life, through a lifetime of service in the mines, and the only hope
or place of refuge for them when they become incapacitated from work
is the poorhouse; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the international organization, at the next con-
vention, draft such measures providing for pensions for miners in their
old age, and present the same to the United States legislature for
prompt action, and also to take such steps within our own organiza-
tion that will bring about immediate results.
JOHN E. MILLER,
SHERMAN DAVIS,
JAMES MUNDY,
Committee.
The committee reported as follows on Resolution 88: Inasmuch as
this matter will be covered by the report of a special committee ap-
pointed by the last convention to deal with the subject matter, this reso-
lution and several similar resolutions are referred to the Committee on
Old Age Pensions. Your committee has taken no action on the subject
and will not until the special committee makes its report.
The report of the committee was accepted without formal motion.
RESOLUTION NO. 89.
Klein, Mont., December 28, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolutions drawn up for introduction at the National Biennial
Convention held at Indianapolis, Ind., January 15, 1918, by Joint Com-
mittee of Local Unions No. 2866 and 3574, and endorsed by the above
local unions.
Resolution No. 1. — On account of our country entering into this
885
world war, and so many of the membership of the United Mine Work-
ers of America have volunteered or have been drafted to serve in dif-
ferent capacities to serve this country; and so many different societies
approaching the membership for donations, and the membership re-
sponding 60 liberally either collectively or individually, and the organi-
zation in general does not get credit for donations that it has so lib-
erally given to the various societies for the upkeep of places of recre-
ation for the men who have so willingly responded to their country's
call; and
Whereas, We realize that this great organization of ours aims
higher than mere recreation for men; and
Whereas, We realize that this organization wants to serve its
membership and others who have responded to their country's call at
the front in the form of first aid to the injured; be it
Resolved, That the national officers be empowered to levy an as-
sessment of 25 cents per month on its membership for the duration
of the war, and the funds derived therefrom be used to equip and
support as many ambulances as the 25-cent assessment would allow,
with the U. M. W. of A. emblem on; and be it further
Resolved, That the National Red Cross' Society be approached on
the subject relative to equip and maintain ambulances at the seat of
The committee recommended the adoption of the following substi-
tute for Resolution No. 89:
We, the United Mine Workers of America, in convention assembled,
hereby testify our appreciation of the splendid humanitarian work that
is being done by the Red Cross.
We feel that in making the question of supporting the Red Cross
a matter of community interest the correct policy has been pursued, and
we are gratified to know that our membership have responded liberally
in their respective home communities to the need of this splendid institu-
tion, and we now urge upon our members everywhere to continue to give
in full measure their ungrudging support to an institution that stands
out in the red glare of world war as an emblem of mercy.
386
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
Chairman Harlin: Speaking for the committee, I want to say that,
notwithstanding the fact that we have prepared a substitute for the
original resolution, I feel like paying a small tribute this morning to
the spirit that actuated the men of Klein, Mont, in submitting their
resolution to this convention. We have not approved of their resolu-
tion because we feel it is not the practical way to support the Red Cross
movement. We have endeavored in our substitute resolution to point
out that we feel the question of supporting the Red Cross should be a
matter of community interest. I know the miners have responded lib-
erally. In my home district some of the locals have levied an assess-
ment of 1 per cent, and are contributing that portion of their earnings
to the Red Cross. That amounts to $1 and as high as $1.50 a month. I
venture the assertion that if the people of the United States would all
support the Red Cross with that degree of generosity there vrould be
ample funds to take care of the splendid work in which the Red Cross
is engaged.
I have had it pointed out to me that we would acquire considerable
prestige if we would equip ambulances for service in France, each ambu-
lance to have the emblem of the United Mine Workers on it. Let me
point out that men who contribute to such a cause should not do so to
acquire prestige. We can all support the Red Cross regardless of race,
color, creed or class prejudices. I believe we should adopt the substitute
offered by the Committee on Resolutions. The Red Cross stands aKava
reproach, its integrity cannot be questioned, and I urge upon our memoer-
ship to give their full measure of support to their various local move-
ments that have in view the support of the Red Cross organization.
The motion to adopt the substitute offered by the committee was
carried unanimously.
At 12 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 1:30 p. m. of the
same day.
887
THIRD DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION
The convention was called to order at 1 :30 p. m., Thursday, January
17, President Hayes in the chair.
Secretary Green read the following telegram:
Philadelphia, Pa., January 17, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates United Mine Workers of America, In-
dianapolis, Ind.:
Greetings: — Weavers' Union, Local No. 72, United Textile Workers
of America, affiliated with the A. F. of L., on strike sixteen weeks. Five
thousand loyal strikers. Manufacturers trying to starve weavers back
to their looms. Outside financial help needed. Do your utmost.
GENERAL STRIKE COMMITTEE,
152 West Lehigh Ave., Philadelphia.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS.
The report was continued by Chairman Harlin and Secretary Smith,
as follows:
RESOLUTION NO. 91.
Des Moines, Iowa, December 21, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, We believe Congress has taken a step detrimental to
the workingman of this country in passing prohibition laws, as it in-
creases taxes on the poor, that are alreajdy overburdened; throws thou-
sands of men out of work; does away with a good market for the
farmer's grain and deprives men of their personal liberty; be it
Resolved, That this convention denounce the action of Congn^ess
and pledge our support against such action.
TOM MAXWELL, President.
JOHN MARCHANT, Secretary.
Local Union No. 3656,
« Committee.
888
The committee recommended nonconcurrence in Resolution No. 91.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
RESOLUTION NO. 97.
Bayard, W. Va., December 26, 1917.
To' the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That we, the members of Local Union No. 2478, demand
for District 16, comprising local unions in Maryland and West Virginia,
a uniform scale on tonnage, yardage and dead work, outside and inside
the mines.
Resolved, That every niine comprising twenty-five or more union
workers get a charter of their own for that particular mine.
Resolved, That we demand the fulfillment of the West Virginia law,
viz.: That scales be placed on all tipples, a penalty to be imposed for
failure to do so.
Resolved, That we beg of the International Board the privilege to
retain Wm. Diamond as president of the Sixteenth District.
Resolved, That owing to the exorbitant prices charged by company
stores and other businesses we urge the International Board to issue
propaganda papers pertaining to the co-operative store principles and
benefits.
Resolved, That we demand the recall of Judge Dayton of Phillipi,
W. Va., as a judge who is an enemy to organized labor.
Resolved, That we pledge our loyalty to the principles of the U. M.
W. of A. and urge your help to keep spreading unionism all over the
states. E. M. SCHELL,
E. C. GUTHRIE,
ELMER FORSYTH,
Resolutions Committee of 2478.
The committee recommended reference of Resolution No. 97 to the
International Executive Board. The recommendation of the committee
was concurred in.
889
The committee referred Resolution No. 109 to the Committee on
Constitution.
RESOLUTION NO. 110.
Gebo, Wyo., December 28, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, It has come to our notice, through circular letters, of
protest from national organisations, that there are complaints going
to the Fuel Administrator, also to national headquarters of U. M.
W. of A. as to the members of our organization lying idle when the
mines are working, which puts a shadow of doubt as to our patriot-
ism in the organization; therefore, be it
Resolved, That on complaint of idleness of our members causing
a lessening of production by coal companies, there be a Federal inves-
ti^tion to ascertain the facts and see whether it is our men at fault
or the company; and, be it further
Resolved, Said investigators have full power to remedy all troubles
of like nature. JOHN KNOWLES, Recording Secretary, .
Local Union No. 2671.
Adopted by Local Union 2671, December 28, 1917.
The committee recommended nonconcurrence in Resolution No. 110.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee. .
Delegate Simonds, District 12: This matter should be investigated.
The company I am working for sent a letter to the Fuel Administration
saying that since we got a raise in wages we are making too much money.
The fact of the matter is the company is making too much money.
They want to curtail the money being paid the shift men. I am working
in a machine mine. Mr. Jeremiah, who used to be an officer of our
organization, is superintendent. They never have enough day men.
If a room falls in, before they will clean it up they will let men go home.
They haven't enough tracklayers or enough of other classes of labor.
340
I think we have a right to demand that the Fuel Administration inves-
tigate the charges made against us. I think we are as patriotic and
as good citizens as any other class, and the reports sent the Fuel Admin-
istration are not true. I don't know whether they have been sent by
Mr. Kraus or by Mr. Jeremiah. Myself and my buddy have worked
steadily. I think the miners have a right to put their position before
the people and before the administration. John P. White understands
the situation and it is well to have a man in that position. We have
a right to refute such statements as I have mentioned by affidavits and
demand a personal investigation.
•
Chairman Harlin: The committee has no fault to find with the
intention of those who submitted the resolution, but the committee must
be governed by considerations of practicability, to say the least. We
do not see how anything of practical value can come out of such an
investigation. We do not believe the miners have been charged with
re8iN>n8ibility for the coal shortage, or that such charges have been
gjivtaoL any consideration by the authorities in Washington. The fact
is that Dr. Garfield, his staff and the Federal administration generally
know full well the miners are not responsible for this condition. They
have complimented us already for the efforts we have put forward wher-
ever possible to meet the war needs of the government by supplying
coal. If a Federal investigating committee should go out, even in the
absence of any specific charges, and the personnel of that committee were
such that they did not agree with the objects and aims of the miners'
union, they might find something to base a report on that would con-
demn the miners' organization. I don't know that I am in favor of
having Federal investigators tell us whether we are right or whether
we are wronp. The Senate already has a committee investigating labor
problems and the supply of the things necessary to the conduct of the
war. They are conducting an extensive investigration of the coal situa-
tion, probably the most important question that confronts the govern-
ment and the American people today.
Because of the coal situation we have just received notice of the
most drastic order probably ever issued by the government of the
United States. They know it is the inadequacy of transportation facili-
ties that prevents the coal miners furnishing enough coal to supply the
needs of the country. No practical value would come as the result of
341
the adoption of such a resolution. I think if you will look into the matter
ueneibly you will see that the only thing to do is to concur in the report
of the committee.
Delegate Bayless, District 17: It is not a month since we received
a circular from our International. The local instructed me to write to
Secretary Green and tell him he had received wrong informaticm in
regard to our place. He answered and said the operators and the Fuel
Administration had registered this complaint. I believe it would be a
l^ood thing for this convention to concur in the resolution.
The motion to adopt the recommendation and report of the committee
was lost.
«
Delegate Pascoe: I move to adopt the resolutfon. (Seconded.)
The reason I did not vote for the committee's report in this respect
is because we have had some trouble at our mine in regard to this
matter. A few days before I came to the convention a man who had
been initiated in our local, who had formerly been a cigar maker, was
appointed a federal watchman on the top of the mine. He gave us to
understand that when we missed a day's work, or a fraction of a day,
we would have to report to him; that he was going to keep tab on us.
I believe the reason the resolution is brought here is because of what
they saw coming in the future, because of the contract I hold in my
hand which says that any employe throwing the mine idle shall be fined
automatically. There are times when we come out of the mines, after
completing our day's work or sometimes our rooms are caved in or
something prevents us from working. There are other times we come
out for reasons we do not wish to give. We want our liberty as we had
it in the past. For that reason we should seriously consider the resolu-
tion. We have a number of two-by-four lawyers in our local and we
have appointed some of those men to also take statements of men who
are idle and give their reasons to our committee. When it comes to a
fight of this kind the local wants to be prepared to protect its members.
Secretary Smith: Your committee did seriously consider this reso-
lution and we could make nothing more or less out of it than that it
would mean that the miners' international convention would be in here
pleading their own innocence before they were even accused. Every one
342
known that the shortage of coal is due to inadequate railroad facilities
and not due to the miners of this country being unwilling to do their
bit. I thought the convention understood what this resolution really
meant. At Chairman Harlin has pointed out to you, a Federal investi-
gation by a certain kind of investigator might seek to place some blame
upon the members of our organization in certain communities he might
Investigate. This resolution says: "That there be Federal investigation
to ascertain the facts and see whether or not our men are at fault." In
rttHd tho investigator thought our men were at fault the resolution gives
hlni authority "to have full power to remedy all troubles of like nature."
If, In tho mind of the investigator, it is necessary, it would mean nothing
morn or loss than conscription in the coal mines. That is why the com-
nilttcttt recommended non-concurrence in the resolution. It places too
much authority in the hands of the investigator whom we have no au-
thurtty to appoint. I hope that now the convention sees the danger of
adopting a resolution of that kind, it will be non-concurred in.
1 want to oall your attention to the fact that, except in some isolated
ronununitioK whrr« men do not have the information, our members know
that the neimte in now conducting a rigid investigation, the whole trend
of which ha* jrone to whow that the shortage of coal is due absolutely
to inadequate railnmd fAcilities. Nothing in the investigation so far
has shown that the miners wore not doing their duty. It is an accepted
fact that if the miners are furnished with a suflScient number of cars
they will produce more oihiI than is actually needed to carry on this war
to a successful termination.
Delegate Forl>e$, District 11: I favor the resolution in a modified
form, and desire at this time to otTer as an amendment to the resolution
that after the words **therofon\ Ik* it resolved," the following be inserted:
"That the International Exot^utivo Board or the International officers
titiiu) ovit to the various looal unions blanks for the purpose of each
loi'ul \ntion, at the eiui of each pay period, inserting the number of men
^\u) have been dnprjvod of work for various reasons that can be attrib-
wli'il to t)»e fault of the coal companies."
Wti (lid that in Indiana at our last district board meeting, because
Ihu liidiunn Coal Operators* Association for some time past had been
i-'iiMipUlng Ntatinticji obtained from the various mines each day. The
343
management of each mine has reported to the secretary of the oper-
ator's association the number of men they claim are slacking. Their
litres show that in Indiana 20 per cent of the men are laying off.
They call them individual slackers. I am inclined to believe these figures
are incorrect, and the district executive board in its last meeting sent
blanks to the local union to be filled out and sent into the district office
showing the number of men idle because of shortage of track, broken
machines, water in the mine, and other things that caused them to
lay off. We will show that 35 or 40 per cent of the men are deprived
of the opportunity to work when they want to work. The operators
do not say anything about these things, but they harp on the "individual
slacker." If the International sends out such blanks we will be in the
position to show the percentage of men who were deprived of the oppor-
tunity to work when they were able and willing to do so.
Delegate Cathcart, Local 894: I move that the resolution be tabled.
(Seconded, but not carried.)
Delegate Osbom, Local 621: I want to ask, if the officials of our
Federal government, our fuel administration and our international officers
are acquainted with the fact and know why more coal has not been
produced, why we have been continually bombarded with letters from
the international orgfanization ?
Delegate Savage (G. W.), District 6: I move that the subject
matter be referred back to the Resolutions Committee to bring in some
resolution covering the question. (Seconded.)
Delegate Walker (J. H.), District 12: I believe if any action at
all is taken in this matter the motion of Delegate Savage should be
adopted. I do not yield to any one in my desire to do all that lies
in my power to assist our government in prosecuting this war, but I
do object to the mine workers being singled out as the only men that
are going to have an investigation made of every act they perform,
whenever anybody elects to say they are not patriotic. The adoption
of the resolution practically means that one thing. If it were possible
to have a thoroughly competent committee, with an equal number of
representatives of labor and the employers on it, to investigate every
unpatriotic act, investigate the corner grocer who is overcharging our
M4
fft^fi, iriv#(fiti|f*t#t th« employer who is takiii^ ftdwat^pt if sis
iri^lii^#i nil th#>ii«! thinffN within the loope of the
ffff A /'/rmm itte#t rompoaed of men who will grn
/r/rTfl/l h* In fiivor of the proposition, but I
fhtti ihm ml nit workers be sinfj^led out and
nf,f hlhtir itfnployer who does not like them
uttpklfUtUt' In mny of their acts an investifiratkm win be
f*hmttt\liMttt whitther friendly or unfriendly. I would
Mttti irpufiiMirN and some employers to put some d ikcsr tpotten in
ftitf ranks Mi do somethinfc to bring our organitatioB zatLm tfsrcpate.
I fthh'i thifik thry will stop at anything when it serres their iwmiunL to
tilt \l, and the employers who are fighting organized labor today are
itu\tiK U$ iiv«iry oxtremi* to prevent the upbuilding of tbe
f hsvii no hesitation In saying, from observation and ca^cTicnce in
N irrnNf many jilaiMis In our nation, that the workers are 100 per cent
IfuMiw put I lots than the other class. I have no fear of a real investi-
ifMllMfi. I hnvit nn fear of what will be found by a committee compoaed
(if Mr nihulMl mi«n. I don't want one poor, misguided devil, or some
psisoii whn U iidt r»ivoi'ahU« to us to investigate and make any sach
fupMil If III! oinployor trfustm to give men and womoi the wagea they
iiiH imiIMUmI Iti, tho wnirt^M that will enable them to live as American
rllUitiiH hIimuUI 1)vii. If \w rmploys children, if all these thinga would
liii liiltuii Into iMinsl'inrNtion iind the men branded as unpatriotic — if this
«vi>Mi rtiuiiii to lio \\w cMMi^i 1 would fsvoF such an investigation.
MtMiulMiy (hi»«iii: 1 am Mure that every delegate in this convention
hillv H|»|ii«»rlM(oH Ihnt It ih tht^ intent of the authors of this resolution
ti. Hihiitl iiMnhthMt to wliNt they believe is an unfounded complmint on
Mh< fiMti !•( Mtiiiiii |ki«oplti 1*1^ prt^sen ting the Federal government and the
•ill fiMMMitHi «•( Wwm country, but in their efforts to attract attention
' < lull ilii>> I II* 1 1 I'M' Aiul what wo believe is an unfounded charge, they
i.I'M.MtM MM .|,<ii'H (hut would deft^t what they are seeking to remedy.
*'f Miii<:i t«i. tntrfn) lov( \mh take wuoh action as may fail to accomplish
**'t -hM pMip«'<»' iiMil \\\\v\\\ of the resolution. We need to proceed
'»<hI|mii.,u hmiI ronotiUM wvU our action. I feel that the Committee on
n»-nlMMMn.. tirU'd MM\ \\\»ivi\ \\\ ix»f\)9ing to concur in this resolution.
1 ••»»» MiMt. jf \\\%% tioloenti':* u» \\\\9 vvn vent ion understood the resolution
}
345
fully, its scope, its intention and what is involved, they would not fail
to heartily agree with the action of the committee.
There is no question in the minds of your representatives, the inter-
national officers, that the coal operators in many sections of this country,
in order to cover up their own shortcomings, their own failure to rise
to the needs of the occasion, are attempting to transfer the blame to
the shoulders of the men who mine the coal. They are attempting to
deceive the Federal government. You men fresh from the mining camps
of this country, fresh from the places where coal is mined know full
well that if the coal operators of this country would do their duty, would
respond as patriots, and if the railroads of the country would do their
full duty we could almost bury this nation in a foot of coal. There
would be no necessity for these far-reaching drastic orders that are
now being issued to conserve the coal supply if that were done, because
if the men were given an opportunity to work the coal would be mined.
The men cannot mine the coal unless the mines operate and unless the
railroads haul coal from the mines.
There may be some criticism directed toward the International for
sending circulars to the local unions when complaints of this kind are
made. What are we to do when the Federal authorities at Washington,
clothed with almost unlimited authority, and the coal operators as well
continually complain that individual men in different localities refuse
to work? Is it proper and right that that information should be kept
by your International officers? Or do you think they ought to transmit
the information direct to the membership? That is the reason why the
circulars were sent out, so that local unions would know that these
complaints were made and so that they could give the International
officers the information they were entitled to as to the conditions in
their respective localities. The International officers would then be in
possession of facts in order to counteract the charges made.
This resolution provides for an investigation. By whom? By a
representative of the Federal government? If so, who is going to be
that representative? Does it occur to you that the representative of
the Federal government might be a man who is antagonistic to the men
who mine the coal? It seems to me, as Delegate Walker has well said,
that if an investigration is to be made it ought to be made by a com-
346
mittee opon which is represented the interested party who is bein^ inves-
tigated. And if that investigation is to be made it ought to be made
in a most thorough and exhaustive manner so that all the underlying
causes mi^t be ascertained and the facts made known to the people at
large. The danger of this resolution is contained in the last resolve,
which says: ''Resolved, Said investigators have full power to remedy
all troubles of like nature."
•
Are we ready in this biennial convention to transfer authority to
some investigator we don't know to remedy all matters? Are we
ready to transfer that authority to an investigator to issue all orders and
to decide these matters that so vitally affect our well being and happi-
ness? Are we willing to blindly say before we know who the investi-
gator will be that we are going to give him full power in advance to
do as he pleases with us? That is what the resolution says — that is
the danger of the proposition. So, my friends, to safeg^uard your inter-
ests, to protect your welfare, it occurs to me this resolution should be
referred back to the committee or it should be defeated so that a correct
expression may be given the sentiments that are in our hearts and our
minds.
Delegate Doyle, District 21: I am in favor of the substitute; I
think it will bring about the desired result. Early in December when
the country was clamoring for coal, in the anthracite field, of Arkansas,
where I work, there were 100 flats of coal on our tracks and it was not
sent to the people of Little Rock where it was badly needed. I think
the miners of this country are able to defend themselves and show to
any investigators, no matter how antagonistic they may be to us, that
we are right. If you will give us three days' work each week we will
produce more coal than Uncle Sam needs; give us two of the other three
days and we will produce enough coal for Europe. It has been proved
beyond any doubt in the field where I work that since the government has
taken over the railroads we have worked four and five days a week.
During the two months preceding the taking over of the railroads by
the government we got six days. Everybody in our part of the country
was clamoring for coal. We went out two days in a half month and
got to work two hours. I think we need an investigation, but I think
the best results will be secured by referring the resolution back to the
committee.
I
347
Chairman Harlin: I want to say a brief word for the committee.
^ the motion offered by Delegate Savage is adopted and this resolution
w iie/erred back to the committee in the hope that the committee will con-
c\2T xTx the spirit of the resolution as expressed in the last resolve, so far
^ ^ ^km concerned you might just as well select another committee. If
the Kx-iJne workers in this convention are prepared to turn over the miners'
onio^i. and its affairs, body, boots and breeches, to the Federal govem-
tnea-fi and an investigator we do not know, I am not prepared to do that
as ^ member of this committee. We do not disagree with the intent of
tboa^ who submitted the resolution. I am no more afraid of an investi-
^\ioii than is my friend Delegate Doyle, but the arguments advanced
^y Delegate Walker and Secretary Green stated fully the position of the
committee. You delegates have demonstrated to me a disposition to
concur in this resolution. You are sent here by your locals to listen care-
fully to the things that may be placed before you and to deliberate
wifidy in the interests of the United Mine Workers of America, and
before you take a position that will deliver the men you represent back
home in the mining camps of this country to an investigating commit-
tee, the personnel of which you know nothing, which may be composed
of those who oppose everything you believe ifi, before you do that, my
friends, you ought to consider mighty carefully your action or you may
be called upon to stand up and assume the responsibility for that action
iKrben you go home, when the full meaning of what you have done be-
comes known to the miners of America.
The conmiittee in nonconcurring in this resolution have no apology
to offer for its action. Whether you refer this back or not you cannot
^et me to take a stand concurring in that last resolve. You might as
nvell know that now as later. With that knowledge, with the infor-
mation that has been given, I want you to vote upon this resolution
knowing the responsibility that was placed upon you when you were
sent to this convention to represent the people of your home communities.
Delegate Savage (G. W.), District 6: I voted for the committee's
report. I object as strongly to that clause in the resolution as any
delegate in this house, but I believe since the delegates haye been
informed of the importance of the resolution we ought to sustain the
motion to recommit the matter to the committee. I believe the com-
mittee will be able to bring in a report to this convention that will cover
S48
the propositions that have been discussed here today and show to the
public that the miners of this country are patriotic and will work all
tho time they have an opportunity to work.
Since I have been in this city I have heard men on the streets
criticisinir the miners because they are convened in this convention.
They figured that if the 1,500 miners in this convention were at home
mininif five tons of coal apiece it would supply sufficient coal to warm
the houses in Indianapolis, and it would not be necessary to close schools,
churches and playhouses. They do not figure that in Ohio last month
the miners worked less than 50 per cent of the time. Many of our
mines worked only five days during December. I believe this should
be brought to the attention of people generally so that no man will be
misled in reference to the causes for the fuel shortage in this country.
I boHcvo the committee can co\'er that in a resolution.
Delegate White (J. P.), District 13: I regret I came into the hall
after some action had been taken on this resolution. I listened very
carefully to the statement of the chairman of the committee and am
Inclined to concur fully in his position. As the representative of the
Uiiiteti Mine Workers in the Fuel Administration for the past few
months I feel it would be exceedingly unwise and wholly inappropriate
to recommit this resolution to the committee. Their recommendation
bespeaks the aims and purposes of the mine workers. There is no one
in authority at Washington who doubts the Royalty of the mine workers
in doing their bit in this great crisis. This resolution itself does not
Ax the responsibility for the allegations set forth theran. and to recom-
mit it to the committee would be to admit a doubt; therefore the com-
mittee's recommendation to nonconcur in the entire program a£ the
resolution is absolutely correct and fundamentally sound.
Kvery jrover omental authority, from the President down, has eom-
mendcil tho )rre«t body of the mine workers of this covntry for the
magnificent mann•:^r in which they have responded to the national needs.
To do anything except what the committee suggests would be to admit
there is grave rvx^m for doubt. I have watched with considezmble pa>
tience the r.u!r.orv>us Attempts made in Washington by indhidiials who
are prvposmg prv^rrams :ha: wi" mear.. if carried oct, the dissohitioo
of the hopes and arr.biT-or.s of the men. Tr.ey seek by allegatioiis to
849
PWe the responsibility upon the shoulders of the mine workers for the
^^ul conditions that are now corifronting our country. I have refused
^0 subscribe to such allegations. I have handled every labor question
^at has come into the Fuel Administration and I have been able to
satisfy the Federal government that the miners were doing their full
rfuty.
Why seek to secure an investigation of ourselves and give the
country a doabt as to whether we are doing our duty or not? I admire
tb^ position of the chairman of the committee when he says they will
not bring in any other report than to nonconcur. No one has been
**^1^ to indict the loyalty or devotion of their country to the miners,
at\^ until there is some authority that we can take cognizance of that
does that it will be folly to investigate ourselves or do anything looking
^ that end. Probably a great many of the delegates do not know that
^^ some of the great mining regions of this country there are thousands
of our members walking the streets of the mining towns out of employ-
ment because of the deplorable condition of transportation and the
drastic orders that are being put into effect from time to time to
relieve the people. This can in no way be attributed to lack of loyalty
on the part of the mine workers. Every day some individual who is
out of harmony with the impulse of the men in the mines is complaining
to some one in authority in Washington that individuals refrain from
attending to their work, but they never take any time to explain how
often these men journey from their homes in all sorts of weather to
try to perform their work, and they are obstructed in their patriotic
purpose because of falls in their places, because power facilities are
not adequate and other things prevent them from working. And then
when the reasons are sent in there is no explanation as to why these
men did not work.
The Resident of this mighty Republic has sent a message of
greeting to you and regretted his inability to address the mine workers
in this great convention. Not a single word is contained in that com-
munication of the President that would indicate that he doubted your
loyalty in the slightest degree. Dr. Garfield never yet has indicated
that the mine workers have not responded to every recommendation
he has made to meet this national crisis, and he, too, sent a message
over his own signature and regretted his inability to attend personally
arni address the convention. He pointed out how loyal he believed you
tv» I'O arti how you responded to every sug^restion you made looking
t*>warvi a vrr<ater supply of coal. Since August 14, according to the
t%r9timony c? Pr. GarrteM before the senate committee, there has been
\»*c to :ho mire worken? of the country more than 38,000,000 tons of
cvHiI. du^? to »nir shortage alone.
I re<ret that the recommendation of the committee was not coa.—
curt^ ^M. b^-ause I feel that if we recommit this to the committee "^r^
>tk\\\ avim:t to the world that there is some element of doubt in our min
•.Nat wc ar\» vioi"^ our duty. I know the mine workers are respondin
iti .1 »iajcnirtv*^t:r fashion during this national crisis. I will read
ivlvx'5»»«t 'hat has just v^vme from Dr. Garfield. I am sure that if h
w\\ >%v w^re ?H*t doing our duty he would have the sublime courag<
ih,a charaotvrt '.es the distinguished family he comes from to tell ui
tri i».\r^i Vritoru-arr terms what our duty is. He asked me to conve
u' 1^0 v\»M\on'.'on now. as a result of the recent order, the following:
•
rtv'u.c xmc to th<' ovmvention that the order closing down indus-
iiiv>« t\H M\o dc(>H will not slow down the mines. I am making pro-
M ,1,111 loi 1^.41 .-iMd also include in my appeal a request that labor be
til. I iili>\\iU w -vutft't- duT'ing the five days or the subsequent Mondays
uiIimUiI ivN ni\ oiaUt. I feel confident that the great masses of em-
it l«.\t>io ihioii^hout the country will regard this as a necessary incident
,.i ihii v\ai mill not shift the burden to labor.''
|.i iltt<io any man in this convention who is going out to seek an
iii.i-'lii^alUMi at the hands of investigators who does not prematurely
i.l.(, I. (Ill I ho Hhoulders of our organization the stigma of failing to
Hiiol iIm> lOMiumsihilities that are thrust upon us by the war? The
^iiMiiiiuui III lhi» committee has expressed my sentiments precisely, and
„i,lil il.».»*i uio more tangible reasons given for embarking upon such
.i . nil I ii'» I'l ircommended by the resolution there is only one way
;,|,,.M I* thi.» iniivrntion. If I had been here in time to participate in
11,,, , lit. Mi.ti ilrfruli'd the committee's recommendation, and I had voted
Mil Mi< iiii-ftiiliiiK ^'id(^ I would move a reconsideration of the vote
|,il ■ „ I n.i II 1 wiMild move to submit the report and recommendation
Ml (111* . •MiiiiiM«»i i*»5 ihi^ expression of this convention.
|i|.li iimIi. Inriiio, DiHtrict 12: We might as well have this out while
351
"^^ are at it — there is no use putting any polish on it. I feel that to
^er this back to the committee, in the face of the statement made
^y International Board Member Bobby Harlin — a man I know is big
enough and broad enough to consider any measure well before he passed
judgment on it — would be a reflection upon the integrity and sincerity
^^ your committee. The man that made the motion to refer this back
'^'Jderstood that the committee was determined that the spirit of this
Resolution would not be concurred in, and I think he acted wisely. I
^on't think it is necessary at this time for a convention of mine workers
to ^question their own loyalty and charge themselves with something
that demands an investigation. I don't believe in doing that. Had
tnere been charges from a source that would make the public believe
^^ 'W'ere guilty of disloyalty we would have demanded an investigation.
Nobody questions the loyalty of this organization. It has been proved
that the coal shortage is caused by an inadequate car supply. You
ti^ver go into court and charge yourself with something or start defend-
m _
^8 yourself without making people, believe you are more or less guilty,
^t ^e adopt this we will be doing that.
I did not understand at first that the motion was to non-concur in
the report of the committee. I thought it was to concur and so I stood
upi but I tell you now this matter should be well considered. Delegate
Walker understands that the committee is absolutely right. They under-
stand that the spirit of the resolution is not going to be concurred in by
the convention. Now, let us vote it up or down. If you are in favor of
the investigation and believe it is right to question your own loyalty,
why, have the investigation; if you do not, say so. Whenever definite
charges are made we will demand an investigation of the right kind and
have something to say as to who shall investigate. This does not say
who will investigate. Hidw do you know who will act for the govern-
ment in an investigation of this kind? You know it will not be one of
your own fellows. The committee studied this thing well before they
reported. Give them credit for what they have done and don't refer
it back.
Delegate Lister: This resolution reminds me of a «young friend
of mine who was walking along the street and saw a nice dog in the
shade of a tree. By his side lay a juicy pork chop. The dog would
get up and smell of the pork chop and then go and lie down. The
352
man said: "Ain't that dog having a good time." Wouldn't it be a good
thing for that dog when he has nothing to do to turn around and hunt
for flees upon himself just to keep busy ? We have suffered at the hands
of investigators; we have taken too much power from our own hands
and given it to other people. That is what we are trying to do now.
When we vote for such an investigation we will be voting for sorrow
upon our shoulders. We suffered from these thing^s in West Vir-
ginia; we know what they arc and we want relief from the situation
that confronts us there every day. ^
Delegate Henderson, District 19: We had quite a jangle over thL
•
question. In District 19 we' have been organized about eight month
The National sent board members down there and they grouped u
together and organized us. It appeared to me when the chairman ret<
the resolution that the intention was to have the operators put out th^
agitators of the union when they try to uphold the cause we have foughl
for. The district this came from may be similar to ours. While we do
not have idle mines in our place, in the neighboring mines the man who
stands up for his rights is worked out of his job. He has to walk the
streets hunting for work. We take these matters up and in some
instances we cannot get any redress. I believe some investigation
ought to be made. The operators put the men out of a job and they
walk around while their families suffer.
On the other hand, I don't want to vote anything on the miners of
this country that will bo a hardship. I don*t want to cast any reflection
on the members of the committee, for we are all United Mine Workers
and when we settle the question let us do so in the interests of the men.
When we go home to our own fields I hope we will be able to tell the
men we have done the best thing for them. If it is the best thing to vote
the resolution down, let us do that; if it is not the best thing to have
the investigation, let us vote it down, but let us all vote for the same
thing. However, I don't believe we oupht to put our case in the hands
of any man outside our organization: I think we have men in the organ-
ization who are competent to look after our affairs. I did not vote on
the resolution because I did not understand it thoroughly. If this reso-
lution tends to bring nardships upon the miners of this country I want
it voted down.
358
President Hayes: In view of what has been said I feel that I should
^y a few words upon the subject. I did not think at the time the ques-
Uon was voted on the committee's report would be repudiated. I want
^ make it plain to this convention that your International officials time
^d again have made it known to the American public that the cause
^t thA coal shortage or the coal famine in this country was due in no wise
^0 lack of patriotism on the part of the miners, but, on the contrary, that
it i^as due entirely to a lack of cars and lack of motive power.
A statement was made here concerning the circular letter sent out
^r ^our International officials. We did receive complaints from the op-
ci'^^rs and from some critics of our organization that in some few lo-
c^^ities individuals were absenting themselves from work. In order that
tK^^e might be no criticism of our people, in order that we might be able
^ Bhow from the .records in our office that we took cognizance of every
cotKxplaint made, we sent out the circulars in question. These circulars
'V^re sent out particularly to inform the membership of our great organi-
sation of what the critics of the union were discussing. I feel that this
resolution should be voted down and that the report submitted by your
committee, which gave the matter very careful study, should be adopted
AS the act of this convention.
Delegate Mercer (G. L.)» District 12: I move you that we reconsider
the action of the convention on the report of the committee. (Seconded
and carried.)
President Hayes: The committee's report is now before the con-
vention.
Delegate Fishwick, District 12: I move to concur in the report of
the committee. (Seconded and carried.)
RESOLUTION NO. 112.
Des Moines, Iowa, December 28, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, There is a growing tendency on the part of many mine
bosses and superintendents to aggress on the rights of their employes
and attempt to break down local decisions and customs that have stood
12— M. Pro.
864
for years, thus making it necessary for our local and district officers
to negfotiate for settlements of questions, which, according to our agree-
ments cannot be changed without the mutual consent of both parties;
and
Whereas, Such practices provoke men to such an extent at times
that they lose sight of the fact that their country needs and demands
the grreatest possible production of coal at this time, and strike rather
than have such questions reopened or changed in defiance of their
wishes; and
Whereas, It is more disastrous to the welfare of our country ^^
this time for a person to incite men to strike than it is for one to fH'
cite men to riot; therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Twenty-sixth Consecutive Session and Third
Biennial Convention of the United Mine Workers of America, That »
committee be appointed by our International President to draft a bill
making it a crime, punishable by imprisonment in the Federal peni-
tentiary, for any manager or boss of any industry to manage their
employes in such a way, or who willfully abrogates or ignores exist-
ing contracts to such an extent as to incite their employes to strike;
and be it further
Resolved, That the United Mine Workers of America put for-
ward their very best efforts to have such a bill enacted into law by the
present session of Congress. A. H. BURKE,
Local Union No. 318, District 13.
The committee recommended non-concurrence in Resolution No. 112.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
Delegate Burke, District 13: We have a penalty clause in our agree-
ment that absolutely prohibits us from striking, regardless of what the
operators do. The only method we have had in the past to redress our
grievances was the strike. We must have law or we must have some
other method of settling such grievances as this. The agreement says
specifically there shall be no local demands made that are not in the
contract. In many instances the operators pay no attention to the
365
^?i%ement, but attempt to break down any part of it that seems to
toder them. If we raise any question about it they say we are traitors
^ our country. There is no reason why they should not be punished for
abridging our rights in such cases. I realize that it will be a very hard
flatter to get such a law through Congress, but I also realize the fact
^at the employing class have political power to get laws to protect
fAem. Why should we not have laws that protect us in the same way?
I ^^ould not be ashaihed to ask the congressmen from our state to favor
iicli a proposition as this, and I feel our legislative committee would not
e ashamed to make such a request of our law givers. If they are our
i^^r givers, let them give us laws similar to those they have given the
tHer fellow.
Delegate Tarker: We had a condition in our mine that led the men
^ strike. The board member came down there and settled the matter.
The motion to adopt the recommendation of the committee was
carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 124.
Adena, Ohio, December 28, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of thg U. M. W. of A.:
Resolution of Local Union No. 1987, located at Adena, Ohio, Dis-
Tict No. 6, to secure some kind of help for old miners who have worked
nside of mines twenty-five years or over. We are referring to a pen-
ion for these men.
JOHN MARTAN, President.
JOHN KAVASNE, Delegate.
The committee reconmiended that no action be taken, as the subject-
ciatter contained in the resolution would be covered in the report of the
pecial committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 132. '
Des Moines, Iowa, December 31, 1917.
'o the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The Congress of the United States has declared war on
fermany and Austria-Hungary; and
356
Whereas, There are large numbers of alien enemies employed in the
coal mines of our country, and if a conspiracy among alien miners would
occur it would be a serious menace to American arms, and in order to
prevent as near as possible any valuable information respecting mining
reaching the enemy, be it
«
Resolved, By the U. M. W. of A., in convention assembled. That the
National Executive Board be and hereby is instructed to discontinue the
services of any and all alien enemies who are serving as officers of our
union. And that no papers, books or documents respecting mining or
the affairs of our union be printed in an alien enemy language during
the war, as herein referred to. G. H. EDMUNDS,
Delegate L. U. 818.
Secretary Smith: The committee non-concurs in the resolution. An
explanation for so doing will be made by the chairman of the committee.
Chairman Harlin: We appreciate the spirit in which this resolu-
tion is tendered and we do not desire our action to be construed as an
intention on the part of the committee to give aid and comfort to the
enemies of our country; but we appreciate the fact that a great many
men have been born in the countries with which we are at war who have
not been in this country long enough to become citizens. A great many
Bohemians, Slavs and Czechs have g^iven expression on many occasions
of their loyalty to the United States, and a great many of them are
serving in some local capacity and in some districts may be district
officers. If there had been a qualification that provided that these men
should apply for naturalization papers before becoming officers of the
Mine Workers' Union we might have given it added consideration with
a view to concurring in the resolution. These men now in this country
are loyal to the United States but because they have been bom in some
part of the dual monarchy of Austro-Hungary they might be classed as
alien enemies, although we all know where their sympathies lie.
Wc want this explanation to be made in order that our motives may
be clearly understood, not only by the delegates, but by the general pub-
lic, to whom I presume this information will be conveyed. Understand-
ing, as you do, our motives in the matter, I think you will find it the part
of wisdom to concur in the report of the committee. We make this re-
857
port with due consideration for the motives of Delegate Edmonds in
sabmitting the resolution.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in unanimously.
RESOLUTION NO. 188.
Cumberland, Wyo., December 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
At our regular meeting, December 27, a committee was nominated to
petition the convention of the United Mine Workers of America to draft
resolutions on employment of females in metallurgical industries, rail-
road mines and all industries where phsrsical energy to accomplish the
result of such occupation as being contrary to their sex and future gen-
erations. Be it
Resolved, That the convention assembled ask the National Bureau
of Labor to prohibit employment of such nature to be p^formed by the
female sex. DESIRE GASPARD,
GEORGE HY SMITH,
ANGELO MORRICO,
Committee.
The committee recommended, in lieu of Resolution No. 138. the
adoption of the following substitute:
We, the United Mine Workers of America in convention assembled,
take this opportunity to make the following declaration relative to the
employment of women in industry.
First, we hold that the present alleged shortage of labor has been
grossly exaggerated, and that if the available male labor power of our
country were efficiently utilized, and the workers were assured fair liv-
ing wages and decent conditions of employment, there would bo no need
at present for the employment of women at hazardous and laborious
work.
Second, we maintain and deplore the fact that certain piivate in-
dustrial interests have taken advantage of the present war situation to
justify their employment of women workers to do hard, rough, common
358
labor, and we do not hesitate to charge that in almost all instances tfa(
sole motive for so doing has been to reduce existing standards of life
and secure the cheapest labor possible.
Third, we recognize that the women of America stand ready and
willing to make any sacrifice needed of them to help our country win
the war, and w© appreciate to the full the value of the effort they am
able to contribute to the common good; but a decent respect to the
motherhood of our country compels us to protest the employment o
women in rough railroad construction work and at similar laborious o
hazardous employment We know that no necessity exists that wool
Justify the action of those who are responsible for this condition, a^^
we ask the Department of Labor to conduct an investigation of prev3>-
ing labor conditions to the end that our women are protected again
those who, under the guise of war necessity, would degrade our wom^-
hood by employing them nt work to which the female sex is unfitted.
Chairman Harlin: This resolution provides that the question of ^
veetigating the conditions where women are employed in industry
referred to the Department of Labor. I learn that at the very ti^
we were acting upon this resolution the Department of Labor was taki:*
action also. I do not want to suggest there was any kind of men'C:
telepathy between the committee and the Department of Labor, so
say is was a coincidence. The Department of Labor has now create
an advisory board. Six men and one woman have been named by S^
retary of Labor Wilson to form the advisory council. John Lind, fc^
mer governor of Minnesota, is chairman of the council and representati'^
of the public; labor is represented by John B. Lennon, of Illinois, fop^
merly treasurer of the American Federation of Labor, and.John J. Cas^
of Pennsylvania, formerly a member of Congress, and I think well kno^
to the anthracite delegation in this convention. The woman member o
that committee is Agnes Nestor of Chicago, president of the Woman
Trade Union League, member of the Defense Council of the Women*
Committee and formerly president of the Glove Workers' Union. W
have an interesting press dispatch from Chicagro this morning whid
states that the newly created labor administration announced today ths
it would be the policy to prevent the introduction of women into posi
tions for which men are still available and to prevent any reduction i
wage scales in the employment of women instead of men. The cor
359
^^ctWe thought incorporated in this resolution has already been acted
^n by the Department of Labor. I think, however, it would be well
^ set forth the position of this organization relative to the employ-
i&ent of women in industry. We know that men have been trading on
tliis supposed war necessity in order to work for their private gSLin; they
ftre endeavoring to coin the needs of the nation to their own advantage,
and we ought to state in unmistakable terms the position we occupy in
sach a matter. The committee has sought to speak for the mine work-
ers of America and give their position in regard to women employed
in liazardous labor.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
President Hayes: I feel that the convention is very anxious to hear
tl^e distinguished visitor who has just come on the platform. She is a
pioneer in our movement, a woman who has been with us for many years
• snd has helped in all the great strikes that have occurred for years past.
She needs no introduction to this convention of the United Mine Workers
^^ -America. I am now going to present the grandmother of the move-
"*®*it, a young lady of eighty-seven. Mother Jones.
ADDRESS OF MOTHER JONES.
I want to say, boys, that I am glad I have lived to see this gathering
^^ the miners in this country in this hall today. Years ago no one ever
^^eaitit that this great mass of producers would meet in the capital of
^ ^^eat state. I am not going to throw any bouquets at you-^I am not
^^^n to that at all. I did not expect to speak in this convention. I
*^^e here more to look it over until the officers of West Virginia came
^clc. For the first time in the history of West Virginia we have good
^«ncers; that is, we have honest, clean, sober men. They don't make
^^y crooked deals with the high class burglars — and if I catch one of
■^c^n doing it I will see that he is hung so he will not make another.
I want to call your attention, as I have often done, to a few illustra-
"OHb of what is taking place the world over today. History tells us that
avay back in the days of the Roman Empire they were gathering in the
blood of men who produced the wealth, just as they have been doing up
to this time. Back in that time the Roman lords said, '^Let us go down
860
to Carthage and stop the ag^itation there." They went down and all I
they arrested at that time they sold into slavery or held them. They
do pretty much the same today» for the courts put you in jail, which is
worse than any slavery. The Roman courts said to one young man,
"Why do you carry on this agitation? Don't you know it is danger-
ous?" The young man said, "No, I didn't know it was dangerous, but
I will tell you why I carry it on. I belong to a class that has been robbed*
plundered, murdered, maligned, vilified, jailed, persecuted all down the
ages, and because I belong to that class I feel it is my duty to awakei^
that class to their condition. The earth was not made for a few, bi^t
for all God's people.*' I wish I could imbue every man in this hall toda-T
with the same spirit that had possession of that Pagan slave. Min<i
you, 'he was not a modem Christian, he was a Pagan slave, but he w^^s
teaching Christ's doctrine to his brothers.
We are in a war today, the nation is facing a crisis and you mia>^^
not look at it with indifference. Never in the history of the Americ^i*&
nation has the government assumed such a responsibility as it has ot^
its shoulders now. Don't think this war will end tomorrow, not at a.Xl-
And if we are going to have freedom for the workers we have got
stand behind the nation in this fight to the last man. There may
those who want peace. I don't want peace on any terms, I am n<^^
willing to take it or concede it. Perhaps I was as much opposed ^o
war as any one in the nation, but when we get into a fight I am one of
those who intend to clean hell out of the other fellow, and we have g'ot
to clean the kaiser up. Now, mind you, I don't mean the German peoplCt
I mean the kaiser, the dictator; I mean the grafter, the burglar, tlie
thief, the murderer — the men of that type will have to be cleaned up.
*
I heard you talking about the responsibility for the shortage of
coal. There is no shortage of coal. The miners of this country 3.rc
willing to dig coal day and night if the nation needs it. But there is a
shortage of common sense in making the other fellow give up the cars.
The miners are willing to dig Sunday, Monday, or any other day, ^^
they can't get the cars. Without anybody knowing anything about it I
took a trip from Charleston to Cincinnati. I got an old sunbonnet» V^^
it on and went into every yard. I looked over the yards and saw '^^^*
by the hundreds laid away instead of being given to the miners. '^^
miners in Cabin Creek worked only six hours in one week, and in ^^^**
361
our. And then somebody will come forward and blame
et me tell you the miner is the best citizen there is in
miners in the Fairmount region haven't had cam, and
' coal cannot be blamed on them. I counted sixty cars
3riiing as I came along and they were all sidetracked.
IS not taken from other roads and attached to those cars
vhere they are needed? You cannot do business up in
>u have got to do it out through the coimtry. Sitting
3ff steam in Washington won't settle the question; you
e some people out to do the work. Not the fellow working
ear. That kind of gentleman don't know anything about
rom among the coal miners who understand the situation
umish the coal. The President has taken over the rail-
hen, let us have cars. But cut out the watered stock,
)wn the railroads we are not going to stand for watered
ave heen robbing us long enough and we will attend to
we are not going to bother with it now.
3r in West Virginia is perfectly willing to work day and
overnment needs him. The miners cannot produce the
I't give them the cars to dump it into. The trouble lies
ads. What we must do is to settle down to one thing —
s in the mines, not a single strike. Let ns keep at one
to strike the kaiser off the throne. Let us settle little
liout conflicts, because the nation is in no condition to
I things today. Never in our history has the President
s to contend with. Not Washington, not Lincoln, not a
ever sat in the presidential chair has gone up against it
fio is there today. I am not in the habit of paying tribute
Is as a rule, but I will say that the fhrst time in your his-
been recognized as good citizens of the United States has
sent chief executive of the nation. When he wrote to you he
ized that you are the bone and sinew of this nation, for
le nation would perish. So I say I pay my respects to
on. He took a stand that no President ever did before,
roposition for the settlement of the Colorado strike when
dangerous for the nation. I don't believe even President
I how dangerous it was, but he sent out a proposition and
to Carthage and stop the agitation there." They went down and an* 'M.l
they arrested at that time thej* sold into slavery or held them. Th
do pretty much the same today, for the courts put you in jail, which
worse than any slavery. The Roman courts said to one young ma:
"Why do you carry on this agitation? Don't you know it is dange
0U8?" The young man said, ''No, I didn't know it was dangerous, h
I will tell you why I carry it on. I belong to a class that has been robbf 1>
plundered, murdered, maligned, vilified, jailed, persecuted all down tlm.^
ages, and because I belong to that class I feel it is my duty to awak^xi
that class to their condition. The earth was not made for a few, bt-at
for all God's people." I wish I could imbue every man in this hall tod»> 7
with the same spirit that had possession of that Pagan slave. Mir^-^
you, 'he was not a modem Christian, he was a Pagan slave, but he
teaching Christ's doctrine to his brothers.
We are in a war today, the nation is facing a crisis and you mu:
not look at it with indifference. Never in the history of the Ameri<
nation has the government assumed such a responsibility as it has c^xi
its shoulders now. Don't think this war will end tomorrow, not at a'X.l.
And if we are going to have freedom for the workers we have got
stand behind the nation in this fight to the last man. There may
those who want peace. I don't want peace on any terms, I am ik«Dt
willing to take it or concede it. Perhaps I was as much opposed ^o
war as any one in the nation, but when we get into a fight I am one
those who intend to clean hell out of the other fellow, and we have
to clean the kaiser up. Now, mind you, I don't mean the German peoi^le,
I mean the kaiser, the dictator; I mean the grafter, the burglar, tiie
thief, the murderer — the men of that type will have to be cleaned up.
I heard you talking about the responsibility for the shortage of
coal. There is no shortage of coal. The miners of this country <^
willing to dig coal day and night if the nation needs it. But there u a
shortage of common sense in making the other fellow give up the cars.
The miners are willing to dig Sunday, Monday, or any other day* "
they can't get the cars. Without anybody knowing anything aboia'^
took a trip from Charleston to Cincinnati. I got an old sunbonne'C^ ^
it on and went into every yard. I looked over the yards and sa^iT '^^
by the hundreds laid away instead of being given to the miners,
miners in Cabin Creek worked only six hours in one week, and in '^^^
361
Creek not an hour. And then somebody will come forward and blame
the miners! Let me tell you the miner is the best citizen there is in
America. The miners in the Fairmount region haven't had cars, and
^e shortage of coal cannot be blamed on them. I counted sixty cars
of coal this morning as I came along and they were all sidetracked.
^y are engines not taken from other roads and attached to those cars
to take them where they are needed? You cannot do business up in
^Ashington, you have got to do it out through the country. Sitting
down blowing off steam in Washington won't settle the question; you
^▼e got to have some people out to do the work. Not the fellow working
^or a dollar a year. That kind of gentleman don't know anything about
'^- Pick men from among the coal miners who understand the situation
and they will furnish the coal. The President has taken over the rail-
^ads. Well, then, let us have cars. But cut out the watered stock,
because if we own the railroads we are not going to stand for watered
stock. They have been robbing us long enough and we will attend to
^^t later on — ^we are not going- to bother with it now.
Every miner in West Virginia is perfectly willing to work day and
'^i&ht if the government needs him. The miners cannot produce the
coal if you don't give them the cars to dump it into. The trouble lies
^^th. the railroads. What we must do is to settle down to one thing —
^o more strikes in the mines, not a single strike. Let us keep at one
^^'^e, a strike to strike the kaiser off the throne. Let us settle little
^^^vances without conflicts, because the nation is in no condition to
*®al -^th those things today. Never in our history has the President
^^ such things to contend with. Not Washington, not Lincoln, not a
^^*^sid«it who ever sat in the presidential chair has gone up against it
*^® the man who is there today. I am not in the habit of paying tribute
^ Public ofl^als as a rule, but I will say that the first time in your his-
^^y' you have been recognized as good citizens of the United States has
^*i by the present chief executive of the nation. When he wrote to you he
^^ast recognized that you are the bone and sinew of this nation, for
^Hcut you the nation would perish. So I say I pay my respects to
*^%ident Wilson. He took a stand that no President ever did before.
^ offered a proposition for the settlement of the Colorado strike when
^ *Ox>ked very dangerous for the nation. I don't believe even President
^<^on realized how dangerous it was, but he sent out a proposition and
362
the miners accepted it. You have been a little free from strikes since,
but not from internal agitation and conflict. Now, boys, I want to tell
you we have got to stop and bury all internal bickering and rise like
men to meet the danger to our nation. This is no time to fight to see
who will be officers. You know when there is wrong 'there is no one in
your ranks who will fight it more openly than I will, but I feel this is a
time to give an example to workers all over the world.
I congratulate you on this magnificent convention. Talking to a
nune owner today we discussed a few questions. He said, *'I want to
show you what organization does. In 1902 we had a conventi(m of
miners in West Virginia. In 1918 we had another. I stood in that coxi*
vention and surveyed the men who were there representing some 30,000
members. As I looked at them I saw the change that had come ab(^i^'^
The men in the convention this year got down to business, discus9^^
vital questions; there was no conflict, each brought out his views, ^^
got a hearing and then all agreed finally. That is the outcome ^'
organization, education and agitation. They were not drinking; tla^y
were attending to business."
I was in that convention and we didn't jiave any temperance
howling around there; we didn't need them. The men had learned
respect since they got shorter hours, did away with the pluck-me stoc^^
and got their pay in Uncle Sam's money instead of corporation scr^V'
They did not have to buy Armour's rotten beef from the company sto^**-
At one time I was staying at a miner's home after holding a meeting ^^
1901 with the enslaved army that was in the mines at that time. T^^
mother got up in the morning and opened a can of Armour's choice ros^^
beef. She started to put it in the buckets of the boys and found thr^^
fingers in the can under a layer of beef. Farther down she found pa^
of a hand. I got it and took it away with me. We were goinfi^ to hav^
a meeting in the opera house in Montgomery the next day. I showed
the men what they had to pay for in the pluck-me store. It was
Armour's choice roast beef, mind you, and three fingers of the worker
had been chopped off. They don't have to do that now. If they got
a can of that sort of stuff they would hit the pencil pusher over the head
with it, but in 1901 they had to take it or they were blacklisted. They
are not blacklisted now, they have an organization behind them.
Another thing they have now is schools for the children. That
F
\ convention in Charleston last week taught me one great lesson. There
f ^ere men there from along the Kanawha River that were in bondage
I
L ^teen years ago. Often I had to go around in those days to hold a
I 'Qeeting with them in the dead of night. Now I can go in the daytime
^ all but a few places. We cannot do that in the Pocahontas field yet,
^ot we are going in there one of these days, and I tell you when we do
therell be hell let loose. We want them to understand we are going out.
America is fighting for democracy abroad and we are going to fight at
bc>zKie, so that when we lick the fellows abroad we will have here at home
a station with laws that will not be set aside by the Supreme Court.
li^lrken that day comes the Supreme Court will not be telling you you
ar-"^ criminals. The Supreme Court doesn't know what it is to suffer.
In. Washington, where four or five of them were discussing the great
i&^iues of the day, an old fossilized fellow who had been dead forty years
be^«re he was bom said, ''You know that the miners and the workers
8E»^iid their money in saloons.'' I let him shoot off his hot air a while and
B&ld, "How much of your money did they ever spend? How much of
tK«ir money did you spend? You spend -a lot of it, because you have
a stomach four miles long and two miles wide. If the miners do take
a drink once in a while they need it. They have to go into the mines
and work in water day after day and watch the roof for fear it will
come down on them, watch for poisonous gases, and in West Virginia in
^me places they have to spend fourteeji hours a day, or did some years
A^. You know nothing about these things. You have been living off
^^ ii^e blood of your fellow-man and you have no conception of what he
^*« to contend with."
1*0 go back to the war. We will stay with Uncle Sam. He is the
"^ Xmcle you ever struck. There is no other uncle in the world like
UncI^ Sam, and the convention must express its deep appreciation of
^^r^^ident Wilson, who is the first President that ever sat in the execu-
tive chair of the nation who recognized this body of workers. It isn't
aPT^ing but what he should have done, but he is the first one that did
it, ^nd for that reason I want to pay my respects to him. If we are
go'ttig to have any difiSculties let us go to the national government and
pdt our case before them before any strike is called. Let us dig the coal
^iid let us demand that we get cars to fill with the coal. You know there
364
is a game being played because Uncle Sam has taken over the roads.
The pirates are onto the game and they are trying to embarrass the
government. I will tell you what we will do. We will line up an army
in West Virginia, capture the cars, get the engineers and firemen to run
them down to the mines, load them and run them to Washington and
New York.
You have a young president here; he is very young yet, but I want
to tell you something. I want you to stand behind President Hayes and
help him, and don't harrass him any more than you can help. Let as
stand together as one man behind him. There never was an hour in
the history of organized labor when it was so essential for us to bury
the hatchet, stand together and fight this battle of the nation to a
finish as now. And when we have won, if they don't give us a square
deal we will fight then. I want you to stand behind your president an<i
do everything you can. He is young now, but before he gets through
he will grow old. You have got a secretary who is one of the most ab^^
men in America in the industries. I have been watching him carefully*
I watch them all and I know them all from A to Z.
I was traveling all night and I was fussing all day yesterday. A fi
low asked me if I didn't think it was time for me to die, and I
"No, I have a contract to clean hell out of you fellows and I cannot
until I have helped civilize you." Now, be good boys and let us
this fight of our nation a fight to the finish. Show the world there
one grand body of men in America that stands loyally for the flai
You must understand that the men. who watered the clay for seven lo:
years with their blood, with blistered feet, weary backs and throbbi
heads, they did it in order to hand down to you the noblest emblem ev
handed down during all the generations of man as an evidence of the
belief in social justice and industrial freedom. I happened to be one
those who walked over the clay those men watered with their blood
give me a vision of freedom. Their memory is dear to me. Every sta
in that flag was bought with the blood of men who believed in freedomi-
industrial freedom, particularly. Now it is up to us to carry on th^
work. Organize, organize, organize.
There is a system of industrial feudalism in the State of West Vir-
ginia but before another year ends the backbone of that damnable
\'
^d
365
stem will be broken and men will rise beneath those stars and stripes
they should rise, free, for the first time. We propose to put the
famous gunmen there out of business. We will make them find other
cupations. You are robbed and plundered to pay these gunmen that
'e hired to keep you in industrial slavery. If it takes every man of
le 500,000 miners in this country to march into West Virginia we pto-
3se to drive out that feudal system that survives there. It is an out-
age and an insult to that flag. They may as well prepare for busi-
ess, for we are going to do it. The president of the Winding Gulf
ang said in Washington, "Don't you know that Mother Jones swears?''
was asked, "Do you swear. Mother Jones?" I said, "You don't think
m hypocrite enough to pray when I'm talking to those thieves!"
Now line up and stand with the government. No matter who says
», you fellows, every man of you, stand together, and when the fight
over across the water, if we have any kaisers at home we will line
K We will have the guns and our boys will be drilled. We will
business then and we will not ask to borrow money to buy guns. We
11 have the guns Uncle Sam paid for and we will use them on the
rates and put a stop to slavery. We will give the children of the
ture a chance to grow. We will teach the people of all the world
lat that flag stands for and we will not be betrayed by the workers,
t us pledge ourselves in this convention to stand beside the President
til the battle is won. I would advise every one to join the Home
lards. Some one would ask why I recommend that. I recommend
because when they call out their army to crush the workers and de-
Toy the future of the nation we will have the guns and we will turn
em on the common enemy, not the workers. You have a chance today
at has never come in the history of this country before and I want
u to take advantage of it.
I had an appeal made to me that touched me more than anything
IS in years. A company of the boys were going abroad from Bent-
Y, West Virginia. The mother of one of the boys fainted. Her boy,
Ith tears in his eyes, gazed at her. In spite of that the last thing
i said was, "Mother, keep up the union until we come back and then
B will all be one." There never was a grander appeal made by men
ho had been in slavery and bondage and had just accepted their
lance. When they made that appeal I got a new light. I saw those
866
boys. going over the ocean to fight the battle for freedom, and they said,
"Keep the boys together until we return and then we will all be one."
So I say to you, boys, keep up the education and the agitation.
I know there may be some who will find a little fault with what I
am going to say, but let me make this appeal to you: Instead of going
to poolrooms and playing poker with mine owners or with any one else,
get a book and read and study and prepare yourselves for the future.
When you have an idle time, when you feel your brain is rested, get
food out of some economic work by some master mind. When you play
poker with a mine owner and you win money from him it is a bribe
and he gives it to you for that purpose. I know some of you will con-
demn me, but I am onto the game. Stay at home and bring up your
children to be good citizens. Your wives and children are the best com-
panions and home is the best place in the world.
I want to say to you. President Hayes, if you send any organizers
into the field where I am and they play poker games, if you don't take
them out I will lick them and put them out. I complained about one
and you took him out. The fellow lost $35 playing poker one night
and I lodged a complaint against him. He wouldn't lose that money,
it would go in on the pay roll and you would pay it. Now, I am warn-
ing you, and I want to tell you, Mr. Hayes, if you send any leeches
and bloodsuckers into West Virginia we will send them out. We won't
put up with them. We have got good men; there is no organization in
the country that has as good men as the miners have, but they seldom
get on the pay roll. Those men have got to work if they pome into the
field where I am or I will put them out,
A motion was made to print the speech made by Mother Jones.
President Hayes: That will be done without a motion. I have
known Mother Jones for a number of years, I have worked with her in
various fields, and she has always had the respect of the international
organization. For seven years she worked under my direction 'as an
organizer and the only orders I ever gave her was to g^o where she
pleased. She always did that and she always said what she pleased.
She is a free lance in this movement and I think the "young president"
will profit by her suggestion.
367
So far as the organizing staff is concerned, it compares favor-
ably with any other organizing staff in the country. I don't think
Mother Jones intended to reflect upon the many good men on the or-
ganizing staff. If there is any man among the organizers who is not
honest and who does not perform his duties, he goes off that staff. In
the case she referred to the man went off the staff immediately when
she reported to me. I want to^make that clear so that there will be
no misunderstanding in the minds of the delegates to this convention as
to where I stand upon the question she brought to your attention. I
appreciate the splendid work Mother Jones has performed in the in-
terest of this movement. She has rendered valiant service and in
behalf of the delegates I desire to thank her for her address this after-
noon.
Mother Jones: I worked under President White from the time he
became president until he resigned and never at any time did he tell
me what to do or where to go. There was only one time in the whole
history when he said to me, ''Mother, would you go into West Virginia
and see if you can straighten out the boys?'' I went in, but that is the
only time he ever said a word to me in all the years I worked imder
him. I want now to express my appreciation for the kindly and cour-
teous manner in which he treated me. If other presidents who pre-
ceded him had done the same the miners would not have been required
to spend the amount of money they did in organizing some of the States
and fewer lives would have been lost. We have harmony in West Vir-
ginia and we are certainly indebted to President White for that.
The report of the Committee on Resolutions was continued, as fol-
loj¥s: •
RESOLUTION NO. 148.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, It appearinjg that on the first day of July, A. D. 1917, the
Gallup American Coal Company took over and purchased all the property
of the Victor American Fuel Company in New Mexico, there was at that
time a contract existing between the United Mine Workers of America
and the Victor American Fuel Company which was, by the terms thereof.
868
to endure for the period of three years. Every man in the employ of the
Victor American Fuel Company on the first day of July was a member
of the United Mine Workers of America, totaling in number about six
hundred fifty. Immediately on the property coming into the hands of the
Gallup American Coal Company, on the first day of July, they repudiated
the contract of the United Mine Workers and drove its members from
their camps and employed to do this work ex-convicts and crioiinals
wherever they could find them. Later, on the Slst day of July, they se-
lected some thirty members of our organization residing at Gallup, N. M.,
three miles from the camps of the Gallup American Coal Company, and
idio were at all times conducting themselves as peaceful, law-abiding
citizens of the United States, and imprisoned them in violation of law and
in a manner calculated to humiliate, degrade and injure the feelings and
excite terror in the hearts of these honest American citizens; and after
confining them for several hours with a machine gun trained uiK>n them
and under loaded firearms trained upon them by disreputable characters
from several States, they were deported from their homes to a town some
two hundred miles distant. Many of these men own property in McKinley
county and some had lived in said county for thirty years; and they were
told upon their deportation by the sheriff of said county that if they ever
returned they would be murdered ; and since the perpetration of said out-
rage the officers of the law of said County of McKinley, in the State of
New Mexico, have fiatly refused to i>erform their duty in bringing abou^.
the punishment of such unlawful conduct; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of this meeting thtit we condemn
outlawry, brutality and un-American conduct set forth in the foregoin
statement of facts relating to the so-called deportation from the to
of Gallup on or about IJie Slst day of July, and the conduct of the Gallu;
American Coal Company and its outlaws employed for that purpose. 6
it further
Resolved, That we urge that steps be taken to prevent a repetitioKC^
of such conduct and to preserve our country and its institutions in safet^^
from such attacks; and it appearing that the sheriff of McKinley county^^
New Mexico, R. L. Roberts, alias James Walton Roberts, and George
Craig, Esq., the prosecuting attorney for the Second Judicial District ofc
New Mexico, are favorable to such proceedings as are herein condemned. 1
the former by actual participation in the deportation, the latter by
869
ling to prosecute those who did ; that a copy of this resolution be printed
id mailed to each labor organization in the State of New Mexico.
E. E. VAZONEY, President,
JOHN DELERENTI, Recording Secretary,
CHAS. BURLES, Financial Secretary,
LEO. P. GALVIN,
Fin. Agt. and Representative of U. M. W. of A« in New Mexico.
The committee recommended concurrence in Resolution No. 148.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
RESOLUTION NO. 161.
» the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The sacrifice of lives and property are necessary in order
win the war for Democracy, and believing, as we do, that lives are
ore sacred than privately owned surplus property, and far more sacred
an enormous profits to a few; and believing as we do, that the exigency
this time demands the conscription of both property and men; there-
re, be it
Resolved, By the United Mine Workers of America, in National
mvention assembled, That we urge upon Cong^ress and the President,
at they immediately apply the principle of the selective draft to
irplus private property, to surplus private incomes and to war profits.
GEO. KARNES, President,
JACOB BIRZEL, Sec'y,
Local Union No. 644, Hillsboro, Til,
The committee recommended concurrence in Resolution No. 161.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
RESOLUTION NO. 162.
0 the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, It is the duty of miners, and it is. expected of them, that
ley prove their loyalty to their country by the production of all the
370
coal possible to produce; and in too many instances their known loyalty
puts them in a defenseless condition in some respects, suggested as
follows:
In many mines bad conditions, and often dangerous conditions obtain;
frequently and generally these conditions are imposed by the operators
upon the men, in direct violation of state laws; therefore, be it
Resolved, By the United Mine Workers of America, in National
Convention assembled, That Fuel Administrator Garfield be advised re-
garding this important matter; and that when specific complaints come
to him regarding violations of the mining laws, that he investigate,
and then immediately use his power t^ the end, that the mining laws
are enforced.
GEO. KARNES, President,
JACOB BIRZEL, Sec'y>
Local Union No. 644, Hillsboro, Dl.
The conunittee recommended reference of Resolution No. 162 to the
various districts. The recommendation of the conmiittee was adopted
unanimously.
RESOLUTION NO. 164.
Benton, 111., January 7, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Food Commissioner Hoover has proclaimed to the United
States for the preservation of food so much so as to proclaim meatless
and wheatless days, and we, as mine workers, are in a unit with Mr.
Hoover, and to bring these conditions about Mr. Hoover should get busy
and bring it to bear upon the operators of this country that the greatest
saving proposition among the miners of this country is that they should
know the evening before whether they shall work the day following.
All miners know that it is a great expense and waste when they get
their dinner pails prepared and go to the pit head and find there is no
work and have to return home.
Whereas, It is a custom of the operators of this district to make
371
this arrangement, but Local No. 1959 has no way of knowing whether
they will run or not until they get to the pit head;
«
Whereas, We as miners know it is a great waste of food for the
miners to get their dinner pails prepared and go to the pit head and
find there is no work and return} home and the contents of your dinner
pail is wasted for the reason a man eats his dinner so often cold that
he would rather have a hot dinner, if it was nothing but a dish of soup,
than to eat a cold dinner; therefore, be it
Resolved, That Mr. Hoover, the food administrator, be informed
of the conditions we work under; and also this convention take this into
consideration and take some action to the betterment of the conditions
that confront us and the district in which it exists.
J. C. PRICE,
Resolution Committee.
Local Union No. 1959.
The committee recommended reference of Resolution 164 to District
No. 12 organization, as it dealt with a local matter.
The recommendation of the conunittee was concurred in.
RESOLUTION NO. 168.
Hanna City, 111., January 2, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Our government is at war and we hereby reaffirm our alle-
^ance to our government and are willing and ready to stand by it in
any capacity that we are needed to carry' this war to victory, but realiz-
ing there is a move on foot for universal compulsory military training,
and believing that such military training is not in harmony with the
traditions of our government, or will conserve the best interests of the
laboring class; therefore, be it
Resolved, That Local Union No. 661, U. M. W. of A., is opposed to
372
Mich military training and that our organization use all of its influer^
against any lesrislation looking to universal military training.
Adopted by Local Union No. 661, U. M. W.' of A., January 2, 19 r
W. H. THRUSH, President
JOHN P. CARPENTER, Secretary.
WM. CRAGGS,
JOHN McVICKER.
H. SWADINSKY,
PRANK SNODGRASS,
Committee.
The committee recommended concurrence in Resolution No. 168.
Chairman Harlin, in explaining the attitude of the committee, sal
in part: 1 believe that most of the delegates know there is a move o:
foot in this country to take advantage of the present war situation t
perpetuate military training in the United States. We are fighting thi
war against war. We are fighting this war, we are led to believe, s<
that there will be no more war, and we do not want to agree to an:
proposition that would provide for the perpetuation of military machine
in this or any other country following the end of the war in which w<
are now engaged. Yet we find men like Mr. Taft and young Mr. Rocke
feller on the platform taking advantage of the situation and endeavoring
to have a bill enacted by Congress that will saddle upon the America]
people the curse of perpetual military training.
This resolution is in favor of i^tanding by the government in an:
L'upacity it may be needed to cany this war to victory.. That preclude:
the possibility of any man misunderstanding the position of the miners
iirntanization in adopting this resolution. It provides, however, that w«
ym on record as opposinjr military training as an institution. I think wi
uiight to issue this declaration so that it may be known by the worl(
(hat while we stand behind the government in the prosecution of thi;
Ufui* wo believe in the declaration of our President that it ought to b<
liiii»iht ill order that all future war may be eliminated and the curse o1
IMllKiuiiini swept forever from the face of the earth. That is the posi
(lull lit' the committee. I want to make this explanation so there will b<
(III iHiiiuiiiliMstantiinvr of our position by those who may disseminate the
373
viei^s of the convention to the outside world. It is not that we are
opposed to the present war policies. We believe, with Mother Jones,
that until we defeat the great machine of militarism that is fighting: in
the interest of the German government and her allies we should fight.
Wherx that is done we hope the universe will be freed from the curse of
irism.
XDelegate Phillips, District 12: I rise to object to the resolution,
^t is needless for the miners of the international union to afiirm their
loyaX-ty or their patriotism. I don't believe in concurring in the resolu-
^^^'^^ however. I would rather it would be submitted to a committee to
niale^ a report on this subject. It is a serious problem and we are
^acia-^^ problems today that will have to be met. As a delegate from
^8r3rx>t — Southern Illinois — I desire to say the Illinois miners will go
do^wiri. in their iK>ckets and help any one who is fighting for his country.
X)elegate Savage: Of what use is it for us to fight militarism in
^^I'xxiany if we are going to establish it in this country when the war
IS ox^er. I don't believe free American citizens will stand for it, but
^' t:>xe workers will sit idly by something may be slipped over on us
"^^"t we are fighting against now. I believe if there is a bill introduced in
^or^^^fggg jjQ^ fQY ^y^Q purpose of establishing militarism in this country
^^ international officials should be instructed to voice the sentiments
^^ "^Inis convention in no uncertain terms. I think the local unions all
^^^^*^ this country should bring this matter up in their meeting and
^^^"^^^^ard their protest to Washington against any such movement. If
^ dimply pass a resolution, put it into our minutes and lay it on the
^^^, it will do no good. We should insist upon making our protest
^ ^- We should let it be understood that the workers of this country
^ apposed to militarism in any form. We are standing by our gov-
^'^^■^ent, and will stand by it to eliminate militarism from the face of
^ ^Mtrth, but let us not prepare to bring it back into this country after
^ave settled the war in Europe.
Delegate Doyle, District 19: I heartily concur in the committee's
►rt If I understand the reason the United States went into this
V, "^-^^ it was to fight against militarism; in other words, to put down
^^ '^>> kaiserism and militarism. The bill prepared in California seeks
establish militarism right here at home. If we are going to fight for
374
democracy let us do so and not allow any unscrupulous set of capitalists
or exploiters go to Washington and put on the statute books a bill
that will be equal to the i>ower the Kaiser is exercising in Germany.
Uncle Sam can get all the soldiers he needs and all the support he
needs, not only from the mine workers, but from every other labor
onion on this continent. I served three years in the army and I know
what it means, but if the United States needs me to shoulder a gun
and Aght again in Flanders I am willing to go, but I don't believe a
law should be placed on the statute books that creates militarism in this
country. There is a kaiser in the United States and we may as well
admit it. There is a kaiser of militarism in Germany and there is a
kaiser of capitalism in America, and if we sit idly by and allow some-
thing to be enacted in Congress that will place power in the hands of
the kaisers in America you will regret it when the war is over. If you
destroy both kaiserism and militarism you will be in a position to
establish industrial democracy, if not in the world, at least on the
American continent.
Don't let these fellows slip anything over on you. You talk about
the slacker! Why, the slacker is decent alongside of this viper that
is seeking to write into the records in Washington such a damnable
law as has been spoken of. That is the most dangerous viper this
country has ever had to contend with. That is why I say the report
ought to be adopted, and when we go home now let us not forget that
we ought to at least notify our congressmen and senators that the
United Mine Workers of America oppose at all times putting anything
on the statute books that looks like militarism or kaiserism in the
United States.
The motion to adopt the recommendation of the committee was
carried with one dissenting vote.
The convention was adjourned under the rules to convene at 9 a.
m., Friday, January 18.
375
FOURTH DAY-MORNINS SESSION
Indianapolis, Indiana, January 18, 1918.
The convention was called to order at 9 o'clock a. m., Friday, January
18, President Hayes in the chair.
President Hayes: I desire at this time to read a very interesting
telegram I received relative to the prevailing coal shortage:
Charleston, W. Va., January 17, 1918.
Frank J. Hayes, United Mine Workers, Indianapolis, Ind.:
Yesterday one hundred eleven out of one hundred sixty-two mines
in Kanawha District were idle, throwing eight thousand seven hundred
men out of employment. Clarksburg-Flemington district one hundred
seven mines out of qne hundred forty-three idle, throwing seven thousand
four hundred forty-seven men out of work. Loss of one hundred four
thousand eight hundred tons of coal account shortage in railroad cars.
This continues daily and there has not been the slightest improvement
since the government took control of the railroads. Food prices mount
higher and great unrest exists in coal fields as men who want work and
cannot get it see their ability to purchase needed food for their families
reduced one-half. This is the most serious matter confronting the United
Mine Workers c6nvention. ^^^^^^^ ^ MONTGOMERY.
Commissioner of Labor, West Virginia.
Secretary Green: It seems that the order of Dr. Garfield will
prevent the printing of the daily minutes during the time the conven-
tion is in session for the next five days. We will not be able to distribute
any of the minutes before Tuesday.
Vice-President John L. Lewis in the chair.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON OFFICERS' REPORTS.
Delegate O'Neil, Secretary of the Committee, reported as follows:
Indianapolis, Indiana, January 18, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sis^th Consecutive and Thinl
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Grentlemen: We, your Committee on Officers' Reports, beg leave to
submit for your consideration the following report:
1
876
PRESIDENT HAYES' REPORT.
President Hayes in the beginning of his report calls attention to the
fact that he assumed the presidency of the organization on October 25,
1917, upon the resignation of ex-president John P. White, who had sub-
mitted a comprehensive report of his work up to the time he had re-
signed. However, President Hashes' report deals with the most important
events of the past two years and all of the work of the organization's
officers subject to review by this convention. «
He also calls attention in this section of his report to the appoint-
ment of John L. Lewis as Vice-President and the unanimous endorsement
of his action in this matter by the International Executive Board.
The Committee on Officers* Reports concur in this part of the Presi-
dent's report.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in unanimously.
BITUMINOUS WAGE AGREEMENTS.
The Bituminous Wage Agreement negotiated March 9, 1916, at New
York City and covering the period from April 1, 1916, to March 31,
1918, carrying with it Universal Mine Run as well as an advance in
wages was adopted by a referendum vote of the membership.
The Committee concurs in this section of the President's Report.
This portion of the report of the committee was concurred in unani-
mously.
SUPPLEMENTAL BITUMINOUS WAGE AGREEMENTS.
In reporting the bituminous wage agreements to this convention
we have the unusual condition as a result of the war of two supple-
mental wages agreements; one negotiated at New York City, April 12,
1917; and one negotiated at Washington, D. C, October 6, 1917, carrjring
with them the largest increase of wages ever secured in an agn^eement
before by the Mine Workers of this country. Neither of these agreements
were adopted in the usual manner by submission to a referendum vote
or special convention because they were supplemental agreements and
negotiated in the interim of an agreement period.
377
The Agreement negotiated at New York City, April 12, 1917, was
accepted on behalf of the United Mine Workers of America by the Inter-
national ofiScials and the respective district officials of the districts
affected.
The Committee on Officers' Reports concur in this section of the
President's report referring to the supplemental agreement dated April
12, 1917, and commend the officers of the organization for their aocom-
plishment at this time.
The portion of the report of the committee dealing with Supplemental
Bituminous Wage Agreements was concurred in unanimously.
WASHINGTON AGREEMENT.
The Washington Agreement dated October 6, 1917, was negotiated
by the representatives of the Operators' and the Mine Workers of the
Central Competitive Field, viz.: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Western
Pennsylvania together with the International officials, but is subject to
ratification by this convention and contains the following provision:
''Fourth: Subject to the next biennial convention of the
United Mine Workers of America, the Mine Workers' repre-
sentatives agree that the present contract be extended (during
the continuation of the war, not to exceed two years from
April 1, 1918."
As fully set forth in the report of the President, at the time the
contract ^was negotiated the United States Government had assumed
a large measure of control of the mining industry of our Nation. Pri-
marily the Government of the United States assumed this control as
a war emergency measure; having fixed the- selling price of coal and
in order to prevent illegal strikes or lockouts and to stabilize this most
necessary industry during the period of the war, granted an increase
in the selling price of coal sufficient to meet the advance in wages granted
under the terms of the agreement upon the acceptance of the follow-
ing conditions by the Mine Workers, the Operators and the Fuel Admin-
istration:
"Whereas, Stoppage of work in violation of the agreement has be-
came so serious as to menace the success and perpetuity of the U. M. W.
878
of A. and our joint relations, this conference instructs the respective
trict executive boards to meet the operators in their various districts
the purpose of agreeing on a penalty clause, where none now exists,
if necessary meet to amend and strengthen existing clauses so as to m.
the penalty more effective in preventing strikes and violations of
ments.
"All fines provided for in all agreements shall be automatically G
lected, and any operator failing to collect and forward to proper part^
such fine shall pay a penalty of $2 for each employe subject to be fin
the same to be collected and retained in the miners' district organizatic?^^^
And in no case shall any fine be refunded except by mutual agreemext ^
of the accredited representatives of the operators and miners.
"It is further agreed that where any employe enters suit in the civil
courts to recover any fine collected in accordance herewith the district
organization shall reimburse the operator for expense incurred on ac-
count of such suit."
The Committee on Officers' Reports concur in the President's report
on this important matter, commend the officers of the Union for the
work accomplished in this agreement and earnestly urge the ratification
of the same by this convention.
A motion was made and seconded to concur in the report of the
Committee on Officers' Reports, which concurred in the action of the
International organization and the various district organizations that
entered into and ratified the Washington Agpreement.
Delegate Howat, District 14: Does that include the adoption of
the Penalty Clause?
Delegate Murray, Chairman of the Committee: Yes; it approves of
the adoption of the penalty clause.
Delegate Howat, District 14: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Dele-
gates— I am glad to have this opportunity to agrain register my pro-
test against the automatic penalty clause. I suppose that any man who
opposes the automatic penalty clause at this time will be called a
traitor, disloyal to hjs country and also disloyal to his oi'ganization.
The miners here, I suppose, will be told in connection with this ques-
1-
s
^n, as with other questions that come before the convention, that in
r-der to be patriotic they should vote to adopt the automatic penalty
. ause in the Washington Agreement; or, in other words, vote to give
coal operators of this country an opportunity to steal your hard-
^^imed wages at any time a mine is closed before an investigation is
lade to see who is responsible. And if you fail to vote for that or
ppose the proposition you will be told you are not patriotic.
I want to say to the miners of this country that I don't propose
be hypnotized or hoodwinked or deceived by the cry of patriotism in
't.liis question. We have ideas of our own, the same as our international
officials have, and the same as those who have been international officials
in the past. It is high time the coal miners of this country should begin
to think a little for themselves instead of being continually bulldozed
by the officials, or many of them, as they have been in- the ptlst. I want
to tell the miners in this convention today that if you men only knew
it or if you only realized it, your own ideas are just as good as the ideas
of your district or international officials. You have just as much
brains, just as much intelligrence as the officials of your organization,
because you are the men that elect them, and they came from the picks
just the same as you men did.
As I said before, I hope the miners' delegates here today will not
be deceived by the cry of patriotism; I hope you will use your own good
judgment when you v^te on this question of the automatic penalty
clause. A man does not have to vote to enslave himself; a man does
not vote to place himself absolutely at the mercy of the coal operators
of this country in order to be called a patriot. The men who will vote
on this penalty clause, which I claim is one of the dirtiest impositions
on the miners of this country, should think well and realize the great
injustice you are doing the mine workers of this country if you adopt
it. We fought and struggled and sacrificed for many years to try to
make free men of the coal miners of this country, and now at the end
of all these years we find ourselves enslaved and at the absolute mercy
of the coal operators. Many of the mine foremen of the country today
abuse and bulldoze the men. They say, ''We dare you to go home! You
are afraid to go home!'' and the men are afraid to go, for if they do
three or four dollars will be stolen from their wages. I do not call it
380
a fine; I say they absolutely steal the coal miners' money through 't'^U
automatic penalty clause.
The men who expect to tell you to vote this outrage on yoursclv-^s
never expect to work under this penalty clause that has been impost"
on the mine workers of this country. I was speaking to a dele^^
from one of the districts and he said there was a man near his hom^
who had a little mill of some kind. He laid off a day each week to
work in that mill and the operators stole a dollar a day out of hi5
wages. Another told me the operators had notified him they would
take a dollar a day out of his wages for every day he attended this
convention. In District 14 a mine was closed down a few weeks ago
because of the death of a young miner's mother. He laid off ¥dth some
of the others to attend the funeral. The company he was working for
stole some of his wages for doing it. We haven't got that money back
yet — I cannot call a strike to get it back. In another case the miners
went out three mornings in succession, paid 20 cents carfare and were
sent home because they would not stand for the mine foreman and
superintendent imposing new conditions on them. On the fourth morn-
ing the men decided that, rather than work for a man of that kind any
longer, they would quit, drew their time and left their empk>yment. As
a result of that the men went to the coal company's office and demanded
their time. Twenty per cent, of the men were given their time and no
fine was deducted. The other 80 per cent, could not get their money
until pay day. When they got it they found the company had stolen
$11 apiece out of their wages.
I hope the time has not come in the history of this country or in
the history of the United Mine Workers of America when a bunch
of honest workingmen cannot quit without having their wages stolen
from them, when the pit boss or superintendent gets so unscrupulous
and unfair he is not fit for good union men to work under. You will
be told that the men could get their money back. When will they get
it back? When I go home I expect to bring suit against that company
to get the money for the miners. The mine is shut down and the men
have quit. The men from whom the $11 apiece was stolen, or a great
majority of them, have for some time been working for other com-
panies. Some are working on railroads and some in machine shops.
They have absolutely quit the employment of the company.
I hope to God the miners here today representing 400,000 honest
^ nion men will not be influenced by the eloquence of officials or the plea
>:^ patriotism that will be made. I hope the miners of the country will
^t;and up in their manhood and serve notice on the officials of this organi-
sstion — myself included with the rest — and serve notice on the coal
operators that after all these years we have fought and struggled and
sacrificed to make free men of ourselves, we don't propose to take a
\>ackward step of this kind at this time. You don't have to do ansrthing
of that kind. ^ Stand up like men and serve notice on the coal operators
of this country that you don't propose to place yourselves at the mercy
of a class of men such as we know the coal operators of this country
to be. They tell you men today in different parts of the country that
they like you now, that they are good fellows and they will once in a
while set up a cigar; but, let me say to the miners here today that the
coal operators of this country love you just as'they did years ago when
you were fighting to establish your organization in this country and they
would wipe your union out of existence tomorrow if they had the power
to do it. They like the union men of this country today just as the
operators in Colorado and West Virginia like them. They will like
you, gentlemen, when you make them like you. Now let us make them
like us a little bit more by voting down this danmable penalty clause
that has been imposed on the mine workers of this country.
This is no personal fight with me, because some of the men that
made this agreement are the best friends I have in this country. Prob-
ably they did the best they could, or what they considered the best they
could; I don't know; but I am speaking my sentiments here today as
I have alvrays done. I have always opposed the penalty clause, espe-
cially one that will allow the operators to steal the hard-earned money
of the coal miners. I wouldn't want to trust my money to the coal
operators of this country, because they have been robbing us all our
lives and you know it. I hope the miners will consider this question
well, and when you come to a vote don't be deceived or hoodwinked by
the plea of patriotism, because this is one of the most unpatriotic pieces
of legislation ever imposed on the working men of this country. What
crime have the mine workers committed? What have they done that
they should be singled out from all other classes of labor, held up to
the world and branded as disloyal and unpatriotic to their country to
382
the extent that it is necessary to have a penalty held over tiieir heads
to make them work. And then they say your are patriotic!
This penalty clause is an outrage, a disgrace and an insult to your
organization. It is a reflection upon every United Mine Worker in this
country, and this will be thrown up to you in years to come; people will
say, when you coal miners talk of being patriotic, that in order to be
patriotic you were compelled to have a penalty held over your heads
to make you work and be loyal to this government. Let us stand up
like men today when we vote on this question and proclaim our free-
dom, declare to the world that the United Mine Workers are not dis-
loyal, but that they are the most patriotic class of people in America
today, barring none. It has been admitted by your international officials
that the coal miners of this country are patriotic and that they are
willing to do their share. If the coal miners of this country really are
patriotic — and I maintain they are — why in the name of God should you
be singled out from all other classes of labor in America and have a
penalty held over your heads to compel you to work? The coal miners
don't require any penalty clause held over them to compel them to work;
they are ready to do their share in order to win this war, and they are
not required to have a penalty clause such as has been imposed on the
coal miners to make them work.
Think this over and see if it is fair that the United Mine Workers
of America should be held up to the world and branded as disloyal citi-
zens, singled out from all other classes of labor in this country to the
extent that you have to vote to give the coal operators an opportunity
to steal your hard-earned wages in order to compel you to work. It is
an insult to our organization, and I hope the mine workers here today
will regard it as such and register a unanimous vote against a proposi-
tion of that kind. Serve notice on the coal operators of this country
that you have not been deceived by the cry of patriotism; serve notice
on them that we are patriotic citizens and we do not need a penalty
clause hangring over us to compel us to work.
I say again this is the most unfair proposition ever imposed on any
class of workingmen in this country. In two or three instances in our
district the miners went to work and found the wash shanty where they
had to change their clothes eight or ten degrees below zero. They re-
883
fused to chan^ their clothes under such circumstances. Their pit
clothes were all wet and dirty, and because they went home with their
pit clothes on another dollar was stolen out of their wag:es. You should
call this proposition by its right name — it is not a fine; they just
deliberately stole your hard-earned wages, that is all. I know you will
be told that in order to convince the people of this country you are
patriotic you should vote to adopt this proposition. I hope you will
stand up in your manhood and proclaim to the world that you are
patriotic citizens to the extent that you are not required to have a
penalty hung over your heads to compel you to work. Show the peo-
ple you are patriotic and willing to do your share without a penalty
clause being hung over your heads.
In the ^uthwest we found no fault with the miners of the East,
except the penalty clause they wanted. That was their business, not
Ours, if they wanted to accept it, as long as they did not impose it on
t;1ie miners of the Southwest, where we did not want it because we
Icnelv how unfair it was to the coal miners of the country. We went
t:o Kansas City and met our operators after the penalty clause had
been adopted in the East. We fought it out and served notice on the
operators of the Southwest that we did not propose to agree, after all
^he years we fought to make free men of the coal miners of this coun-
'try, to a proposition of that kind. We broke off negotiations finally
and a strike was declared in the Southwest. Former President White
and Dr. Garfield urged us not to call a strike. That was before Brother
White had resigned as International President. We had a meeting in
Kansas City and suspended the strike order. We met with the coal
operators again and after a two days' session, when we were about to
break off negotiations again and put the strike order into effect, the
operators finally agreed with us, with the automatic penalty clause
eliminated.
Up to that time not a word had been said by an international official
or district official of this country, not one word had been said by Dr.
Garfield or any other man telling us we had to agree to a penalty clause
satisfactory to the Fuel Administrator of this country. When wc
ordered the strike in the Southwest Dr. Garfield and the International
officials knew the fight we were making, but not one word came from
any of them to the effect that a penalty clause satisfactory to the Fuel
384
Administrator had to be ag^^eed to; but we did receive a telegram from
Dr. Garfield to the effect that if we were unable to reach an agree-
ment on a penalty clause we were to come to Washington. That was
all. We got together and reached an agreement. Then the coal oper-
ators of the Southwest issued a public statement to the press saying
the penalty clause was satisfactory and was equally fair to both sides.
About one week after we sig^ied our agreement we received a telegram
from Dr. Garfield stating our penalty clause was not satisfactory to
him.
I want to say to the coal miners in this convention that I am just
as fully convinced of this statement that I am about to make as I am
that I stand here today. If the coal operators and the miners' officials
of the Southwest had reached an agreement on the penalty; clause with-
out calling any strike or without ordering a strike the order from Dr.
Garfield or from the President of the United States would never have
been issued to the coal miners of this country to the effect that they had
to agree to a penalty clause satisfactory to the Fuel Administrator.
When the Washington Agreement was made Dr. Garfield knew abso-
lutely nothing about penalty clauses. I don't say that with any lack
of respect for Dr. Garfield, for Dr. Garfield had no experience in the
coal industry. He did not interfere with the penalty clause in Wash-
ington, as has been stated here; the miners' officials and the coal oper-
ators did that.
After we won out in the fight in Kansas City to make free men of
the coal miners of the Southwest instead of slaves, and not until then.
Dr. Garfield's proclamation was issued to the coal miners of the coun-
try to the effect that the penalty clause must be satisfactory to the
Fuel Administrator or we would receive no increase in wages. It was
necessary for Dr. Garfield, in order to show he was not discriminating
against the men in the Southwest when he told us a penalty clause
would have to be agreed to that was satisfactory to him, to also apply
it to the mine workers of the country. If he had not done that it
would have been a clear case of discrimination against the miners in
the Southwest. If we had reached an agn^eement on the penalty clause
in Kansas City in accordance with the Washington Agreement that proc-
lamation would never have been issued. Your district officials could
885
have agrreed on some other' penalty clause, or you could have disagreed
on it, and that would have been the end of it absolutely.'
We went to Washington, and after we returned home to Kansas
City former President White resigned and accepted the position of
assistant to Dr. Garfield. When* I reached Kansas City on my return
home I saw an article in a Kansas City paper to the effect that former
President White had said the automatic penalty clayse was absolutely
fair and should be accepted. I feel it was very unbecoming of former
President White, after resigning his position as president of this organi-
zation to act as assistant to the Fuel Administrator, to issue such a
statement to hamper us in our fight with the operators of the Southwest,
or to give the operators renewed encouragement.
My position was that after the coal operators signed up that agree-
ment with us«in good faith, then went to Washington and there repudi-
ated the agreement they had their signatures attached to, and told
Dr. Garfield he should not give us any advance in wages unless we
'Would agree to the automatic penalty clause, if the miners of the South-
west had done their duty then, they would have stood up and told the
coal operators that they would make them pay every cent of that
increase out of their own dirty pockets and let the public keep their
money.
I don't know anything more that I could say on this question. I
have told you men how I feel about it. The coal miners in my own
district know how I have always felt about the automatic penalty clause.
I am glad that the coal miners in my little district — and I wish to God
I had 150,000 members down there so it would have some effect when
I called a strike — I am glad the coal miners in my little district have
their eyes open and realize the great injustice that this automatic pen-
alty clause does the coal miners of this country. I feel quite satisfied
that if all the people of this country would hear the talks to the coal
mine^ in this convention today, if all the international presidents we
have ever had and all the district ofificials, with all their eloquence, they
could not induce more than one or two of the eighty-four delegates from
my district to vote for that penalty clause.
I hope you will think well when you vote on this question. Let
organized labor in this country, as well as the coal operators' associa-
13— M. Pro. •
886
tion, know that the miners are alive to their own interests, tha^^ ^ey
, cannot be hoodwinked and deceived by the cry of patriotism wheiT"^ ^oij,
sidering a question of this kind. What point have we got to whe- — ^ tfce
coal miners of this country are required to vote to give the dirt^T*^ ^^
operators an opportunity to steal their hard-earned wages every "zne
a mine is closed, if the operators say they did it even before the SX^e
foreman closed it? If you have to vote for a clause of that kmd in
order to be called patriotic, I wonder what we have come to! I hope
to God the coal miners will stand up like men and serve notice on the
coal operators of the country that you are not deceived and hoodwinked
by the cry of patriotism", and serve notice that you intend to stand up
as free men and as American citizens. Serve notice on them that
while we resent this penalty clause we proclaim to the world we are as
patriotic as any class of people in America; but we don't propose to
vote to enslave ourselves or give the coal operators an opportunity to
steal our hard-earned wag^es in order to be called patriotic.
I know I will be vilified and condemned and accused of being dis-
loyal for what I say, but I will stand alone if necessary and serve
notice on the people of this country, but more especially the coal oper-
ators, that I will never vote to agrree to let them steal any more of the
coal miners' wages than they have done for these many years.
•Delegate Murray, Chairman of the Committer: Mr. Chairman and
Fellow Delegates — It is a mighty nice thing for the president of a dis-
trict organization to stand up in a convention like this and appeal to
the sentiment of this vast delegation of coal miners as President Howat
has done. No matter what President Howat may have to say about
the eloquent orations of those who will defend the Washington Agree-
ment, or about their discussions of the patriotism of the delegates at-
tending this convention, let me say to you, my friends, that the officers
of the coal miners' organization that negotiated this contra^ never did
so for the purpose of hampering the progress of the coal miners' lyiion
in America.
Your committee briefly reported to you the action of your repre-
sentatives in the New York conference on April 12, when the New
York Agreement was negotiated. It is true, as President Howat said,
that there were no provisions for a penalty clause written into the
387
^ew York Agrreement of April 12, but this great American government
^}f ours was not then involved in a gigantic world-wide war. The gov-
ernment at that time had not published the American casualty list and
"the penalties American citizens were paying for democracy's sake on
the oceao and at the battle front in France. The Washington Agree-
ment was predicated upon a war-time condition. The report of your
President states very eloquently to you that when we went into that
conference our great country was engaged in a world-wide war, and your
representatives in that conference had to predicate their judgment in
those negotiations upon a war-time condition.
Now to get to the i>enalty clause. It is true the representatives
of the Mine Workers' org^anization agreed to a penalty clause; it is
true we entered into a contract with the coal operators in Washington,
and it is also true that in the negotiation of that contract we told the
world, we told the Kaiser and his cohorts, that the coal miners were
willing, if you please, to be penalized if they violated an agreement that
was honestly and sincerely made. The representatives of the Federal
government^ despite any statement President Howat may make, asked
for something to be done in that meeting that would have a stabilizing
effect upon the coal industry of America. We insisted that the maxi-
mum amount of an advance be granted the coal miners, and we suc-
ceeded in securing for them the largest increase in wages that was
ever brought home to them in any single conference in the history of
the miners' organization. We did pledge to our government that if the
miners violated the contract they ought to be penalized.
This agreement, my friends, was entered into in good faith and it
ought to be respected by its beneficiaries, just as much as each and
every citizen of this country should be required to respect the laws of
the country. Did you ever see a man come before a body of men and
advocate that if you violated a civil law you should not be punished for
it? Did you ever see a man come before a body of men and say that
if you violated an individual agreement made with another party to
build a house or something of that sort, you should not be punished for
violating that agreement? Those agreements, my friends, are made in
absolute good faith, and the same contract, no matter what President
Howat may say, also provides penalties for the operators.
sit
A number of delegates in the audience asked the speaker to ^
down. ""
Chairman Murray: The very men who are now asking the speake/^
to sit down in this convention go out on the street comers and advocate
freedom of speech. We are not going to be prevented from exercising
the Tight to express our opinions on the floor of this convention. I have
no personal issues in this matter; I am discussing this agreement in its
broader phases. The coal miners' organization today, as is shown by
that Service Flag hanging over your heads, has approximately 19,258
of its members either drafted into the national army or on their way
to France, and to prevent those direct actionists from controlling the
situation and throwing the coal mining industry into a state of chaos
I am saying in defense of those boys who have left my home and the
homes of other coal miners of this country that absolutely everything
must be done in this convention to protect their interests while they
are fighting the battle of democracy.
It is all right to say "Sit down," yes, that is all rights but despite
any statements that may be made to the contrary the respective dis-
trict agreements provide the methods of adjusting disputes, and if those
disputes are brought up in the regular manner they will be adjusted
to the entire satisfaction of practically every coal miner in this coun-
try. I say that for my organization. I say also that we have penalized
the coal operators in the Pittsburgh District in the past two months.
•
There were renewed requests for the speaker to sit down.
Vice-President Lewis: Let the chair explain to the house that this
is a deliberative assembly, called for the purpose of discussing upon a
basis of merit these great problems that now confront us. The chair
wants to assure every delegate here who desires to be heard on these
matters that he will be given every opportunity for an expression of
his sentiments. I want to ask this convention for its co-operation in
discussing these problems and in maintaining an orderly assemblage.
We cannot, if we are intelligent men, dissolve ourselves into a disor-
derly aggregation of men with no rules. We must give consideration
to the views of those men who are officers and who are trying to dis-
cuss this matter in a logical manner. I ask you to refrain from inter-
389
^mpting speakers, and every delegate here will be given the same op-
"portunity.
Chairman Murray: You will note that it is the fourth clause of
the Washington Agrreement that is now under discussion on the floor of
this convention. It provides that the entire contract, including the pen-
alty clause, shall be subject to ratification by this convention. This por-
tion of the contract provides that if you discuss the penalty clause in
this convention you cannot very well afford to separate the issues and
not give some -consideration to the fact that it also necessitates a dis-
cussion of the increase in wages. The fourth clause provides that:
"Subject to the next biennial convention of the United Mine
Workers of America, the Mine Workers' representatives agree that the
present contract be extended during the continuation of the war, not to
exceed two years from April 1, 1918."
That is, that so far as your interstate penalty clause is concerned,
along with the increases granted you this penalty clause will continue
for the duration of the war. It is absolutely a war measure, a meas-
' ure prompted by a sincere desire to stabilize the coal mining industry
of America. The contract is predicated absolutely on a war-time con-
dition, and to prevent needless sacrifices on the battlefields of France
and wherever our coal miners in the great American army may be
fighting.
•
There is no more ardent advocate of reform in the coal miners'
movement than I am. There is no coal miner in this convention that
more ardently desires reform than I do. Two weeks ago, when we were
unable to secure an ag^reement before our joint board, I tell you frankly
when the operators defied us and I considered we were right I closed
a mine down by order of the district executive board. I contend that
the operators, despite the terms of this agreement, cannot wrap the
American flag around their bodies while they exploit the coal miners
of this country. As one officer of a district I say that no coal operator
within my jurisdiction will be permitted to steal any money from the
Pittsburgh District coal miners.
Give absolutely fair and impartial consideration to the proposition
as it has been presented to you, but remember that a very weighty
390
responsibility rests upon the shoulders of every delegate attending th^^^^'^
convention. The eyes of the world are centered upon us, and the dp -^^
pendents of 4,000,000 men who have been struggling for three years f^^^
the battlefields of Europe and whose bodies are now under the sod yici(^^^^^
no other mark of identification than a little white cross on the hillside
and plains of France, those men*s dependents are viewing witli dee]
interest your action in this convention. Bring home to yourselves th^^
fact that you have to calmly deliberate on this proposition and say t(F
the American people and say to our allies that it is your desire to
stabilize the coal industry. Give all the coal to this country and to our
allies that you possibly can. Prevent the necessity of needless sacrifice
on our battlefields by keeping the transportation on land and on sea in
motion.
My friends, we all know of the great measure of sacrifice that wUl
have to be Qiade by the men who have gone into our army. Don't let
us permit our prejudice and passions to govern, but let us say to our-
selves that if those coal miners who are going to France are required
to make sacrifices, even to the extent of giving up their lives for you
and for me because it is asked of the American government^ then, my.
friends, remember that you also have a duty to perform. Your patriotic
duty is to take care of the interests of the men you have sent to the
battle front, your duty is to preserve their interests while they are
fighting for you, your duty is to prevent any needless sacrifice of their
lives.
If you keep those thingrs in mind and also remember that while you
are discussing this penalty clause — this clause that I helped to nego-
tiate and that your officers helped to negotiate — you are also discussing
the wage increases that were granted you in Washington. If you vote
down the penalty clause you automatically susjiend the operation of
the Washington Agreement which provides for this substantial increase
in wages. It all comes into the discussion — you cannot separate the
issues. If you feel, after giving this matter calm, cool and deliberate
consideration, that it is worth your while to send back to the boys at
home the word that they enjoy the right to direct action without the
necessity of taking up grievances as provided for in their contract,
vote this down and tell the coal miners that at the same time, while
voting down the penalty clause, you recognize the fact. that you are giv-
up your increase in wages. I think the coal miners will pass a
ry severe judgment on the delegates to this convention if that is
That is about all I have to say in connection with the matter at
'fcliis time. I sincerely hope that this great convention, this vast dele-
Sration of coal miners, representing the interests you do, will give calin
and serious consideration to this all-important question and that when
you have done so you will with wonderful unanimity of opinion respond
to the call of your government and vote for the adoption of the Wash-
ington contract.
President Hayes: Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Conven-
tion— This is no time to appeal to the feelings of men; this is a time
that requires calm, serious thought on the part of this g^reat delegation.
There is a great responsibility resting upon the men in this convention.
The eyes of our country are turned toward us, and I trust we will act
wisely and sensibly in solving the problems that confront the miners
of our country.
I listened with considerable interest to the address of Delegate
Howat from Kansas, but I failed to hear him say anything •about the
grood features of the Washington Agreement. I failed to hear him
mention the fact that as a result of the Washington Agreement the
miners of this country today receive a wage that compares favorably
with the wages of any other craft in our country. I know how popular
usually an issue of this kind is and I know what sort of an address
a man can make on the subject. I am aware that there has been oppres-
sion on the part of coal operators; every delegate in this convention
has suffered from such oppression and it is easy to arouse the dele-
Crates on a question of that kind; but let us consider all the facts
and let us, when we close the discussion, arrive at a fair, reasonable
and honest conclusion.
I think I know something about the philosophy of the United Mine
Workers of America. I think I know something about the trade agree-
ment. It was as the result of the trade agreement and the collective sys-
tem of bargaining, promulgated by the United Mine Workers of America
principally, we grew to be the great organization we are today. And I
say to you, my friends, that if this organization is ever destroyed it will
392
be destroyed from within and not from without. I know the history ^
other organizations that had no respect for wage agreements, that ^
not believe in collective bargaining. What is the history of those org^^^^^*
zations? What was the result of their policy and their philosophy?
e
For example — and I say it in no spirit of reflection — the
Federation of Miners, now kno^'n as the International Mine, Mill
Smelter Workers' Union, in the beginning of their career
disregard of contracts, advocated continual strikes to redress th
wrongs, pursued a policy somewhat like Delegate Howat has been p
suing in Kansas for these many years, with the result that today
Western Federation of Miners, the metalliferous miners' union of
country, is practically out of business. I. don't think the United Mfi.^»- *®
Workers can afford to take a position against any contract at this
that has for its sole purpose the disciplining of our members, the T
who seek to embarrass our nation in the present crisis.
As has been well said by the chairman of the committee, Broths-
Murray, this contract was made under war conditions. We were calK>
upon to rise to the occasion, to do something to increase coal prod
tion and tp do everything in our power to eliminate strikes in via
tion of our wage agreements. It would be idle for me to get up in
convention and say there have not been strikes in violation of o*
contract, because the records of our office are full of communications
regard to such incidents. It is because of such incidents in vario
parts of our jurisdiction that we were practically compelled to
upon some measures that will insure steady production of coal
these trying times. My friends, are we sincere in ou^
when we make these trade agreements? Do we make them with
intent of breaking them? Do we intend to keep the faith? And
is all the Washington Agreement asks the miners of this. country to
— to keep the faith — and there is no time more appropriate when the;
ought to keep the faith than the present time when our country i
engaged in a death struggle with the Central Powers.
s
There should be no fear of this clause. No man is penalised unles
he violates wilfully the agreement we are pledged to observe. The pen-^
alty clause is nothing new in the history of the United Mine Workers-^
For years there have been penalty clauses in various agreements ii»
i
393
istricts under our jurisdiction, and those penalty clauses were placed
lere because some few men in some few localities utterly disregard the
^rms of the contract. If this organization is to endure, if it is to
»come the institution that we want it to become, the largest labor
istitution in the world, if it is to maintain that proud position, we
ust do nothing contrary to the policy that has made us as gn^eat as we
re today.
I do not want to use patriotism as an argument, my friends, but
)al is so vitally necessary to the success of this war that you must, in
3ur discussion, of this question, point out the need of an uninterrupted
>al supply. We must guarantee the government that we will do every-
ling possible, everything within our power, to secure the maximum
roduction of coal. I xmderstand there are 1,500 children in danger of
erishing, poor children, because their parents are unable to buy coal,
te^nning with today the factories of our country close ddwn for a
eriod of five days. Millions of toilers throughout the entire country
rill suffer the loss of wages because there is not sufficient coal to keep
he factories going. If I know you men aright — ^and I have been with
'ou all my life — I feel you will hot be found wanting in the present
risis and that you will respond to the call of the President of the
Jnited States to do your bit as the soldiers are doing theirs in order
hat we may win this war.
I want to visualize this thing, I want to drive it home. Italy, one
»f our allies, is today begging and pleading for coal. It was because
>f the lack of coal that the Central Powers were successful in a large
legrre« in their recent drive against the Italian forces. The French
*oal mines are largely under the control of the Central Powers at this
ime and the only available coal supplies are to be found in Britain
ind America. Munitions plants cannot operate, railroads cannot run,
)ur boys in the cantonments cannot be kept warm — ^thousands of them
^ave died of pneumonia in the last few weeks — unless we produce the
necessary amount of coal. I know when you realize these things you
will weigh well your action in this convention. The President of the
(Jnited States calls upon you to carry out the terms of the Washingrton
Aigreement. I feel that the miners will make their sacrifices in this
WBT, that they will not be found wanting, and as testimony to that fact
I need only point to that service flag with its nearly 20,000 stars. These
394
stars show that the brothers and sons of many of you in this delegfltti>m<m
are in the army. When we know these things I don't think we ^^^^
allow ourselves to be carried away by passion, by feeling or by selfi^^'
ness. This is an age of sacrifice and every loyal American must m^^^
his sacrifices now in order that liberty, freedom and democracy tx^^y
triumph in all the civilized nations of the world.
If you repudiate the Washington Agreement today you ¥nll rej^"**-
diate the wage scale contained in it. We would not have been able '^
secure the wage scale we did had we not agreed to a penalty daix^**
When we were asked to adopt the penalty clause Delegate Howat's d^^
trict particularly was pointed to as showing the need of such a d
Delegate Howat, as the president of District 14, even though our oo^
try was engaged in a life and death struggle, even though thousaz*-^^
of poor people were in danger of freezing to death and millicms of o*^^'
boys are going to the cantonments and across the sea — Delegate Ho^b^^^^>
provincial as he is, could only see the penalty clause. He thought ^l^**^^
would make him popular with the men of the Southwest, so he mA'^^^
cated a strike, he advocated a repudiation of the Washington Agf
ment which gives you the highest wage scale in the history of miia:
in this country, a strike that would have meant the paralysis of ^'^'
dustry in the Southwest and the suffering and death of thousands ^
innocent women and children. These are facts, my friends, and
have to consider them in determining this problem here today.
lU
to
»n-
e
n
I think your representatives are entitled to credit rather than
censure for boosting this wage scale twice during the period of a
tract that did not expire until April 1, 1918. And I want to say to ,
in this connection, as president of this organization, that we are goi^^^^^^
to maintain the standard we have secured as a result of this war.
this penalty clause such a wonderful thing? Would you rather have
wage advance contained in the Washington Agreement, or would
rather surrender it and do away with the penalty clause?
A delegate said, **Yes."
President Hayes: I don't think the great rank and file back hom^-
hold that view. I believe from the expressions I have heard in a greii
number of districts I have visited that the men appreciate what ha
been gained for them in the way of wage advances. This agreemen
395
.1
"^nrts no man — and I want to emphasize that — who wants to do right,
hwho wants to obey a contract that we have given our faith and our
^ord to obey. Are we men of our word? Can we keep the faith?
Elave we not always maintained that we kept our contracts inviolate?
Xhere is sufficient machinery provided for in every trade agnreement to
settle every dispute that arises in and around a mine. There is a way
provided for in our contracts to settle grievances, and I know they can
t>e settled in that way, and especially should they be settled in that
-^T^ay when your country is calling for coal.
My friends, that ought to appeal to your reason and not to your
passion and not to your feeling. It is not always the man, it is not
always the labor leader that appeals to your feelings that serves you
l>est. It is the duty of a labor leader, as I understand it, to state the
ifacts as they are, free from sentiment and free from passion, with
only the thought in mind to serve his fellow-men rightly and sanely. I
do not care to talk more at this time, but I want to say as one repre-
sentative of the International organization that I take my full share
of responsibility for the Washington Agn^eement, and I am proud that
I had a part in making it.
Delegate McCleish, District 12: Brother Chairman and Delegates
— You have heard from two district officers and our International Presi-
dent. Now I want to tell you, from the viewpoint of one of the rank
and file, how the members of the entire district I come from feel about
the penalty clause. I heard Brother John P. White yesterday state to
this convention that the United Mine Workers of America were not
unpatriotic, that no blame could attach to them for the coal famine pow
existing in this country. My reason for objecting to the penalty clause
is this: If they thought we were patriotic why did they put a shackle
around our necks in the Washington Agreement? I come from a dis-
trict where we have been fined without a trial. That was done through
the automatic penalty clause. That is what it will do for the delegates
and the rank and file of this organization if the convention does not
vote the proposition down. There is no man in the rank and file
of this great organization of ours that is not patriotic, but we don't
want to be led by a halter. The rank and file feel at this time that we
have been unjustly treated in the Washington conference. We do not
censure our officers for what they did; they thought they were doing
896
the best they could for us when they got th^ enormous advance.
dollar and forty cents a day is a larg^e sum, but I say with Patf*- **
Henry, "Give me liberty," and keep your (1.40.
Delegate Dwyer, District 29: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Delegv-
— I feel this is an important question and that our organization ia ^
stake in the settlement of it. Delegrate Howat would lead you to
lieve that this penalty clause deprives us of the right to strike. I
it does not. I will agree that probably the incidents he mentions
taken place in his district. Similar incidents have taken place in
district. We have grievances" by the hundred in West Virginia, but
our district convention last week we took them all up and agreed
put them up to the United States government If the result is
satisfactory I will tell those men that according to the penalty dai
they have a right to strike and strike until they win. None of yi
who have spoken have shown me any reason for not ratifying
Agreement What will be the result if we do not ratify it?
It has been repeatedly stated on the floor of this conveAion that
is hoped to enroll the 200,000 non-union men in this country in
organization. You have 50,000 of that number in West Virginia
enroll, and if this proposition is not ratified you can't get them. We a
now having a strike in the New River field of West Virginia and
International organization is feeding and paying the men who are o
r
strike. They have been doing that for four months and will contin
until they win. Some of the members who disagree with me will have
to show me that some other course is the best to follow. When a man
tells me he cannot strike 100 or more men under this agreement he is
mistaken.
Delegate Helm, District 25: Mr. Chairman and Delegates — I do
not feel that I would be doing my duty if I sat in this convention and
listened to the discussion that is now going on without having' some-
thing to say in regard to the automatic penalty clause. In the Sooth-
west we had a fight with the operators in regard to the automatic penalty
clause. We were successful, but later the United States government,
through an order from the Federal Fuel Administrator, got into the
fight and eliminated the success we had achieved, set our contract aside
and forced upon us a penalty clause that had been subscribed to in
897
^^ashington by the International representatives and representatives
from districts in the Central Competitive Field.
If I understand the report of the committee they commend the
cDfficers who took part in that conference and subscribed to the auto-
:xnatic penalty clause. I listened to the reports of ^e International
^>fficers and have listened to the remarks made by leaders of our organi-
suition, and all the way through they have placed emphasis upon the
:patriotism of the miners of this country. They have told you and told
i;he world that any shortage of coal that may exist is not due ta the
slacking of mine workers, but is due to the inadequate facilities of the
Tailroads. I can never vote to commend the Internationa^ officers and
the men who participated in that conference that subscribed to the auto-
matic penalty clause. I like to see some degree of consistency practiced.
I don't want men to say in one breath that the mine workers of this
country are patriotic and that they are going to do their full duty in this
time of war and then in the next breath say it is necessary to have an
automatic i>enalty hanging over them to make them do that work. If
there is a mine worker that is really patriotic he will resent the damn-
able automatic penalty clause, because when they write into a contract
in this time of war a penalty clause they admit by doing so that there
is lack of patriotism among the mine workers of this country, and if
we sit idly by and submit to it we in a measure will have conceded that
we are guilty of being unpatriotic.
If ever in the world the mine workers should resent an automatic
penalty clause it is at this time. We 'should resent it in order to defend
our Americanism and our patriotism. These men tell you that car short-
ages are responsible for thousands of people suffering from lack of
coal. Then they come and tell you that is the reason we should have
a penalty clause. Has the penalty clause increased the number of cars
sent to the mines? Has the penalty clause caused the owners of rail-
roads to furnish more cars to the miners? No. It has been reported
by the delegates from many parts of the country that the men have
been lying idle because of a shortage of cars. I think they would have
done well in the Washington conference if they had pointed out the
lack of cars. If they had spent more time in that direction instead of
haltering the miners and putting them back into slavery and at the
mercy of the operators, they would have done better.
398
President Hayes stated that the penalty clause is no ne^i tb-^*^^
in the miners' organization. I admit it is not. We had a penalty cte"*^*-^
in our Missouri contract in the past, but we made a fight and got "*^^
of it. The coal operators of the Southwest took advantage of the
matic penalty clause and brow-beat and took from our men things
fought years to obtain. Because the operators knew that with an
matic penalty clause they could bulldoze and brow-beat and rob
workers of conditions they had established, a desperate effort was
forth in the Washington conference to again get the automatic penft^
clause.
Before the war when we had our automatic i>enalty clause in 1£^
souri there were times when the coal market was down and the o;
ators could not sell the coal. They conspired then to stir up trou'
until they forced the men to strike in order to get the dollar a di
penalty. It was more profitable to them to get the dollar a day penal
than it was to operate the mines. That is the reason we fought
automatic penalty in the Southwest, and it was not by any action
of the Conference Committee that subscribed to that automatic panalt:^
in Washington that forced the Southwest to take it; it was the stron;
arm of the Fuel Administrator and the government that got on the jol
The Fuel Administrator did not make the statement that the penal*
clause must be satisfactory to him until we had made an agrc
eliminating it. The Washington conference g^ave us the privilege o:
going back into our districts and making penalty clauses satisfa
to the operators and the men making the agreement.
If the delegates want to defend the patriotism of the tnine workenp'
of this country they will not leave this convention with an antomatie-
penalty clause hanging over them. If you do you will in a meaauie
have admitted that the mine workers were so unpatriotic that it waa
necessary to halter them and lead them to their work. It is not a
question of direct action, as was referred to by Brother Hayes. I
thought probably before he sat down he would compare us who have
opposed the automatic penalty to the I. W. W. organisation, but he
stopped at the Western Federation of Miners. We don't want to resort
to the tactics that have been used by direct actionists, but I do claim
that the mine workers of this country do not have to submit to the
iron hand of the coal operators' associations of this country in order to
899
proclaim their patriotism. I claim that more can be done by appealinif
to the iHitriotism of the mine workers of this country than can be done
by any forcible measure such as the automatic penalty clause.
Delegate Fontecchio, Local 731, District 12: Mr. Chairman and
Delegates — ^This is the time for you to consider this question seriously.
I am here instructed by my local how to vote on this penalty clause. I
am not going to critcise the actions of the International officers in
accepting the penalty clause; perhaps they thought it was the best
they could do to get the advance in our wages; That was all right, but
remember that the ten lousey cents we got as an advance in our wages
was the cost of selling us body and soul to the operators. The officers
are patriotiCy there is no question about it, but they must not make it
appear to the public that the rank and file of this union are outlaws
and traitors to their country.
In September, 1915, in a mine at Springfield, 111., the checkweigh-
man tested the scale at the noon hour. It was found the scale was
losing 56 pounds on every car. He refused to weigh any more coal until
the scale was adjusted. The matter was reported to the superintendent
who said, "Oh, that Socialist! Continue to hoi§t coal anyhow." Yes,
they continued to hoist coal that day. The scale was broken. He vio-
lated the State law and the State agreement. Of course that antag-
onized the whole mine. We were losing 55 pounds on a car and we
never got it back. We were penalized five dollars each for closing the
mine down for four days. I said to Commissioner Clark, ''I will admit
we closed the mine down, but the scale was broken.'' "Yes," he said, "I
will admit that, but what are you going to do about it?" Now, gentle-
men, if the operators are goinp: to do what they please under this
penalty clause it would be better not to belong to the union at all.
Before you belonged to the union the boss could discharge you. Now
he cannot discharge you but he is going to get the money from you.
We are not unpatriotic. The workingmen never were unpatriotic.
The workingman is patriotic in peace times, in war time and all the
time because he produced and produces always. Under this penalty
clause you are tied up and led like a poodle dog. If you want to be
loyal and hold the solidarity of your union, refuse to accept the penalty
clause, for God's sake. Let us be patriotic, let us work, work, work
and fight for this country, but let us refuse the penalty clause because
it is wrong.
Delegate Flyzik, District 10: In times like thes6 we ought to take
a general view or the relations the governments of this world have
towards our economic and political movement in civilized countries. In
order to dispose of this question intelligently it may be necessary to
point out to this delegation the methods that some of the other gov-
ernments used when they entered this world war. I hold here a col-
lection of declarations bn this very important matter, made by the
workingmen in economic and politcal meetings in their respective coun-
tries at the time those countries entered the war. And perhaps you may
be surprised to know that in those countries where the economic move-
ment was weak the workmen had nothing to say in the regulation of
wages and hours during this crisis. The military machine took charge
of the industries and those that challenged the power of that machine
were matched up to the mines and factories and compelled to work at
the point of the bayonet.
Germany perhaps had one of the strongest i)olitical govemmentB
in this world. By that I mean the workmen had the larg^est repre-
sentation there, and when the firs^ vote was taken on the question of
war, out of 360 workingmen 's representatives only 14 remained true
to their international principle, the balance of them voting to sustain
the government's military program ip the war. The workmen of Bel-
gium had met in their economic and political org^anizations. What did
they do? They said to their people, "We want to be true to our inter-
national convictions. We are opposed to war, we are opposed to mili-
tarism, but what are we going to do under these circumstances? The
German military machine is on its way, destroying our lives and prop-
erties.'' Then they passed a resolution that every one of you dele-
gates ought to read. It sets forth their views on international militar-
ism. They reiterated their position taken in time of peace, but in
order that they might not be censured by neutral countries not yet in
the war. they said, "We are fighting to defend our country, our homes
and our lives, and we are going to vote for this war because it will be
defensive war against Prussian militarism."
The workmen of Austria had no choice; they were dragged out of
their homes and sent to the trenches. If those who remained at home
*01
Ckifested any hostility towards the policies of the government they
c'e taken into the industries and made to work at the point of the
^onet What did we do? Here in America when the government
exred into war the labor representatives were sent for and consulted
•h. You have been given greater consideration in America than the
Clemen in any other part of the world where constituted authority
st;8, be it politcal or economic. The government said, ''As your rep-
entatives we no longer can keep out of this war, but before we enter
o it we want to take the laboring forces into our confidence and work
' a satisfactory plan. We must keep the wheels of industry moving.''
We who live in the far Northwest were not parties at that time to
tt meeting, but we have kept a very close watch on the messages
Lt; were transmitted over the wires of the Associated Press. We saw
i demands that were presented to the government by our former
^sidenty John P. White, going out to our boys in the camps, and when
oalled their attention to the demands, that were made upon the oper-
x^ containing from one dollar to two dollars per day increase in
S>es, most of our boys laughed at it. They never expected to get an
^ease of that kind. They said, "Well, Flyzik, there is one thing the
e^national administration is doing now, they are certainly asking for
ta.gh." Some of them entertained the idea that if they got seventy-
^ cents a day advance they would be doing well.
Your conmiittees met in joint conference and with the government
^ argued that in order to prosecute the war to a successful conclusion
^wages of the men would have to be raised as an inducement to them
^?ork every day. The government said, "All right! We are willing
=>^er Inducements to the mine workers and make the inducements so
^t that they will work voluntarily and help this government prose-
^t the war." When the wag^es were agreed to it was said a penalty
^t be provided for the agent of the foreigni powers, the man who
S^lit be paid to represent our alien enemies, who would make himself
^^ to create unnecessary stoppages of work. It was also stated in
^'^ conference that this evil would not be confined exclusively to the
K^kingmen, for they were inclined to the belief that the Kaiser has
many representatives among the employers as among the working-
-^. That fact was demonstrated to you in Brother Walker's address
^terday. So it was decided to provide a penalty clause that would
402
apply with equal force to both the workman and the employer. Tfa
was one reason why the penalty clause was put in the Washing
Agrreement,
Some of the speakers who are opposed to the penalty clause all^
that it takes our economic power away and enslaves us for the balanc
of our lives. Under this clause you can exercise your economic power
at the proper time just as fully as you have done heretofore. I will no
burden you by reading the entire penalty clause, one section is suffiden
It says: ''Whereas, stoppage of work in violation of the agreemei
has become so serious as to menace the success and perpetuity of it
U. M. W. of A. in our joint relations, etc." It says: "Stoppage of woi
in violation of the agreement."
Brother Howat has stated that the operators in his district a^
stealing money from the pocketbooks of the men, fining than becaoJ
they lose a day attending a funeral or because their clothes are w
dry. By that I take it he means the wash houses are not proper
looked after. Let me tell you, delegates, that we had a strike in oi
district recently because the boys were not satisfied with the first breaJ
fast they got They shut the mine down. As an acknowledgment c
the part of the boarding boss that the first breakfast was not adecjaa'
he served a second one. The operators attempted to collect a fine undtf
this penalty clause. When the arguments were presented to our coi
ciliation board the local union furnished the district officers with snfl
cient evidence to prove the boys did not get a satisfactory bieakfa^
till 9 o'clock, and no penalties were deducted from the wages of ^
160 men woiicing in that mine. If there is a boss or an operator I
your community that abuses this penalty clause the district offices
ought to see that it is not done again, and fight the just cause of thof
who may be imposed upon.
Delegate Howat said men are compelled to leave work
because of insufficient air. We had an experience in a mine where oni
half the working force went home and the operator sent a list of tb
names to the State Fuel Administrator with a demand that they pa
a fine under this penalty clause. We took our mining laws, appeare
before the State Fuel Administrator and showed him that this operato
failed to comply with the State laws and provide the required amoun
408
^ air to each working place. The men were exonerated from paying
'^y fine and the operator was told that in case he ever did that again
^ would be fined doable the amount. The men went back to work. We
^tte not satisfied with the decision and said, ''Under this penalty clause
^ operator will have to be fined." And he was not only fined but he
luui to pay eompensation for one day's work to each man he sent home.
"niAt is how it works in our district.
You come here and you magnify th#se things which you should
[ i^medy at home if you were true to your convictions instead of mak-
io? a grand stand play here. The trouble is that some of you men
oiutake the petty boss for the coal operator. He is more of a slave than
^ are; he has no one to take up his grievances with. I am informed
that in order to have more peace and harmony in the coal industry
^el Administrator Garfield, in conjunction with former President
White, has taken up a series of complaints made of the abuses of this
P^KUilty clause and referred them, not to the mine bosses and mine
^^Ql^rintendents of the respective districts, but to the boards of direc-
^^^^ of the various coal companies. They have served notice upon these
^{^ of directors that if they did not see to it that their hirelings
^^^Bfid to discriminate against some of the active union men and invit-
^"^ trouble they .would be removed and men that would be fair and
''^I^artial placed in their respective positions. As a result of that action
^^ liave already had some of the so-called industrial autocrats in our
rict removed.
Now, Mr. Chairman^ in order that you may clearly understand your
^'^^ition I want to compare the former penalty clauses in some of the
^^^westem districts with the new one we have accepted practically
^^^^imously in the State of Washington. In what I am going to say
^^11 not use the word patriotism as an anesthetic to dope your under-
'^^ding. The former clause provided for the discharge of any man
^^"^ caused a stoppagre of work in violation of the aerreement. Let me
^l you what happened during my experience as president of District
^^« 10. We had bosses that conspired to cause strikes in order to get
^^^ of a few active men. We had individuals in the local unions at
"^«8 that conspired to cause strikes in order to have active opponents,
^ theirs fired. What was the result? Most of our active men in these
"^^1 suspensions had to leave the State.
404
When this was explained to the mine workers of the Northves^
and it was shown that the financial penalty clause was not as severe
as the discharge clause, and by. accepting it the responsibility ^vu'i
be more equitably borne by all of the men who voted to suspend tP^
strike, instead of being borne by the active men alone, it was accepted.
I believe it is fair for all the men who vote to shut do#ki a mme to
bear a portion of the responsibility, and not the local officers and min^
committeemen alone. By this I do not mean that we should give up
all our rights to strike. I do not mean that at all, and I hope the tiin€
will never come when the economic movement of America will give op
that weapon. But you are repeatedly charged with refusing to carry
out your agreements. You have charged the opemtors with violating
their contract. What occurs? The middlemen step in to mediate and
smooth matters over and put us back to work.
Now I think the time has arrived for us to apply this penalty clau0^
to both the workmen and the operators. It is only a war measure. X^
you had happened to be in the countries where the political machto^
regrulates wages and hours of labor you would not be sitting in th^-^
hall today discussing the penalty clause; you would be back home 4^^^'
ging coal, and the government would have done as they did in Austria -^
and Germany, set the wages, conditions and hours^. then adjournc^:^^
Congress until the end of tha war. They have robbed the men of th(
political and economic rights as well.
I am somewhat surprised to hear some of the opponents of tbr
cause stand here and exaggerate the conditions, try to make the
believe they are enslaved, that they have less liberties than they
in the countries they came from. I know, if I were back in the couni
of my ancestors, Austria, I would be nursing callouses on my shoulders^
from packing a military rifle. My old father became a citizen of thi^
country by choice and I am able to differentiate between the political
liberties and the economic rights I am enjoying here and those that^
were enjoyed by my father in Austro-Hungary. So when you discuss^
this proposition suspend your prejudices and view the matter from a^
business standpoint and a commonscfhse standpoint. While sentiment*^
may be very popular in this convention in favor of turning down the -
penalty clause and sacrificing the other concessions in the Washington -
Agreement, when you go home, no matter how much you may exagger-
405
our position here and attempt to put it in force in your local
s, you will be met with a little more opposition in the rank and
an those are meeting in this assembly who helped to negotiate that
nent.
n conclusion I want to ask the delegates to view this question
tially. You have no reason for becoming angry; you have no
1 for asking the privilege of free speech yourselves and denying
ler men the right to voice their honest convictions. We are going
£ you to stand up here, man after man, and reg^ister your con-
ious objections to this penalty clause, but strip your arguments
selfishness and hypocracy when you are doing it.
delegate Smith (T. J.)» District 19: I come from a district that
ing to be vitally affected by this agreement. The delegates of
ct 19 who are sitting here in this convention are deeply inter-
in what your action will be upon the question of whether or not
rill ratify the agreement that was entered into in Washington on
ixth day of last October. You see on each side of the hall the
rs of District 19 on which is printed ''Our Slogan — a One Hun-
Per Cent. Organization.'' For a number of years District 19 was
rented in this convention by a small party of delegates. Today we
ere with 70 or 80 delegates from a district that has practically
reorganized, for only a few men strove there year after year to
up the organization. The contract that was negotiated in Dis-
L9 was not satisfactory to the men of that district; it did not give
all the things we thought we were entitled to, but did we go into a
ntion and try to repudiate that contract? No. We are working
that contract and putting up with impositions that free men
1 not be compeled to put up with. It is the aim and object of all
Acere men in the district from which I come, to build upon the
ation we now have, an organization that will be the equal of any
i organizations from which you men come. As the years go by
iistrict will grow larger and larger and the coal production from
I affect the well being of every coal miner in the country.
t seems to me in considering the question of whether or not the
Ington Agreement should be ratified we should not pick out one
ular clause that does not meet with our approval. The men of
406
District 19 suffer under that penalty clause more than the men of any
other district But do we take the position that we have a right to set
aside a clause and deny the operators the right to set aside a clause
that does not please them? Whenever we take np any other clause
of the contract outside of the penalty clause we use the force of
our organization to compel the operators to live up to it. Then why
should we not make provision to see that the penalty clause is con-
tinued? It seems to me, instead of taking a position because the
penalty clause has been abused by the operators, to set aside that
clause, we should make provision to see that they do not abuse it and
that the men are protected by the organisation.
If I read this agreonent correctly it provides that the men and the
operators of the various districts were to meet and agree upon a penalty
clause. For what purpose? To see that the agreements are not vio-
lated by stoppages of work. Is there anything wrong in that? If there
is, why don't you men in the districts you represent see that the penalty
is put in operation? The penalty clause was put there by the Presi-
dent of the United States when he issued his order on the 27th day of
October, 1917, because he provided that there should be an automatic
penalty clause. For what? For a violation of the spirit of the agree-
ment. Not a penalty imposed upon the men because aome petty booi
or superintendent or the operators* association entered into a eonspiracy
to make the contract so obnoxious the men will repudiate their organi-
zation. In District 19 we understand the operators intend to tear us
asunder, but we will stand together.
We have a provision that says if the employes stop woric they shall
be penalized. There is another clause which says they shall work eight
hours or be penalized. Do we find the operators of that district living
up to the spirit of the agreement? No. We have delegates in this
convention today who are being penalized because they are here. One
of our delegation worked over seven hours, and in order to get out to
take the train to get here with the other delegates he went to his home,
prepared for the trip and came back to town. He found he had been
assessed a dollar for not working the full eight hours on Saturday.
Are we going to stand for that? No. we are going to adopt meaaurca
to see that the penalty clause is put on in a way that will mean that
no man will be dealt with unjustly. In my opinion if yoa adopt the
i
407
Washington Agreement and see that the penalty is not abused anywhere
you will be doing the best thing possible for the organization.
Secretary Green announced that the convention photograph would
be taken immediately upon adjournment.
The usual announcements of committee meetings were made by the
chairmen of committees.
Secretary Green: I find an article in the Indianapolis Star this
morning that places our organization in an absolutely false position.
It reads:
*'Ck>ngress was denounced by the convention in a resolution offered
from Iowa protesting against the enactment of prohibtion laws and a
subsequent increase in taxes from the loss of revenue and the throwing
out of employment of thousands of men, together with the abridgment
of personal liberty. The resolution was adopted."
This article is headed, ''Denounce Prohibition Laws." Now, as a
matter of fact, every delegate in this convention knows that the direct
opposite is true and that this convention unanimously nonconcurred in
that resolution. The reporter who wrote that made a grave mistake
and put this convention in a false light before the American people.
The mistake is inexcusable, and I feel that the representative of that
paper should make proper reparation by setting forth in his story that
he was mistaken when he wrote it yesterday.
At 12 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 2 p. m. of the same
day.
FOURTH DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION
The convention was called to order at 1:30 o'clock p. m., Friday,
January 18» Vice-President Lewis in the chair.
The Committee on Credentials made a supplemental report, recom-
mending the seating of a number of delegates whose credentials had
been 'acted upon after the printing of the report read during the first
session. The report was adopted and the delegates named were seated.
408
The chairman of the committee announced that since the previoas
report District 18 had made settlement for the two-dollar assessment
and the delegates accredited by that district would be seated. The report
of the committee was adopted.
Vice-President Lewis announced that the question before the house
was the motion to adopt the report of the Committee on Officers' Reports
which endorsed the Washington Agreement.
Delegate Lewis (J. C), District 13: Gentlemen of the Convention
— I rise at this time to speak in favor of the committee's report I
have no desire to call for any man to sit down in this convention if
he sees fit to differ with me on this proposition. I do not propose to
charge any man in this convention with being a member of the I. W. W.
movement, an anarchist or a pro-German if he takes issue with this
committee; neither will I say ''Sit down" to any man who wish^ to
differ with the committee on the question before the convention. I do
not propose to hide behind the American flag in defending the eommi'tr
tee's report to this convention; I propose to defend it as one of tH^
fundamental principles of the trade union movement.
I believe that when the United Mine Workers of America
into an agreement with their employers they should live up to *^-^^
agreement religiously, and no man is going to suffer under the aul
matic penalty clause that is true to the principles of this organization^
and the joint agreement. I speak as one who has lived with an auto^^
matic clause in our agreement for ten years, ai\d I speak for the low^^
miners. For ten years the Iowa agreement has carried an automati^^
penalty clause. That automatic penalty clause was not placed in th^^
Iowa Agreement by representatives of the Federal government^ by**"
representatives of the International organization or by representatives ^
of the Scale Committee of the Central Competitive Field. Neither was
the automatic penalty clause that is carried in the Des Moines Agree-
ment put their with the American flag behind. It was put in there by
the Scale Committee representing the Iowa miners and adopted by a
referendum vote of two-thirds of the membership of that district on
several occasions. I say to you gentlemen in this convention, knowing
the Iowa agreement as I do, knowing what that penalty clause means,
409
that our men in the mines of Iowa have not suffered as a result of your
automatic penalty clause.
While I was not a member of the interstate joint movement, I was
in Washing^ton, D. C, in the interest of the Iowa miners when this
agreement was put over, and in reporting back to the Iowa miners in
the special convention since the adoption of the Washington Agreement
there was no fault to be found with the automatic penalty clause. What
^e Iowa miners in. their special convention did was to pass a resolu-
tion condemning any man or set of men that shut down the mines in
Eolation of their agreement. And while it may not be popular — and
it seems it has not been up to this time — to stand on this platform and
advocate the adoption of the agreement carrying with it the penalty*'
clause, I say. in my humble opinion, neither will it be popular for a
^legate of the Iowa miners to go back home and tell those men wjio *
J^Ofiardize their interests in. the wage increase that came with the
^^«hington Agreement.
Those men have had an Opportunity on several ocasions to voice
^^£r sentiments in reference to an automatic penalty clause and it has
^^^^ adopted on every occasion. The automatic penalty clause is not
^^sig to bind our members or enslave them, but it tells to the civilized
^^^^*"ld that we are willing to stand by our agreement and the only men,
^ %3iy opinion, that, are opposed to the penalty clause or who are going
^ suffer because of it are those who seek to shut down the mines in
^^ Nation of the agreement. I stand here and challenge any delegate
this convention to show any district under the jurisdiction of the
^ ^^^-^rnational Union that has better defended the men than has the
*^^^a district; and, as I said before, Iowa has carried an automatic pen-
clause for ten years. It has never been an issue in Iowa. The
'Agates in the Iowa convention, when they understood that the pen-
-^ clause was adopted only to punish those who failed to live up
the agreement made by their accredited representatiyes did not pro-
t against it; they endorsed the Washington Agreement.
It has been said that we are the only organization that the Fed-
^1 government has sought to impose a penalty clause on. I have heard
^^ delegates cite to you where any other organization in this country
^ " received two increases in wages during the life of an agreement. It
410
is not necessary, in my opinion, to wrap this report up in the Amerieu
fiag in order to put it over. I believe the time will come in this con-
vention when the delegates will be ready to do as Mother Jones told
them to do yesterday, use their heads instead of their hands. I care not
what any man may say or how much noise he makes; I am going to
voice my sentiments in this convention and I am going to say agtin
that the Iowa miners have not suffered as a result of the automatk
penalty clause that has been in their district agreement for ten yetfs.
I don't believe there is a great number of del^^tes in this con-
vention who are willing to go home and tell the members of their oigaiu-
zation that they agreed to sacrifice any part of the increase in wage*
-to do away with the penalty clause. The miners of Alabama have said
on the banner they have here in the hall that their slogan is 100 p^
cent, organization. You are spending thousands of dollars yearly to
send organizers into the nonunion fields. Do you want to go on record
in this convention a^ telling the world you are not willing to live up
to the agreements made by your accredited representatives? That would
do more to hamper the work in the unorganized fields than anytiiin^
else you could do.
I believe the mine workers were treated fairly by the Federal gov*
ernment in our recent advance in wages. We have today at the hes^
of this great nation a man who has been fair to our craft. In m3^
opinion he is the greatest statesman of his time and the greatest human i--"
tarian the world has ever known. He has come to our organisation an
told us he believes the United Mine Workers of America will stand ¥ri
him in this struggle. So I say to you it is my humble opinion that i
will not be popular for the delegates to go back to the men from th<
picks and tell them they voted down the Washington Agn^eement be
cause of .the penalty clause that only provides that the miners m
live up to the agreement. It would not be popular with the men
have sent their boys to the trenches, and it would not be popular witb^^
the mothers who~ have sacrificed their boys on the blood-stained battle —
fields of France; I don't believe it would be popular with the widow who*^
has given up her only son, the joy of her home and the pride of her
life, to die in the trenches if need be to have the men at home say, **We
are going to turn down your agreement because you have an automatic
penalty clause in it/'
I again challenge any delegate to this convention to show where
the mine workers of any district are better protected than are the Iowa
miners, and they have an automatic penalty in their contract. Adopt
the report of the committee and show to the world that we mean to
live up to our agn^eement in all cases. We must do that if we intend
to go into the unorganized fields. Tell the world we are going to abide
by our contract, and thereby make it much easier for our representatives
to go into the nonunion fields and organize. The Iowa Agreement has
this clause in it: ''Should any officer of the local union or its mem-
bers employed in the mine cause any part of the mine to shut down in
violation of this agn^eement where the State law is not being violated
they shall be fined two dollars for each day the mine is thus thrown
idle." That penalty clause has been in the Iowa Agreement for ten
years. Yoa have nothing to fear from the Washington Agreement un-
kss you expect to tell the wotld you are not a stable org^anization and
do not intend to recogrnize your contract.
Delegate Amicone, District 6 : I feel I would not be doin^ my duty
^ I were to sit here and not voice the sentiments of the people at home.
The boys at home that I have the honor to represent have bitterly pro-
^ted against the penalty clause, although they never have been in the
babit of calling strikes in the locals. They are willing at any time
^ do their part; they are willing to work day and night if necessary
^ do their part and sacrifice anything to do it; but at the same time
^^ OQe can ra^ke them believe they ought to vote to accept the Washing-
^^ Agreement because they claim that the best they got was the pen-
*'*y clause.
That penalty clause might work all right in the State of Wash-
^ton, but we don't want it in the local I come from. We don't care
^*^ "Well it works over there, we don't want it in our local. After the
^^hington Agreement was signed we had a little mass meeting of
^ local mines, not in regard to the Washington Ag^reement, but owing
Some agitation that was started by the operators. While the country
^^^ at war and tiie miners were doing all they could the operators
^^^ trying to evict some of the men from their houses. We had a mass
^^^ting on that subject and a resolution was passed that if any of the
^^^s were thrown out of their houses all the men would strike. At that
^*^^^ meeting a vote of protest was adopted against the penalty clause.
412
One of the committee members said the people who opposed the
penalty clause were the ones who were opposed to the local strikes or
the ones who did not want to live up to the agreement. We do reqpeci
the agreement and we are willing to take our medicine while the comi'
try is at war, but the men I represent don't want any one to hold their
noses and make them take that medicine. I am not saying anything
that th^ local does not say. We have to deal, with bosses and superin-
tendents that have no respect for the agreement, and at times the mine
bosses have gone so far as to call us names and punch a man on the
nose. Are we to wait to call in the district officials in a case like that?
I say No, boys, let us go home. That is the sentiment of the local I
represent and they gave it to me in writing so I would not forget
Delegate TippeU, Local 734, District 12: I wish to speak agsinst
the Washington Agreement, not the penalty clause alone, but the ¥rhole
agreement. I represent 300 men that claim they are patriotic. It has
been explained here that the opponents of this penalty clause are to
men wh<f want to close the mines by violating our agreement. I want
to bring an issue before you and show that men are being affected h7
the penalty clause^ that are not striking and have no intention o€
striking.
When the penalty clause went into effect in our mine we suffered
from it, even though we did not strike. While our officers were ^
Washington making the agreement we had trouble in our mines rel^'
tive to air. The condition prevailed there for years. We had one m^^
on our records that went to the hospital and the doctors told him b^
ill health was caused by bad air. That man's hospital bill was paid ^^
the operator. He is now an inmate of the asylum at Bartonvifi^
Whether this last affliction was caused by the bad air we don't koxp'^
but we think it was. The condition was not improved. Every day not^*
of the entries would come out, despite the fact that we had examin(
going around reporting the condition. Something would be done
times, but many times nothing would be done. The men would
out because they could not live in there. We had a penalty clause
fore this last agreement and the operators would refer to it^ Our 1^
spector, James Taylor, was called in and there was nothing said abo^
the penalty clause. In the Peoria district we have always paid a pe^
alty when we laid a mine idle in violation of the contract.
To show that the penalty clause was made for some purpose other
than the one stated here I will give the conditions there. We got a new
mine manager and better air since the penalty clause was imposed.
Now it has gone into effect and by accepting it in our district we receive
10 addition to the penalty clause sixty cents a day increase. The day
^ got the increase all the supplies we use went up, too, and it was not
^ng before we were not getting sixty cents, but only aboujt thirty centa^
^en winter came the air shaft froze and the air became as bad as it
▼as before. The men came out and were informed that the penalty
claose would be enforced without any trial. This penalty clause is no
9ood to U8. We were working under one that allowed us to bring up
OUT grievances and if we were found guilty of violating the contract
oar> fine was collected. We did not object to that and we are not object-
ing now, but we do object to a penalty clause that is imposed without a
Ik^aTing. Therefore, our local not only disagrees with the penalty clause
ba-t with the whole Washington Agreement.
The wages we got through the Washington Agreement do not com-
pen^sate us for the penalty clause or anything else in Peoria. I am not
'Peaking from a patriotic standpoint; I don't believe in camouflaging
thia proposition here. That word has. come into use since the war, since
tlie^ have learned to paint a battleship to look like a wave and get away
^irlth it. The city of Peoria manufactured the caterpillar tank. They
^exe working on orders for our government as well as our allies in
^X'ance, and the company took it for granted that because they were
^^orkhig for the government the men could not strike. There was no
P^'^alty clause, but the men were told they could not organize. Nine
hiaiidred men were employed in the plant making these tanks. They
^ere working night and day for the government. They were accused
"y everybody around there but the government with being I. W. W.s,
^'^^Oermans and everything else but patriotic citizens. The men in-
*l*i'eted the word "government" to be us as well as the operators and
*^ybody else. They remained out nine weeks before they sent a com-
"*^Hee of men to Washington. They were not forced to go into that
^^^^m by machine guns, they went back there with conditions. The
^^vemiuent told the men in charge if they wanted to work that plant
^Shteen hours a day they could do so, but not with one set of men.
414
We feel that the delegates here could fonnulmte an agreement that
would be as latiafactory, ponbly» to Dr. GarlMd and more satisfadMT
to the rank and file of the men who work under the agreement When
the agrreement first came oat there was a k>t of dissension in the field
where I work. The men called meetings but -they called no strikH.
There were no strikes in our locality on account of the penalty cUWi
^at we were informed by our State office that in order to secure tbe
advance in wages they had no choice in accepting the penalty daoN)
that it was the penalty clause or no money.
Since I have been in the convention I understand from- the remuki
of former President White that Dr. Garfield had nothing whatever to
do with the penalty clause, that our officers and tiie operators are sbw-
lutely responsible for it. Therefore I say the men I represent have jut
as much of a grievance as they ever had and I therefore wish to so ci
record as not approving the Washington Agreement.
Delegate Stewart, District 17 : I am inclined to believe there ii *
little misunderstanding, or quite a large misunderstanding among tlM
delegates in regard to this auUmiatic penalty clause. I was not a Uttl0
puzzled in regard to the automatic i>enalty clause before coming Imi^ :
But I believe since I have come in contact with the little slip of ptpcr
which I hold in my hand, and which I will take pleasure in reading to
the convention, that I understand it better. Some time ago a contro-
versy arose and Dr. Garfield was accused of placing on this penslt?
clause to prevent our people from striking. Now we find this little stat^
ment here: '*Let it be understood that even with the automatic pc^'
alty clause in effect the officers of the districts can resort to strilc^
whenever or wherever the regrular tribunal provided for in its contr^^
fails to arrive at a satisfactory adjustment of any dispute/'
I take it for granted that if the delegates or the men we rftprese^^
transact business in the local unions in a proper way, when we have ^
legitimate cause for calling a strike and we take it up through iSt^*
proper channels of our organization we have just as much right to stril^'
as we had before this automatic penalty clause was put into effect. W^
this printed by the mine workers?
President Hayes: The penalty clause applies only to the illeg»J
416
ized, sporadic strikes; it applies in no way to an authorized
this organization.
g:ate Stewart: We have been hampered in West Virginia by
ment that we could not strike. We have submitted to things
3 not right and stood for them, but from now on we will under-
s penalty clause better. We have suffered things at the hands
al operators of West Virginia that we would not have put up
had known what I know now. I believe if we go on record
isly adopting the contract made in Washington we will be a
ourselves and to our fellow workers. We should cut out this
g and go hand in hand in this proposition.
llustrate: A man had seven sons who were always quarreling
ing among themselves. The old man had a lot of real estate
iay he came to the conclusion that he might pass out in a fiew
he did not want the sons divided when they came into i>08-
f the property. He took seven sticks and securely bound them
called his sons in and said to the youngest: "If you will break
lie of sticks I will give you $500." The young son could not
I bundle and he gave it to each of the others in turn. None of
lid break the sticks. The oldest son, a mighty man, said,
no man can break that bundle of sticks." ''Oh, yes, my boy;
eak them." He untied the bundle and took the sticks one by
broke them. Then he said, "So it is with you, my sons, if you
in the future after your father is gone you will have no one
ver you and you will be broken up. Bind yourselves together
>wer in the world can break you." That is what we want to do.
to get togfether and act intelligently on these propositions; not
hing that will hurt ourselves and our fellow-men.
irate Mercer (G. L.), District 12: I have listened to the argu-
re with considerable interest. It seems to me some of the dele-
not really studying the issue and what it means, or that some
ire trying to deceive you as to the condition that exists. I have
stances cited in this convention in support of an argument
he Washingrton Agreement and the penalty clause, and these
occurred long before the Washington meeting was even
>f. Next to the last speaker on the floor told us about condi-
416
tions in Peoria, where he said the mines were shut down and the pen-
alty clause was held over them. That was used as. an arsroment agtinit
the penalty clause and against the Washington Agreement. Let us see
what the facts were in that case.
There were three shut-downs instead of one and they occurred, iwt '
after the Washington Agreement was adopted, but in the latter part
of June or the first part of July. Although the mine was shut down
three consecutive days and although there was a penalty of five dol-
lars for an illegal shut-down in the Illinois agreement at that time, not
one man at that mine was penalized. I can say that beeauae I handkd
the matter myself. The argument is not at all in line with the qoeftioB
before the house, inasmuch as it deals with a matter that occurred
before the automatic penalty clause was even thought of. Such state-
ments as that are not arguments on the question before the house but
merely serve to veil the issue. Jt seemed to me that sort 6f argimient
should not be used.
I listened to the many talks along this line. The question at issue,
as I see it, is simply this: Do we recognnize, do we advocate a strike
in violation of our joint agreement? If we do, then we ought to be
against the automatic penalty clause; if we do not, then vre ought
not to be ag^ainst any kind of a penalty clause. I say to you, however,
without fear of successful contradiction, that if we advocate a viola-
tion of our joint agreement without any penalty being applied lo it,
then, gentlemen, we are advocating the thing that is against the best
interests of the United Mine Workers of America. No organization
of labor can long stand that advocates violations of a joint contract.
An organization to be successful in the line of trade unionism must
stand upon principles of honor and integrity. If we make a contract
we ought to abide by it.
•
I don't hope to be satisfied with the present contract; I don't hope
to be satisfied with contracts that will be adopted in years to come,
but whenever I agree to a contract I am going to abide by its terms
to the end, whatever it may be; then when I reach the end of that
contract period and I can with honor go into a battle for a better
contract, I am going to do it. That is the policy for this organisation
to follow. Are we doing what was said yesterday? Are we giving
away all our rights to strike? I say we are not; I say we have not
given away, in the adoption of this penalty clause, one right to strike,
much less all of them. Did you ever have a right to strike in viola-
tion of your agrreement? No; there is not a man among us that had
a right to strike in violation of our agreement. When we entered
into the agreement and affixed our signatures thereto, or authorized
our representatives to affix their signatures thereto, that contract be-
came sacred to us, we were in honor bound to observe it in every par-
ticular, we were in honor bound not to violate it but to stand for the
things we had agreed to by signing that contract.
What does the Washington Agreement provide? It provides that
we will be penalized for closing down a mine to enforce some pro-
vision in violation of our joint agreement. Have we a right to close
down a mine in violation of our joint agreement? Not at all. We
never had that right and we are not giving that right away in adopt-
ing this. It has been said it was not necessary to adopt the penalty
clause. What brought the penalty clause about? I don't like to admit
the things I must admit. In the county I live in there are a thousand
or more miners. At one time we had twelve mines out of fifteen shut
down in absolute violation of the joint agreement. We had a contract
providing a scale for day men. Those twelve mines were shut down
in absolute violation of the contract — for what?* Nine hours' pay for
eight hours' work. That was absolutely in violation of the contract.
For years this organization fought for the eight-hour day. Some of
you men and some of your fathers struggled and sacrificed for that.
At one time there were close to 30,000 men idle in Illinois in
direct violation of the agrreement. We had a five-dollar penalty on at
that time. Can you winder that the automatic penalty clause was
asked for? After a long drawn out fight in the middle of a contract
we secured an increase of 10 cents per ton on a pick mining basis
and $1.40 a day for day men, the biggest increase ever secured in any
joint agreement. That agreement was adopted with this provision:
"This agrreement will become effective only on condition that the sell-
ing price of coal shall be advanced by the United States government
sufficient to cover the increased cost in the different districts affected,
and will tak*e effect on the first day of the pay period following the
signing of the agrreement." In other words, that agreement that gave
14-M. Pro.
418
us the biggest advance we ever secured was given in the midst 0*
contract period and was predicated on the Fuel Administration all^
ing the advance in the price of coal to cover it. That allowed ^
price of coal to be increased to cover the advance to the miners.
Then the Fuel Administration added this provision: "This
crease in prices shall not apply to any district in which the operator
and miners fail to agree upon a penalty provision satisfactory to tJ^
Fuel Administrator for the automatic collection of fines in the spi^^
of the agreement entered into between the operators and miners
Washington, October 6, 1917." In other words, before ifre could
cure the 10 cents advance per ton and the $1.40 per day, the increa
on yardage and deadwork as well, it was necessary to agree to a pe:
alty prQvision satisfactory to the Fuel Administrator. That was p"i
in there because some of our people refused or failed to live up to
contract they had agreed to. It is just as well to look these thh
square in the face. We had our choice of agreeing to a penalty claufc-^
and getting 10 cents per ton, $1.^0 per day and an increase on yai
age and deadwork in the middle of a contract period, or refusing t1
penalty clause and working under the old contract The penalty clauf
only applies to those of our members who refuse to respect the joii
agreement; it will not penalize one man who respects the joint ai
ment. The man who does not respect our joint agreement is not doin^tf
the thing that is for the best interests or for the well being of thi^^
United Mine Workers of America.
Delegate Howat, in arguing against the penalty clause, said on^^
man was fined for laying off a day to attend his mother's funerals
Does the penalty clause in the Washington Agreement give any oper-
ator the right to do that? Not at all. It < provides a penalty for
shutting down the mine in violation of the joint agreement. Did the
man who attended his mother's funeral shut down the mine in viola-
tion of the contract? Did President Howat stand for that in his
district? If he did, he should not have done so. Another man was
said to be fined a dollar a day for attending this convention. Did he
shut the mine down in violation of the joint agreement? If not, is
he amenable to the penalty? No; not at all. Then why bring these
things into this convention? These things are not covered by the pen-
alty clause and have no bearing in any way upon it.
I
I say ^ to you men — and I say it without fear of successful con-
tradiction— that no organization can long live and long endure that
does not maintain the respect and integrity of a contract once it is
made. This organization of ours has grown to its present strength
and power in the labor world because of the honor and integrity dis-
played by it and because of the strict observance of the contracts it
has l}een a party to. It has builded up for itself and its members the
respect and admiration of the world. As long as we continue to fol-
low -that policy of respecting trade agreements once we enter into them,
abide by their principles, stand together solidly, this org^anization will
^^ on and on, spread into the non-union fields and grow to greater
P''^l>ortion8 than ever before. If, on the other hand, we do not obey
the provisions of our contract when we enter into it, that day, gen-
tlern.^n, marks the beginning of the end of the United Mine Workers
^^ -A^merica. We all know that. We know the history of other organi-
^**^icins. I have followed this matter closely and you will find out that
^^'^^•t I say is true. When you make a law you must have some pro-
^^sion for its enforcement. Some of the laws of this organization were
'^^t; adequate to enforce the contract. It then became necessary for
^^ growth and upbuilding and perpetuity of our organization to take
^^^ steps as would lead to that end.
I say to you that when a proposition is put up to me to either
^^ee to an increase of 10 cents a ton, an increase of 15 per cent.
^*^ yardage and dead work and $1.40 a day for the day men and the
^^option of a penalty clause that affects only the man that violates
*^i8 own agreement, I do not look at the penalty clause very long, be-
^'Use it does not hurt the man who abides by his agreement. The
^^crease granted in the middle of a contract period helps every man
who toils beneath the surface of the ground. That was the proposi-
tion that was put up to us. I think the action taken was the right
action under the circumstances. I have no apolog^y to make for tho
part I played in it.
If you go back over our contracts from 1897 to the present time
you will see that we have received only 23 cents per ton advance.
That sum was secured only after many long drawn out battles. You
obtained in that period some 84 cents a day for drivers and about the
same rate on other day labor. Since the beginning of the present
420
contract period you have obtained as great an increase on the tonnage
price as in the previous eighteen years. You received only 84 cents
on the drivers* scale from 1897 up to the beginning of the present
contract, and since the begrinning of this contract you have received
$2.16 advance. That applies to all the other day wage scales. I say
it is something to be proud of, and I am proud of any small part I
played in securing it.
Now we must decide whether we are for or against that oontraet
If we are against the penalty clause it means the 45 cents allowed by
the Fuel Administration on the price of coal does not apply. There is
the order issued by the President If the 45 cents increase does not
apply, then, likewise, the Washington Agreement giving us the ad-
vance does not apply, because it is predicated on the action of the
Fuel Administration. As I said before, the penalty clause does not
affect the individual cases cited here by some of the speakers; it ap*
plies only in case a mine is shut down in violation of the agreement
Surely there is not a man on this floor who contends that we have ^
right to shut a mine down in violation of the agn^^ement. Not a
will contend we have that right. The penalty clause hurts no
who abides by the agreement, and so long as it does not do that I
hardly understand how we could think of refusing to adopt this
ment.
.TV
Delegate Moore (John), District 6: I rise to support the repo
of the committee. I understand in this large convention there a
many different viewpoints, and I want to concede to each one of yo^
the right to entertain your own viewpoint, and I expect the sam»
consideration from you. Like a large number of the delegates herp*
present I am opposed to a penalty clause, have always been opp
to it, and took that position down in the Washing^n conference,
did a large number of your representatives. We argued for days thaM'
it wasn't necessary to have a penalty clause in order to have th<
miners produce all the coal that is needed in this crisis. After
had held to that viewpoint for hours and for days the other fello"
said: "If that is the position of the mine workers and they will n
violate the contract, what have you to fear from a penalty clause?*'
u
e
€
t
Me
-e
I discovered in Washington that the district I represent was-
421
the only one that did not have a penalty clause applying to the entire
district. In the Eastern Ohio District we had a penalty clause. Up
to that time men who closed the mine in violation of the contract
were fined. If it was found they were fined unjustly the fine was
returned to them. With the exception of the Hocking District "we
had no other penalty clauses. In the Hocking District they had a
clause that provided if the men closed the mine in violation of the
contract they would be fined one dollar a day for every day the mine
Was idle. And, let me say to you, the operators did not steal that
money, nor did they get a 'chance to do it. When a fine was imposed
it was turned over to the treasury of the sub-district organization and
here it remained. In the balance of the State, where there was no
>enalty clause, since the Washington Agreement we have agreed to a
>enalty clause that is an exact duplicate of the Hocking District
la use. It means that for two-thirds of the membership of the State,
f they are fined, the fine will not go to the operators, but goes auto-
natically to the treasuries of the mine workers and is used by them
n any way they decide.
I cannot see how a man can be fmed who has laid off one day to
Lttend a funeral or to go to the county seat to do any kind of busi-
ness. On the day such a man left the mine the other men went to work
Ls usual. If for any reason they closed the mine, that man would
Lot be guilty of any wrongdoing. In one such case where the man
vas not there to report and the other men laid the mine idle he was
ined the same as the other fellows, but when we called upon the super-
ntendent of the mine that fine was returned. Invariably that has
»een the case.
Somebody said the penalty clause you have been working under
n Iowa for ten years and in Illinois for twenty years and in Indiana
!'or longer than that has never been a subject you men have taken
ftffense at before. Now, what does this mean? I know the rule is
leing abused by some narrow-minded operators, but when the matter
s referred to the proper officials in line with our law it is always cor-
rected. Some time ago we had trouble at the mines of one of the
.argest companies in Ohio. We waited upon the superintendent, but
::ould not effect a settlement. What did the organization do? In-
augurated a strike. The strike was in effect a week. On pay day it
was found that Mr. Operator had taken out of the pay envelope ^^
every man there six dollars — one dollar for each day the mine ^**
idle. Instead of staying where we could get hold of him he beat ^^
over to Washington. We did what we could in order to get the m^tr
ter settled. Before it was finally settled I wired the Fuel Admini*'
trator in Washington to this effect: "The mine workers of Oli.i<>
have never surrendered their right to strike and if this fine is n-Ot-
refunded within a reasonable time I will stop every mine owned an.o
operated by that company in this State." This does not take from yo***
men the right to strike, but it takes from some would-be local leadcX"^
the right to be the whole thing in the organization.
I have had as much trouble getting some of our boys reins
who have been responsible for illegal strikes as for any other cau»^
I have always taken this position, and have always so advised theics-
•*If you have a grievance, even though it hurts, work away with
until we can get on the job. When we get on the job and find it
a just grievance we will put the mine on strike and assume the
responsibility for it." You men have nothing to fear from the m^
you have elected to represent you. They are your friends and m
the friends of Mr. Coal Operator. If there is an ofiBcer cowardL
enough not to call a strike when it should be called, when that D
ber day rolls around go to the ballot box and vote for the fellow wh
will get what is coming to you.
I hope the men in this delegation, and especially the men froi
the progressive little district of Ohio, will vote for the report of th^
Commitee on Officers' Reports.
Delegate Wilkinson (John), District 21: Mr. Chairman and Fel—
low Delegates — It was with some degree of interest I listened to th<
remarks of my friend President Howat, of Kansas, this momincr, An<
at this time I want to disabuse your minds of the idea that the Sooth
west is solidly opposed to the penalty clause or its acceptance unde:
any conditions. Speaking for District 21 — Oklahoma, Arkansas and
Texas — 1 can say we have an overwhelming majority in favor of
accepting the automatic penalty clause. In the Southwest Interstate
conference, when we sought to wipe out what to us was an obnoxious
clause, we did so because it had been abused in times past by the
operators. In Oklahoma especially, as it applies to my own district,
the operators in the summer time would create dissension among the
rank and file, bring the men out on strike and then collect the penalty,
^t was cheaper than working their mines, or at least it was far more
remunerative. That was one of the abuses practiced in Oklahoma.
We were successful in wiping out of our contract the automatic pen-
alty clause in 1916. After we left the Kansas City conference we had
^ inaugurate a strike in Oklahoma to wipe out the penalty clause
^^J^e. After a two weeks' strike the miners succeeded in wiping out
the clause that was obnoxious to them.
As far as the Southwest negotiations were concerned, the only
Poixi'b the operators raised in demanding and insisting upon the auto-
''^^tio penalty clause was to whip Kansas into line. The Kansas
"'^^^^rs therc^ boasted that during the operation of the 1916-18 contract
^^ "to the time we met not a single penalty had been collected by either
^'^^9 although there had been more strikes in Kansas than in the other
^^^o districts put together. Now I think it is time for us all to stand
**^ be counted. If this is going to be a deliberative assenibly, an
*®^^Tibly that concedes fair play, I want you to give this matter care-
*^* ^Consideration before you act upon it.
The reason why District 21 is in favor of accepting the penalty
is because Dr. Garfield, the Federal Fuel Administrator, has
he will be sponsor for it. It is the first time in the history of a
•^^ workers* contract that you have had the Federal authorities say
'^ would stand sponsor for a wage agreement. Dr. Garfield has
*^^ he would see that justice is meted out to operator and to minei
"" *^^. Now, it is true perhaps that we have not had the relief in this
^'^Xection we thought we ought to have; but we must be mindful of
^ ^act that in inaugurating this automatic penalty clause and changing
revolutionizing the penalties the machinery has not yet been got
proper working order. Like other machinery, it must grind its
'ings out before it will work smoothly. I don't want you people
^>ring into discredit something that has not been given a fair trial.
I want to remind you of the situation in Russia as it is today.
■x^vA you have liberty and there you also have license, and to my
^^"*^d strikes are taking license in a majority of instances and not
fighting for liberty. 1 have inaugurated more than one strike, but
I have done so only when I have failed to settle by negotiations. Now
if you are so insistent upon strikes, why not do away with the miners
officials and take the matter in your own hands? Looking at it fro«**
any -other point of view I cannot see how any logical argument cmX^
be put up, even by the most radical, as a business proposition, te"*
cause he gets the $1.40 a day to pay the penalty if he works.
I spoke of the condition in Russia. You people know that condi
tion well. One of the highest military authorities says the failure o:
Kerensky was because he neglected to organize his fuel supply
transportation; that he paid too particular attention to the
front without organizing the lines of communication from behind- —
When the revolution took place and the government was ov
the workers were out demanding higher wages and better world
conditions. They practically all came out and there was a cfaaoti-*
state of affairs in that nation. The people in the cities were witho^*-
food in less than three weeks and the people in the country were
out clothes, because the railroads largely burned wood for fuel.
was no one to hew the timber and supply the road. That is
of how the revolution became a failure, although it was inaug^on^
for a good cause. I point to this only to try to show you that
cannot bring about by revolutionary methods always the purpose
seek to obtain.
In the Kansas City interstate convention one of the delegates sai<
"They talk about striking! It is only a short time ago the miners
South Wales came out on strike. They came out on strike in the mi
of the government and Lloyd George went down there and sought
get them to return to work.*' That was in the early stages of the ws'
Since then the sentiment of those men has changed. In a little mininu
community in South Wales where there are 119 houses, 187 of
male adult population went to war. That was in the early days wli<
the miners were conscripted. One day in less than two hours' figh
ing all of those men were killed at the battle front — 137 of the mal'
adult population out of 189 in 119 houses! Now that has changed th<
sentiment of the Welsh miners; it changed the sentiment of the
miners, and today you could not get them to come out on strike. I
will change your sentiments when the dead are recorded and th<
X'-''
rTf^
J *>
425
ded brought home. Let us be mindful of what has occurred in
European countries.
j^resident Howat said the miners were the only workers to whom
sought to apply the automatic penalty. That is true in every
^ry in Europe, but there the penalty is collected in the civil courts,
was deemed necessary and it has been practically adhered to in
European countries. We have had a case pending ^n Oklahoma
1915. We did not call a strike because we were afraid it would
be successful, i^ecently we applied to Dr. Garfield and were
ded nearly $11,000 compensation. That is one case in which we
ved support from the Federal Fuel Administration.
[ believe when this matter comes to a vote you will express your
ty and your desire to stand behind the government in the prose-
n of this war. While sitting in your midst I was thinking of
ral Pershing when he visited the tomb of Lafayette. The speech
lade there is one that must stand out in the minds of all liberty-
g citizens. He said: ''We have come back to repay the debt."
when I look up to that Service Flag and see the stars, each one
^senting a member of our own organization, they should be looked
as silent auditors in this convention. It is up to us to pay the
we owe those men who have gone into the service of their country
our ranks. Let us remember this and vote favorably on the com-
je's report.
Delegate Carso, Local 2376, District 12: I don't care how many
rates speak in favor of the penalty clause, I am instructed to vote
nst it and I am going to do so. We got the raise, all right; we
10 cents on one hand and 20 cents was taken out of the other. I
paying 80 cents a day for board and as soon as the contract was
id up in Washington they raised it 25 cents a day. How much
> do I get? There isn't a man in this hall or anywhere else that
ore patriotic than the men I represent. But we can be patriotic
DUt having a halter around our necks.
Delegate Duncan, District 23: I think time is being wasted and
jy belonging to the miners of the country is being spent here in
erating over a question that we are not empowered to modify. If
ire a politician in the United Mine Workers' organization and
426
looking for a soft job, or even trying to perpetuate myself in office
for a long time I would get up here this evening and appeal to your
passion and prejudice in this matter. But I thank God who reigns
supreme that I have the temerity to stand here, regardless of wbat
it may mean to me politically, and say to you that I am willing to
confess to this convention that we ran up against a proposition where
we had no choice. I imagined when the officers and Scale Committee
from the Central Competitive Field met in Washington, after an in-
formal joint conference had been postponed, they realized, as I realiie
now and as we all ought to realize, that never in the history of the
United Mine Workers of America did we achieve two advances in wages
in two years.
It has been the policy of this organization for years, and one of
the fimdamental policies — and you men ought to realize that — to nego-
tiate contracts where possible throughout the United States. Two years
ago when we assembled in this convention, not one of us, 1 venture to
say, had an idea that whatever agreement would be reached there
would not remain in existence for a period of two years. For years
and years we have clamored for advances in wages. We said year
after year that^ the cost of living was going beyond the reach of the
wages of the miners, but not until last May were we able, in the midst
of a contract period and after we had agreed upon a wage scale, to
get any consideration from any source to relieve the high cost of living.
The officials of your organization, backed up by the loyalty of the mine
workers, forced the coal operators to an issue and we got an increase
in wages. We were not satisfied, because the cost of living continued
to go up, and after a while we said we needed another advance in
wages, and we got it.
In looking back over the progress of the organization in future
years we can say that for once at least the government of the United
States recognized the mine workers' organization. Some years ago
Theodore Roosevelt, when he w^as president, recognized the organiza-
tion. The miners had fought the battle, however, and he stepped in
at the last. Now the miners have fought the battle. Our country is
facing a great crisis. In August the President of the United States
stated what the coal prices should be. I am convinced there were
coal operators who were grafting upon the public. Every institution
427
the United States was running full time, there was a great demand
r coal and the railroads were not able to handle it properly. The
in were anxious to work, the operators were anxious to sell the coal,
t the railroads could not handle it.
When your representatives went into conference with the coal
erators in Washington to secure this advance in wages they made
issue of the fact that the miners were not able to exist without an
:rease in wages. I presume that somewhere down along the line the
erators tried to show that hundreds of men were living in luxury
d did not need any increase of wag^es to exist. I assume that the
sresentatives of the four competitive States on the miners' side made
issue of the fact that, owing to the war crisis the steel and other
lustries were working full capacity and men were leaving the mines
seek other employment. I assume that such argument as that in-
ced the operators to grant the largest increase ever granted the
ners of America. I assume that the United States government was
miliar with the fact, and when the operators said an increase of
iges was not necessary because thousands of men were laying off
d would not work because they did not need to work, provided this
nalty for men who needlessly prevented the mines working. When
e officials of your organization forced the operators to go with them
intly before the Fuel Administrator and report it to him and asked
m to prevail upon the President of the United States to advance coal
ices sufficient to warrant the increase in wages, that was no little
irden. I appreciate the fact that we have men in this organization big
ough to shoulder such a burden.
Somewhere during those deliberations the coal operators must have
'oved to our representatives that men were laying off without any cause,
id I assume the government was forced to say to the miners: "The
•ices will be amended if you will agree to recommend to the various
stricts that the miners' representatives and the operators get together
id agree on a penalty clause." I don't know how the penalty clause
fects other districts, but I am frank to report to you that, so far as I
n concerned, and so far as the men 1 represent are concerned, we
in't need any penalty clause. We have discipline in District 23
r one time and I appreciate it more than any man on earth.
) I say there is no use spending thousands of dollars in this convention
428
deliberating on this question. If we stay here one month, two months
or six months, discussing the question, the penalty clause will not be
modified.
N,ow, what remains for us to do? Are we going to try to build up
a political machine out of this issue ? Have we a factional fight brewing
here? Does it mean dollars and cents to any man in this convention?
It should not. If we are the elect from the local unions of this country;
if we are the brains of the United Mine Workers' organization, we will
not spend another minute deliberating over the penalty clause, because
a time came in the Washington conference when our representatives had
no choice but to accept it. We say to the miners in our district: '^t
is nice to work when you want to and lay off when you want to, but more
than 20,000 coal minei>s are in the service of the United States ^vem-
ment and they are not privileged to work eight hours for five dollars —
they work eight, ten and twelve hours, as the United States may demand,
for one dollar a day." If that is true, why can we not agree, as we have
always done, to accept this penalty clause? There has always been a
penalty clause in any agreement negotiated with the operators. That
penalty has been a discharge for a certain number of strikes. Now,
under the highest wages we ever received, we should work every day the
railroads put cars in. If we do that, we will be doing our bit for the gov-
ernment and for the boys who are facing' the shadow of the river of
death to save our country.
Why should anybody be criticised for this agreement? We have no
choice in the matter. The government said: "If the price is to be
advanced the representatives of the miners and operators must get
together and enact a penalty clause." We did agree upon a penalty
clause, and I am frank to tell you I hail from a district where the boys
gave it a test before it was placed on them, but they accepted it just the
same.
Delegate Moncusky, Local 2874, District 5: I have listened from the
beginning of what I call a foolish discussion. A majority of you men
here are old enough to be my father, but today you are discussing some-
thing your fathers put in the constitution of the mine workers. The
penalty clause under discussion is only a little different from the penalty
clauses of the past. Have you anything in this little book, whether it is
429
district or international, that will permit any radical man in your midst
to call a strike? No. If we have ^ievances we would take them up as
provided for by the organization.
We all make mistakes. In my local we had a case in which I was
involved. I was* charged with violating the agreement. I did not do it
intentionally; I did not mean to violate it. There were men in the local
whom I redpect who put up a proposition to the men and had me interpret
it to my foreign brothers, who are in a majority in that local. I did not
think they were doing anything wrong. We were idle six days, going to
the mines and coming out without earning a cent. We called a strike.
I was arrested and thrown into jail in Pittsburgh, l^hen I saw my mis-
take. In the morning I went to the mine and told what passed at our
meeting. I was told to get out finally. | said to the superintendent,
"I will not, and you are not big enough to put me out." We have over
300 men. Ninety-two went down in the mine. We did not say anything
to the company men because they were not hampered if they did not
have cars and steam. The diggers, loaders and machine cutters were
the sufferers.
My intentions were good, but we did not go to the right channels to
remedy our grievances. As I said, I was arrested, but I am here among
you today, and in the future I will recognize my district officials before
I take any such action, and I will try to teach my foreign brothers to do
the same. The man who let me out said to President Murray that he
would be held responsible for letting me out. I came from the anthra-
cite district a couple of months ago. I had the same experience there.
There were times when the local got radical over a matter that could
have been settled in a legal way. A meeting would be called and we
would not even have any discussion. Among 1,300 men in that local
there were only about 400 English-speaking men. Those men stayed out
on strike and as a result I lost my old home. Some time ago I went
back and asked what they had won by going out on strike. They said
all they had won was a whistle on top of the breaker to let them know
what time to start in the morning. That is all they ever got.
If we abide by the constitution of our organization we will be stand-
ing behind the red, white and blue flag, for the constitution of the United
Mine Workers does not do anything that would bring any danger to that
430
flag. We ougrht to adopt this penalty clause to stop the radical f^^"^^
who goes to the men and tells them the operators are taking money ^^
of their pockets. As long as you can prove that you had a right to st:- "^"^^
and did it in the proper way you will not be punished. Get your dist:^ -^^
officers and you will not be liable to overstep what is right. Union ^^^
isn't politics, and there is too much politics in our locals among the rad^ ^^
men. We don't need to denounce each other in public meetings, &^ ^
heard you men do. I would be ashamed to get up and do that. Is iti^^
what we took our pledge for? I should say not!
You cannot tell me that if a strike is ordered in Pittsburgh or any-
where in the United States by the proper officers a fine will be put on
the men. If something is done that is against the agreement you will be
fined. I know the penalty was put on our local rightfully. We couldn't
say anything because we went against the little book that we got. The
agreement made in Washington was between the operators and the
miners. Then the government came and asked to have this penalty
clause put in so there would be no agitation and trouble in the mines.
Some of our men get radical and go to the boss and throw a iist up to
him. That will not do any good. We have the international constitution
that is made by the delegates, most of them older men than I am, and if
we abide by that we will not get into trouble. We have coal enough in
the mines and we have power enough in our hands to produce all the
country needs. Instead of discussing the penalty clause we should be
discussing some way to help the government prosecute the war and get
more coal. If we do that the country will have enough coal, people will
not be cold and the government will be able to carry on the war.
Three months ago the men in West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania
and perhaps in Ohio complained of the scarcity of cars. That is the
trouble today. Settle that trouble and the public will get enough coal to
keep the houses warm. Out of three hundred and more men on the pay
roll in Marianna, owing to the conditions that exist, not one will have
more than $25 in his envelope. That is not enough for a man with a
family. We go to the mines every day, but we haven't enough cars.
Now, study some means to get cars enough so that we can furnish coal
for the country. When we cut out these individual strikes and settle our
grievances through the proper channels I think we will have better times.
Delegate Sabin, District 5: I don't like to hear the criticism of the
^^ving man. I am going to stick to the agreement made in Washington,
^^t; I don't like the penalty clause. If I understand it I think I am one
^* the men who will be fined for not attending to my work steadily. In
^^^ mine we work about twelve days a month. Our tipple is about 300
^^tds from the end of the sidetrack in one of the biggest yards the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company has. Some days they put two cars
^ere, some days three cars, and some days we don't get any at all. Wc
<Jon*t work, but we have to go every morning. We get there about 6
o'clock. We don't know whether we are going to work or not. In the
glorious summer weather we have had on the Monongahela river in the
last six weeks we have had to stand outside without shelter. Talk about
patriotism! We went in the mine two days on the suspicion that we
were going to get cars. We remained in there one day until five minute&
after twelve without turning a wheel; another day until half -past twelve
and never turned a wheel. Then we went home. We loafed four daya
in succession when two miles of empty cars stood right before our eyes
between the tipples and the bottom end of the yard, and they never
turned a wheel. We stopped one morning at fifteen minutes after eight.
We had three railroad cars that morning for 150 men. Seven engines
stood there at 5 o'clock. I went home at fifteen minutes past eight. A
week ago last Wednesday we went to the mines and stopped an hour and
a half. The weather was below zero and we had no shelter. Two
engines stood there for three hours and a half. They were not attached
to anything and did not move ten feet.
A point of order was raised that Delegate Sabin was discussing the
railroad situation and not the Washington Agreement.
President Hayes: The point is well taken. The speaker will confine
himself to the question before the house.
Delegate Sabin: I am trying to take the blame off the silly coal dig-
gers and put it where it belongs. We worked last Monday, and on
Wednesday I went and stood an hour and a half when it was below zero.
We did not work that day, but worked Thursday. We loafed Friday.
This young man said the old men made the constitution, and he talks
about being loyal to the flag. I don't need the flag to make me patriotic,
432
■
and if he is called on and doesn't go to war. 111 shoot him myself. If
they want me, I will go.
I am opposeii to the penalty clause as I said in the beginning. Tbe
railroads haven't any penaUy clause. When they want to stop at hoxoft
they do so. No one can drive it into my thick skull that the peaa*^^
clause is a benefit to me. I have worked in the mines forty-nine yea«*»
I have never been compelled to gro to work and I have always mad^ *
living. I don't believe in being penalized now if I don't go.
Delegate Hall (Lee). District 6: Mr. Chairman and Fellow D^^^
gates — I rise at this time to support the report of the committee, wh.^^
is to concur in the report of the president. In reality it is to apprc:^*^^
the work of the Scale committee which negotiated the Washington
ment. The penalty clause, the subject we are now discussing, is part
the Washington Agreement, and to turn down that part of the i
means that the entire arrreement will no longer be the policy of
organization. I have opposed a penalty clause in former years, ai
might say that when I \i*ns working in the mines I expect there
any more radical man in the mine or in the mine workers' orgmnizatT
than I was, I took part in some radical movements which I have sii
leameil were not for the best interests of the organization or for t:
best inten?sts of the men I now represent.
v«-
I believe the Washington Agreement was made in its entirety in tK^--
interest* of the rank and tile of this organization. What led up to tJ^
question of a penalty in the negotiations for this contract? Last Api
we secun?vl an advance in :he middle of a contract term. Whoi
secured that aiivar..'e it ^^~a5 ^ith the under?ra!xling that it would be
centra c: until Marvh ol. li^lS We went home with an advance in
What wss the resu';? As Delegate Merver said, we had men with n»
rvsfwot for oontracts. snd even though they b.ad secured an advan<
o.urinc the ocn tract period they pnveeced to demand additiocal adranees^^
in wages, an^i when they were nv>t granted automaticaily tfaey €io9tS^^
down the n::r.t*< in v::!at:on cf the cvni tract.
W>e-. we went t."* Wishir.sncn in Septenib^r and a5ke<d for another^
s.ivsrx :-. w.iiix:*. tr.« .-.r^-rT'.cr.: w-i5 usee r-y your :f^cer« tha: if another
;; ^: V ;ir. ce . n w s jx > v :i < ^ r-,i - : c i t : t > c ni : r. c w : rke r^ it w^'il-d stin:*iLate th^
433
%t war. The question was asked, "If we grant you another advance in
^^ages during a contract period, what assurance will be given us that the
rxiiners will not do as they did in the summer after we gave you the
iidvance in April, close down the mines and add still further advances?"
Xhat was responsible more than any other one thing for the penalty
::Iause being placed in the agreement. It does not hurt the men who
::omply with the agreement; it is the men who violate the agreement who
are hurt by the penalty clause. The man who lives up to the contract
and takes up his grievances in line with the terms of the contract
will be protected. This organization will see that he gets justice. But
when he proceeds to violate the law of our organization as well as a joint
contract the penalty clause will apply. It will not apply ilny other time.
I was one of the representatives in Washington that entered into this
agreement, but we did not enter into it with the intention of doing any-
thing detrimental to the mine workers. It was done for the best interests
of the men we represent. I am in favor of the committee's report and I
have no apologies to make to any man here or to any man in the district
I represent for what I did in Washington.
Delegate Jackson, District 23: I arise at this time to defend the
action of this committee. There is a greater dangler confronting this
organization than the penalty clause, and that is the local unauthorized
strike. I am not in favor of sacrificing the right to strike, and never will
be. I would call a strike in District 23 if I had the power, if it was to
redress any wrong, even though I was sent to the penitentiary for doing
it; but in a lime like this, when our country is engaged in a war that
means freedom for our people and other people, we should be willing to
accept the penalty clause. I think in our district we will be able to pre-
vent the operators taking advantage of this. They will not take money
from our people, and if they try it we will call strikes.
The local strike has always been a danger to this organization. All
organizations that countenanced local strikes have failed. Our organ-
ization is foremost among labor organizations and we are being
recognized by the government. We cannot afford to fight the penalty
clause at this time. Every heart beat I have is in sympathy with the
men who have gone into the service of their country. Probably some of
the boys who are recorded on that service flag that hangs over our heads
were with us in the last convention, and I will stand by them until the
\
484
war is over. Wc will take care of the penalty clause in our district. If
the time ever comes when the operators punish some fellow who has not
violated the contract we will call a strike and stay on strike untU he
has received justice.
This is an opportunity for the men who are prejudiced to take a rap
at our organization, but I want to tell you now that the intelligent rank
and file will not stand for it. You cannot show any good reason why we
should ndt have a penalty in our contract that forbids local strikes in
violation of the agreement. The man who does not live up to a contract
he has made has no sense of honor. A man who will not live up to such
a contract is not a man of honor and does not want to do right. The
penalty clause is only a guarantee to the government that we intend to do
right. If there had not been local strikes the penalty clause would not
be in the agreement. Some men said, "Sit down," this morning when
speakers were on the floor. Those were the same men who have been
advocating free speech on the street comers. I will fight for free speech,
I am in favor of it at all times, but I am willing to let other people have
the right of free speech that I ask for myself.
At 5 o'clock the convention adjourned under the rules to convene at
9 a. m., Saturday, January 19th.
FIFTH DAY-MORNING SESSION
Indianapolis, Ind., January 19, 1918.
The convention was called to order at 9 o'clock a. m^ Saturday,
January 19, Vice-President Lewis in the chair.
Discussion on the report of the Committee on Officers' Reports en-
dorsing and concurring in the Washington Agreement was continued.
Delegate Pascoe, Canton, 111.: I am a representative of the miners
of Canton, 111., Dist^-ict 12. I have been instructed by my local. In the
past few months, or since the Washington Agreement was entered into
by our officials, wc have taken up this question and debated it pro and
con. We have been a bunch of thinking men down there," we have not
allowed our officials or anyone else to do our thinking for us. We have
435
men who sent in protests against the impositions sought to be imposed
upon us by the Washington contract. I am not up here this morning pro-
fessing to be one of your great orators; I don't want you to get your
expectations in the air and get a fall; the fact of the matter is that the
deliberations on this question are vitally important to organized labor
and I realize that we must consider it seriously.
Several statements have been made in regard to the contract that
we are about to either ratify or reject. We have been told by some of
our officials that we had better be careful of the stand we take here for
fear of what will happen when we go back to our constituents. I am not
here to take a stand for myself or for self-interest; I am here to repre-
sent the men who elected me and to voice their sentiments. The senti-
ment of the men I represent is that the Washington Agreement is an insult
to their intelligence. Not only is the penalty clause an insult, but the
making of an agreement during a contract period, to expire two years
hence, instead of expiring April 1, 1918, is an insult to their intelligence.
Take up your contracts again and get somewhere near the justice that is
due to us. That is the club that has been used on you and me to keep
our wages down while the operators have been filling their pockets as a
result of our labor. These things are standing in our road and we do
not want them in our district.
•
The penalty clause! No, we don't want any penalty clause. Make
us free men, put us on our honor and we will measure up to the best
expectations of our government every time. They say they have to
penalize us to stabilize the coal industry of this country and back up the
government. You are told to consider these things in a logical manner,
to be careful how you lay your premises so that your conclusions will be
correct. It is proper that we consider these things in a logical manner.
One delegate said the destruction of one organization after another has
been caused by internal differences, but I want to say that the intelligence
and the brains and the backbone of union labor do not rest in the suit-
case of a labor leader, it rests with the rank and file.
Vice-President Lewis: The chair would request the delegate to dis-
cuss the question before the house and not discuss the merits or demerits
of any labor leader.
Delegate Pascoe : I have not been personal in any of my remarks. I say
436
if the Washington Agreement was entered into in good faith — and I believe
it was on the part of the officials, as far as that is concerned; we may
differ in our opinions on these things and I concede their right to their
opinions — but I want to say when we went into so serious a thing as to
draw up a contract, notwithstanding the condition our country is in
today, needing the support of every man, woman and child, and I don't
want to pat you on the back and tell you how patriotic you are, and how
patriotic I am; I am doing my duty and that, is enough — but I vrant to
say that when this contract was entered into, if it had been left to a
referendum vote of the rank and file it would have taken the responsi-
bility off our officials and placed it just where it belongs. If we had
accepted it on a referendum vote we would have taken the consequences
and nothing more would have been said about it.
Now, we are here in convention and we are asked to support the
Washington Agreement. The miners from my district say they will not
support such a contract as that. Not only is the contract made to exp^^
two years hence, but the inequality that exists in the flat rate of 10 c^^^
is another thing that is obnoxious to our men. When there is a '^''
increase of 10 cents to the miners throughout the entire competitive 0^ ^
there are men bound to be working in thin veins that will suffer an in^
tice. We have that injustice imposed on us. The differential betw^^^^
the thick and thin veins makes a considerable difference. *The men in ^^
•
thin veins have to pay as much as the others for the necessities of IS^
The operators wanted to increase the price of powder and we den:::^
them that right, but they have boosted the price of all the other suppl:^
from 50 to 100 per cent. I have a family of six to provide for, and wh -^
times were normal I was able to keep them and even had some money
the bank. Now, the money I had in the bank has been drawn and spes: ^
and I cannot keep pace with the cost of living. My condition is the coi^^
dition of practically all the miners throughout the United States.
I know you will be told to vote for this because it is the best we ca ^
do. Prom indications I think the big guns are about to turn loose. Yot"
cannot expect men just fresh from the mines to compete with them^
Those we are paying to work in our interests will tell you what to do '
but I will do exactly as I have been instructed by my local to do. I have?
been instructed to stand on this floor and make the matter clear, so that
when it comes to a vote everybody will know where I stand on the ques-
437
9n. My men have given me some rounds of ammunition to shoot into
lis contract and it is going to be fired.
Delegate O'Neil, Secretary of the Committee: In behalf of the com-
ittee I desire to say that in preparing this report which was submitted
the convention yesterday wc made it a clean-cut proposition upon its
erits as a joint agreement. We did not seek to wrap it up in the Ameri-
.n flag and hang about the comers of Tomlinson Hall a few German
ties; but if we had done so; if we had resorted to this appeal to your
ntiments we would have been more justified than was the speaker
*sterday who carried on the ungodly slaughter of coal . operators all
-er the floor of Tomlinson Hall. We did not come in here and set up
raw men to knock them down for the benefit of the class of delegates
hose chief mission seems to be to applaud when a delegate expresses
leir views and yell lustily, "Sit down/' when someone speaks who does
)t agree with them.
A delegate arose to a point of order and stated that Secretary 6'Neil
as not discussing the question before the house.
Vice-President Lewis: He is discussing the arguments of previous
leakers and is entirely in order.
Secretary O'Neil: This report was made upon a proposition that a
int committee representing the mine workers and operators of the
antral Competitive Field agreed upon, together with the Fuel Adminia-
ation, predicated upon the proposition that this industry would be
abilized for the period of the war by doing so. The sentiment expressed
J delegates here who would stop speakers from expressing their hcmest
cws on this question is the reason why it is necessary that a penalty
ause be included in the contract; because men who would resort to the
ictics of yelling "Sit down," when men speak who do not agree with
leir views, violate more than the contract; they violate an obligation
ley took when they joined this union to defend freedom of thought and
>eech. A man who would violate that obligation has but little respect
deed for a contract obligation. And it is men like these that the great
ajority of this delegation and this union of ours must protect them-
ilves against. Men who would resort to such tactics here in this great
sliberative body of ours, the highest court of our organization, would
irely resort to a violation of an agreement in their own local unions.
438
I come from a local union that violated its contract many times. I
come from a local union that in the year 1916 conducted ten strikes i&
violation of their agreement, and against my will. When I came back
from the Washington conference where we negotiated the agreement for
our district I went into that local union and explained the agreement,
gave the reasons why it was necessary for the officers of this union to
write into that contract for the period of the war a penalty clause for the
violation of its terms and provisions, and I cited their own actions as
one of the reasons for it. When the election of a delegate came about
they sent me here to represent the 500 miners of my local and cast my vote
in favor ot this agreement.
We do not say that a majority of the members of this organization
need this penalty clause, ^o officer of this union makes that claim; ^^
meml>er of this union makes that claim; but we do say that there is »
clasH of men in this organization, who, if we are going to continue* ^
wii are going to make this union of ours a serviceable, co-ordinate ins'^'^'
m«nt in the hands of our government to win this war, rather than a ^-*
organized, disorderly mob, must have restrictions placed upon tl^ ^
And we must place these restrictions upon ourselves if they are to^
I'fTootivf.
It wna very well stated here yesterday by one of the speakers C^- '
oven in domooratio Hritnin the workers* penalty clause comes, not witL
thi» purview of tlio joint •ajrreoment. but under the Defense of the
Act, whiM'o you iiro tnkon into the civil courts for the violation of a tr
apnvnuMit. In our country, when we are asked by this government
ours to plaoo tuirsolvos in a oo-ordinate position with them during tl
porioii of tl\o Nvar» wo aro asked to work out that problem in our o
court and oounci's. and yot wo sit here and bicker among ourselv
Most of the nion who hav»» spi»ken a^rainst the proposition are those wlC
%m tho St root ^ornors and in the local unions talk most loudly about indu
trial democracy ami industrial freeiiom.
I take it that one of the speakers yesterday in his remarks indicatec/
that the i»enalty cla\»se could l»e very well turned doiR-n and that we could
then pnveed to it«cei\e the benetit of this advance in wages. I take it,
and the rest of the conwnittee take it, ir: considering this proposition,
that the entire Washir.t'ton AmvemenT is iiiider consideration; that one
clause is of equal importance with the other; that we could not reject
cne clause and retain any of the others; that we would reject the advance
if we rejected the penalty clause. It strikes me with a great deal of force
that if this convention would be of the opinion that the Washington
Agreement ought to be rejected, we would find ourselves in a very embar-
rassing position when we discovered that we also lost our increase in
wages. I take it that if we were to go back home and the government
ordered the advance in wages secured under the agreement of October
6th taken away from the mine workers we would have a great deal more
trouble making the men work under that condition than we have had
making them work under the penalty clause.
I come from one of the outlying districts, just as Mr. Howat does.
Ours is the second largest district in this country. We negotiated an
agreement with the penalty clause contained in it, and we did not accuse
anyone of placing in Dr. Garfield's ear or in President Wilson's ear the
command that it be done. We took the order of the President of the
United States, which says: "This increase in prices shall not apply in
any district in which the operators and miners fail to agree upon a pen-
alty provision satisfactory to the Fuel Administrator." When we read
that proposition, which was signed by Woodrow Wilson, it indicated
to us as clearly as it was possible to do so that the penalty provisions
in our contract must be satisfactory to the Fuel Administrator and in
accord therewith. When we negotiated our agreement we submitted the
penalty proposition to the Fuel Administrator and got his 0. K. thereto.
If any leader in our movement advised the President of the United States
and the Fuel Administrator that it was necessary, that it would make for
a greater amount of co-ordination in our movement during the war to
have this provision in our contract, I believe he gave them good, Sound,
common-sense advice, and so far as I am concerned, I intend to face the
convention of my district and answer for my part in this, as I have
already done in my own local union and in many other local unions in
my district, and have no fear of the consequence.
I have heard criticism about this contract because of the* division
of the advance in wages. Many of our miners claim the day men got
more than the loader, and I have heard more complaints about that than
I have about the penalty clause. This is the first time we have ever had
a penalty clause in Central Pennsylvania under which men were fined for
violalinj;: their contracts, and there has been very little criticism about it
compared with the criticism coming from the great districts, where, I
understand, they have had penalty clauses for many years.
I hope and trust that every delegate to this convention will take it^^
serious consideration the fact that he has been given the right to M^
mine in his own courts and through his own ag^reements some of ^
sacrifices he must make as a result of this war, which is a greater C^'
cession than the working men of any other country engaged m V^
struggle have been given.
<^ *-■
- '.tf
■» -*
d^^'
.*
♦:--
Delegate Ritchie, Local 2460, District 12: What authority have
for saying the matter was taken into the civil courts in Great Britain
Secretary 0*Neil: That is done under the Defense of the Realm
ou
Delegate Fiampton, District 25: I feel that I should express m;
on this question at this time. Up to the present time I have taken a
unpopular position. In the district I represent we were oompdled
accept this automatic penalty clause or waive our right to the advan
We were given to understand, in a conference in Washington with
Fuel Administrator, that we must repudiate a contract we had alrea^
signiHi. Wo had .^^igned a contract with the operators; it had
printed and sent out to the membership: that did not carry with it
automatic oollootion of tines. We were given to understand by the
•Vdniinistrator that unless we incorporated in that contract the automat^
colKvtion of tines we could not procure the advance given in the WasK'
ington Atrrivmont. Dr. Gariield assigned as his reason for that the fa^*^
that n ^reat majority of the miners of the country had accepted
penalty clause and the operators and miners had taken that method t^
discipline, to forvv the miners to work to produce coal up to the nuudmot^
amount.
ct
the
.e\
.tic
Our vortrao: :^rvn:dc\i for a tifty-v'ent fine, and a hearing before anS
mir.or oharctrv; v\::h vio'.ativ^r. of the vvntract could be fined. Dr. Garfield ^'
said the !trr>?sor.:a::vts o: the miners of the country had subscribed t^^
the autvvv.a::. por.alty s*auso ar.d we would have to accept it if we recc
»r. advar..e. so .: was r.e>:essary for us to repudiate the contract we hac^
>^»::'Ovi :•: orvU*r :o scv: the advar.vV. Sonr.e of the delegates seem to
ur.vior the :niv^*^*->-^" **"*• l^r. Garne'd was the first to inaugurate
the
I to
«uin
any
eld
to
^ed
ad
he
n
441
a.utomatic penalty clause. If I understand the report of President Hayes
he seeks to convey that impression. Ex-President White informed you
on the floor of this convention that it was not Dr. Garfield who forced
t
the automatic penalty on the miners of the country. He said the repre-
sentatives of the operators and miners of this country agreed to that
automatic penalty clause themselves. That is borne out by the state-
ment of Dr. Garfield to the representatives of the Southwest when he
said the great majority had accepted it, that the. negotiations for a con-
tract were in their hands and they had voluntarily agreed to that.
Now, where does the fault lie ? The fault lies with the United Mine
Workers themselves. The miners' representatives that met in Wash-
ington with the operators and voluntarily agreed to that automatic pen-
alty clause are the onos that are responsible for this condition. If you
ever hope for relief from this condition you must go farther than coming
into an international convention, after you have permitted such a system
as that to continue, and put in the hands of a few the authority to do
your business without other districts having a voice and a vote in their
affairs to have something to say as to what that policy should be. If
you hope for relief you must amend your constitution and provide that
every district that is expected to comply with such policies will have a
Voice and a vote in those affairs, something that was not g^ven in Wash-
'^ngton,
•
My district was at peace. I proved to the Fuel Administrator by the
Aerators that there was no complaint coming from my district as a result
:f violation of contracts. The operators admitted that; but, notwith-
tanding the fact that we proved that to him, because this plan had been
greed to by the few, we were compelled to accept it. After we were
onfronted with that condition there was nothing to do but accept it if
ve hoped to obtain the advance. Now, I want to make my position very
lear. I took a very unpopular position in the Southwest when I advised
liat it be accepted, because it was all we could do to get it adopted. It
tan be corrected for the future, however, if you stand up and be counted
&nd do it. It has been so manipulated through the machinery of this
convention that the delegates have to assume the responsibility of voting
against the advances in the contract, repudiate the whole thing and take
^he chance of losing the advance provided' for in this contract for your
people. You have to assume the responsibility of voting it down, because
442
the whole contract is contingent upon the action of this convention, th*
advance included.
A committee brings in a report in which they say you have to vCt*
for or against this. If you vote for it you vote to commend the few th^- ^
assembled in Washington and agreed to this automatic penalty claus^^
I detest the principle of an automatic penalty clause. Whoever conceive ^
of the idea of fixing a penalty for the violation of a contract, or for an ^^
crime, upon the allegation of anyone that a penalty would be asscMC i d
before he is given a hearing, did something I detest. The mine work« s
of the country do not i-esent a penalty clause. Speaking for my distrid
we had one in our former contract, but we detest the principle of bein
assessed before the men are given a hearing.
I am going to vote to ratify the Washington Agreement and tal^=. «
no chances on losing the advance. I am going to be consistent with wh^^^
I have been preaching, that it is necessary for you to legislate here ^^*
give us all a voice and vote for the future before we can correct tb^*-^
evil. In doing this I want the record to show that while I am compell^^
to cast my vote to ratify this agreement I do not want it understock <*
that I commend those who are responsible for subscribing to such- ^
damnable principle as the automatic collection pf fines. I want
record to show that while I am placed in that position I ain not co
pelled to be a party to kicking over this agreement and possibly depr**- ^^
ing the miners of their advance ; but I do not commend those who ^•- -^
responsible for such a damnable thing as the automatic penalty clais-'^^
Delegrate Cooper, District 29 : Gentlemen of this Convention — I ane'^^
delegate from District 29, West Virginia. We have there a pena^^^ -^
clause and we like it. It helps the man who wants to stand direc^*--'^
behind the government of this country. If you fail to ratify the W
ington Agreement what will I have to take back to my local union?
those people be robbed of the advance this agreement gives the
Never will I agree to rob the people I represent. I was instructed
come here and cast my vote to ratify that agreement. My local uni
instructed me to do this, and they said they would not be patriotic ci
zens if they instructed me to vote against this contract.
h-
t
to
n
j-
The penalty clause is a help to the government. I am in a positior--^
to express the sentiment of some as good American citizens as the Unite^^^
443
tes ever produced, and we are prospering under this contract. Mr.
"field and the International officers, I understand, made this contract
the interest of the mine workers, and I am too patriotic to go back
blieir work. If you fail to ratify this agreement what will I have to
s back to the men I represent? Must I take back to them a cut .in
r^es? Must I take back to those men with their little families, mining
'lie hills of West Virginia, the information that I have taken some-
ig away from their eaming^s? I will never go back on the adminis-
iion of this country or the administration of the organization that
the very best that could be done to increase our wages.
I am instructed to vote to ratify the Washington Agreement. Why?
ause we are prospering under it. We in West Virginia could not
sper without the organization. If we can prosper there with the
n shop it seems to me you gentlemen can prosper with the closed shop.
s is a time that you delegates representing 400,000 miners should get
«ther and recognize the authority of the government of the United
-tes. Let business move on; don't hamper the government. I would
^ to see the delegates in this convention come to the conclusion that we
1 sacrifice everything possible to settle this great war and knock out
' kaiser and militarism. I would be a slacker if I failed to do every-
ng in my power to help the government defeat kaiserism. Think of
at was done in Belgium ! Think of the women and children who were
led there! If I did less than uphold the government of my country
7ou\d be a traitor to the United States and to my organization.
Delegate Doyle (James), District 21: Mr. Chairman — As a mem-
of that committee I wish at this time to explain my position, and I
not going to attempt to wrap myself up in the American flag either.
ither do I intend to stand idly by and see the other fellow wrap him-
: up in kaiserism and militarism. I am not an officer of this organi-
ion; I am what you call a man from the picks. I never had anything
do with the Washington Agreement until the interstate conference
s called in Kansas City. The Southwestern districts were represented
;hat conference. I happened to have the misfortune, or the good luck,
''ou wish to call it that, to be a delegate to that convention. That was
first time I knew positively what had been done in Washington. That
vention held in Kansas City was one of the most disgraceful confer-
es ever held under the jurisdiction of the United Mine Workers of
444
America. A record should have been made of a conference of tint
nitude. They refused to make a record of the proceedings. I aSiti
time and again for a stenographer to have a record made when the OBfOr
ference in Kansas City discussed the Washington Ag^reement, but tt>*
request to have a stenographer called and everybody placed on ree^*^
was refused. That showed that somebody had something to cover up.
-.1
No one has ever stood behind President Howat of Kansas mofe
I have. I stood behind him all his life. I have disagreed with the Int^^*
national officials, I have taken up personal affairs with oar Intematioo. v
President, at that time John P. White, but today I find myself in a po^''
tion where I cannot appreciate the stand taken by President Hovst c^
Kansas. He told you yesterday morning what the miners of the Sontli'
west want. President Howat isn't representing the miners of the South'
west; he may be representing the miners of Kansas, but he is not rep-
resenting the miners of District 21, the district from which I come. The
miners of District 21 in convention assembled not later than the 10th day
of this month unanimously adopted an agreement with the penalty clause.
President Howat told you also that a man in his district was fined
because he attended his mother's funeral. Who is to blame for that?
Is this international organization to blame? No. It is the machinery in
force in Kansas that is to blame for that fellow being fined. I would
hate like thunder to be the president of a district and come here and
admit to this great body that I ^tood idly by and saw a man fined for
attending his mother's funeral. Then he said, "I will go back and enter
proceedings in the civil courts."
Delegate Pascoe, District 12 : Is that man discussing the Washing-
ton Ag^reement?
Vice-President Lewis: He is discussing the arguments of previous
speakers and is in order.
Delegate Doyle: He said he would go back and enter suit in the
civil courts. Where can he get authority under the Washington Agree-
ment to enter suit in a civil court? The Washington Agreement says we
shall defend all suits entered into under this agreement. Why doesn't
he put the machinery of our organization into effect in this case?
Deleg^ate Howat: I want to correct the speaker. I did not say I
would enter suit to recover that dollar. I said I was going to get the
wages back from the company that they^ took from the men who quit
and went to other mines.
Delegate Pascoe: I rise to a point of order. You called me down
^^exi I got personal. Delegate Doyle is personal and I raise the point
'^O'^. We don't want discrimination here.
Vice-President Lewis: The chair will again endeavor to laboriously
^^^lain that Delegate Doyle is replying to argmnents made by previous
BpeHkers. He is analyzing the arguments and offering his judgment upon
^^m. When the chair called Delegate Pascoe to order he was discussing
^c brain power and mental capacity of various leaders of the organiza-
^on, which had not been previously discussed. Therein lies the differ-
ence. Your point of order is not well taken. There has been entirely too
much interruption of the speaker and the chair will ask that the con-
vention maintain a semblance of order.
Delegate Findley, District 24: President Howat did not refer to
any speakers in the house, and we have no linen here to wash for mem-
bers of our organization. The question before the house is the Wash-
ington Agreement. I have been trying to get the floor, but it seems the
officers have a right to it, and no one else.
Vice-President Lewis: If you will remain right where you are the
chair will recog^nize you immediately after Delegate Doyle.
Delegate Doyle: It is with some degree of amusement that I listen
to the fellows raising points of order when the truth is being told. If
I happened to be president of Kansas or any other dl£.'':"S(^and I had
an operator in my district that was so unscrupulous as Alex\, ^^&t says
the operators in his district are there could not be a penalty clause in-
serted in that clause so severe, even if it was death, but I ;^ould close
him down anyhow and see that he ran no more. If that fellow is so un-
scrupulous as President Howat says he is he is giving aid to the enemy
the same as the fellow who is fighting this agreement.
A delegate advised the speaker to sit down.
Delegate Doyle: Come up here and put me down. I want to state
446
that in discussing the penalty clause in our interstate conference in %^
sas City Delegate Howat took a different position. We were in aess^®^
there for a week. Now Delegate Howat has changed front in regtrd ^
the position he took there. He was chairman of that conference and tb^
position he took was that we did not need any advice from the govefi^'
ment or from Dr. Garfield, but we would make the operators of tl*®
Southwest go down in their slimy pockets and pay that advance out ox
the dividends they had made in the last eight years. I asked hinn -
"Alex, you were president of Kansas during four years at least of th^t
eight years. Why didn't you make the operators pay the miners of Kan-
sas what was justly due them, and not wait until the country was in a
state of war and need the miners to work?" He said: "I will make theTO
go down in their slimy pockets; I will make them pay the advance arxd
pay what they have taken from the men during those four years-"
That was his argument.
This is not the first time the Southwest has had a penalty clao^e-
The Southwest had a penalty clause for many, many years. In 1914 axrcl
1915 I happened to be on the conference committee when the agreement
was made. The penalty clause for 1914-16 was practically the same »^s
it is today in the Southwest. There is a little change in the langua^«*
but it means identically the same thing. In the conference committed
fought against that penalty clause, as John P. White well knows,
after they had put it over me and Kansas was asking for home rul^
said, "If that is what you want I will sacrifice District 21 and go on
floor of the convention and vote with you." I did that. That was
time, if Kansas had any battle to make against the penalty cl^"*^
when the country was safe and the government was not fighting kaf ^
ism, for the president of that district to stand up and say they obje^^
to tht* penalty clause.
We lived two years under that penalty clause. Can any one
out where we lost anything in the Southwest in those two years?
trict 21, which has the best contract in the Union, gained Qxm^\\\0^
under that automatic penalty clause. Since the penalty clause
adopted and we left Kansas City there has not been as much as a
committee case in the mine where I work. It has been true that it \S^
the hands of the coal operators more than it docs the hands of the minei
It has made an operator think before giving his unscrupulous pit bo
447
1 to try to enforce conditions that are unjust on the miners.
ne a superintendent said, '*Doyle, we haven't enough water to
)r. Garfield demands that we run." I said, ''Clarke, this is one
ave got you. The mine must run and the responsibility rests
operator and not the miner."
niners have nothing to fear from the automatic penalty clause
y violate the contract and call illegal strikes. Nobody knows
* than I do, because I pulled off some of them myself. I know
ctions and the actions of men alongside me forced the writing
tomatic penalty clause into the agreement. I have arrived at
sion that we cannot pull off these illegal strikes any longer.
ant what you said when you wrote the contract, if you are as
i sincere as you tell the coal operators you are, you will go
tell your members: "We are going to live up to the letter of
nd if there is any violation of the contract it will not be from
' the miner, it will be from the other side." If you do that you
nothing to fear. Yesterday a delegate made some reference to
nd the state law. He came here to thresh out an internal
that has no place before the convention. If you have Jitate
>rce them. The penalty clause has nothing to do with your
Your state laws take precedence over all agreements.
is the first time in the history of the labor movement in the
ates that the wr)rking class has been given the consideration
Dcen given to our movement. That is true, not only in the
ites but in the entire world. Can you equal what was done in
can F^ederation of Labor, when the President of this great
ime on the floor and told the workers he was body and soul
? He said he did not want to meet them as President of the
ates; he wanted to meet them as a man. Can you think of
)eing granted to labor more splendid than that? Did you ever
in the history of the labor movement where our rep resent a-
invited into the halls of Congress and into the Cabinet of the
to help decide how a war should be conducted?
Poland, two years prior to tho breaking out of the war, they
hang Lloyd Cleorgr. Why? Because he was fighting for the
?nt of the working class. Today he stands paramount in
448
Europe, as President Wilson does in the United States. Therefore I say
labor ought to be proud of what is being given us instead of trying to
tear down what we have built up. We ought to be satisfied with what
we have, considering the conditions of the country. There are few of
you men here but have some relatives now in the war, either participat-
ing in it from the American continent or from the British Isles. Do you
think you are in a position to strike? How many men in this convention
want to strike? I don't think one of you wants to strike. What will it
mean if you turn down the agreement? You will go home to your con-
stituents and tell them, "We have turned down the penalty clause, go on
strike and stab the bo3rs in the trenches in France and those that are on
the road."
Delegate Findley, District 24: Mr. Chairman and Delegrates — We
are about to pass sentence on a subject which vitally concerns the rank
and file of our organization. This is considered throughout the country
aa one, of the most vital questions concerning our organization. I can-
not satisfy my conscience on this question except by speaking. Should
I keep back my opinion on such a question for fear of giving offense I
would feel myself guilty of an act of disloyalty toward my organization.
No man has more regard than I have for the distinguished gentlemen at
the head of our organization, but different men oftentimes see the same
subjects in different lights; therefore I hope I will not be thoaght dis-
respectful to those gentlemen because I entertain opinions that are op-
posed to theirs.
We have listened to distinguished gentlemen at the head of our or-
ganization, but you are listening now to a man who is up against the real
experience, a man from the coal face wlio is up agrainst the real fire. I
have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of
experience. I know of no way of judging the future but by the past,
and, judging by the past and the progress of this magnificent organiza-
tion, which now stands out clothed in the robes of majesty and power,
which has now cast off the swaddling clothes of infancy, by the democ-
racy of the past and not by the autocracy which is now being instituted
in the organization.
The question before the house is the penalty clause. The penalty
clause is not accepted by this organization. The Fuel Administration of
I
449
this country is no friend to the United Mine Workers — the dollar-a-day
men they talk of! Is this the part of wise men engaged in this great and
arduous struggle for liberty? Are we supposed to listen to the song of
the siren until we are transformed into beasts? Gentlemen, vote against
this penalty clause; if you vote for it it will prove a snare to your feet.
The Fuel Administration tells us today that the miners should be con-
scripted. What does that mean? That the miners should be drafted to
the mines at the point of the bayonet. Is that sympathy for the organi-
zation? Gentlemen, this organization stands forth invincible in the face
of any foe today, and when the Fuel Administration wants to go into the
contest we will accept the challenge. When the contest comes we will
quote from the greatest bard the world has ever known —
«
"Lay on, McDuff!
And damned be he who first cries, 'Hold, enough!' "
The question now is to accept the contract or not accept it. I cannot
conscientiously vote against this question, but I am going to introduce a
proposition to the membership and hope that it will be accepted. I am
going to make a motion — and I hope it will be supported — ^that the entire
question be tabled.
Vice-President Lewis: The motion made by the delegate is, of
course, out of order.
0
Ex-President John P. White: Mr. Chairman and Delegates — I have
listened with a great deal of patience to the arguments that have been
presented for and against the pending proposition. I have carefully
analyzed, so far as I was able to do it, the whole tenor of the theme that
pervaded the speeches of those who opposed and those who favored this
proposition. If I were not acquainted with the fact that for the past
several weeks — ^and this is known to many of the mine workers of this
country — there was a well-organized scheme to single out that part of
the Washington Agreement that might appeal to the prejudices of men
here and there throughout the country, I might be surprised at some of
the things that were said here during the past two days. This appeal
to the prejudiced of the men has been made, not for the purpose of dis-
crediting, if you please, the splendid accomplishments contained in that
agreement, but for the sole purpose of trying to detract in some degree
15 -M Pro.
450
from the achievements of one who has contributed in a small way to the
adoption of that document.
I have listened patiently to what has been said in regard to the un-
authorized strikes. I had to contend with the local unauthorized strikes
in the past while serving as your president. There is nothing in this
proposition that strikes at the vitals of your orgranization ; but, on the
contrary, this penalty clause that previous speakers have asked you to
repudiate and strike from your contract is in a large measure in con-
sonance with the laws of the United Mine Workers of America, and some
of the speakers who have been condemning this agreement and this pen-
alty clause are in a large measure, if you please, responsible for placing
it in our contract.
The Washington Agreement was negotiated, after days of strenuous
debate, after having met the operators three times within a scale period
to consider increases in wages. The great, widespread unrest in this
country in the principal coal-producing fields prompted us to again go to
the operators and take up the question of an increase in wages in order
that the earning powers of our people might be more commensurate with
the tendency of the times. We took advantage of circumstances to wring
from our employers larger wages in order to enable us to meet the re-
sponsibilities thrust upon us by the conditions of the war.
In discussing this question I do not propose to wrap myself in ^^^
Glory; I intend to defend the agreement in its entirety solely on the sUS^'
ment that it is essential to the success and perpetuity of the United tf^^
Workers of America. Those who come here today and ask that ^^
strike out of this agreement the penalty clause are not conversant "^^
the far-reaching effect that such an act would have upon the polled ^
the United Mine Workers. And they who come here and ask this ^^^
representative body of men to do that are acting in contradiction of '^^
which they have done in their own districts. I have in my possession ^^^
the Washington Agreement and the letter transmitted by Dr. Garfiel^
the President of the United States, in which Dr. Garfield plainly sets ^^^
why, in his judgnnent, it was essential that the selling price of ^^
should be increased sufficient only to meet the increased wages of ^
United Mine Workers of the Central Competitive Field. And vo^r^
other things he says, in speaking of the necessity of granting these wa^'
451
hat it was absolutely essential that it be done in order that the inroads
lade upon our organization by the selective draft, by the voluntary en-
istment of our men, and because men were finding more remunerative
ositions in munitions plants and other places, that something be done to
old the men at the mines and standardize production during the crisis
^e were passing through. He pointed this out to the President in this
ingruage: ^I am assured that the next biennial convention will loyally
nd patriotically confirm this provision. I believe you may confidently
ely upon the assurances of the representatives of the union upon this
oint."
We have been told here repeatedly about the vicious things that
ould be practiced under this contract because of the penalty clause. I
ome from that district across the Mississippi river that has a penalty
lause. The men of Iowa for years honored me with their confidence, and
lany years ago, as their president, I wrote into that contract with their
cale committee an automatic penalty clause. That has not retarded tlte
rowth of that proud little district for a single moment. And when men
ho are officers of a union stand up here and say that the "dirty coal
>erators" can reach into the pockets of the miners and, without rhyme
* reason, appropriate their hard-earned money under this penalty clause,
ey are indicting their own inefficiency as officers — ^there is something
tten in Denmark. There has never occurred under any one's adminis-
ation in District 13 — where we have 100 per cent, organizations on both
ies — a case in which any coal operator has been able to use the power
an automatic penalty clause to appropriate the hard-earned dollars of
e miners.
You tell me you want the right to investigate a shut-down before the
nalty will be applied, and that when you do that and find your men
•e in error you will arise to the occasion. You will not, you leaders;
>u play politics in the game ; you will not penalize your men ; you know
lU have not done it. For nearly seven years I presided as your presi-
tnt, and how many times have I been compelled, at the instigation of
ine one in your districts, to revoke the charters of local unions that
ere striking in open defiance of the constituted authority of your organ-
ation?
President Howat plainly intimated by innuendo that this penalty
1
452
cUuae might be attributed to former President White. He mentioned ine
aeverml times during the course of his remarks, and I have been made
acquainted with the fact that I was to be singled^ut and that the adiieve-
raents of my leadership in this direction would be subject to vicious as-
saults, not in the hope that they could do harm to John P. White, bat
that they might in a small degree take away scNme of the credit for what
I in an humble way helped achieve for the mine workers of this coontry.
An of these things have been evident to me for several weeks. An exam-
inaticm of several papers published in the Southwest, among them the
Huntington Herald, alias "The Hummer"; The Workers' Chronicle aod
several other publications that seemed to be more solicitous of the career
of John P. White than they are of their own, tell how this tranendoos
piece of l^slation, the penalty clause, had destroyed the hopes, the aims,
the purposes and the ambitions of the mine workers of this country, and
how the mine workers now could give up all hope and submit to the tyran-
ny of the "dirty coal operators."
«
My friends, this is nothing but idle talk thrown out to befog the
issue, to blind, if you please, the honest men who are struggling hard to
support their country and their organization loyally. A few wedu *€^
prior to the adoption of and prior to the negotiaticms for this rec^^
agreement, we had thousands of men on strike in the great state of ^
nois, in Indiana and elsewhere, demanding that their ofBcers, both ^\
and national, go out and get another wage increase; and without gi'^
them time and opportunity to do so they took the first steps in their ^
way by suspending the mines. What happened after we negotiated
Washington Agreement? When it was passed to the Federal Fuel
ministrator a joint conmiittee representing the operators and miners
plained its conditions to Dr. Garfield. He said he would take it
advisement. We said we hoped he would and render a decision so
it would become effective on October 16. The men by that time
back at work. And what did we find? We found that before the Fed^^
Government had analyzed the question and rendered a decision th -^
sands of men in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and elsewhere again were strikf:^
because Dr. Garfield did not give them the Washington Agreement on ^
16th. They were not striking against the penalty clause — they want
the Washington Agreement with all its substantial reforms. Men
beoi honestly misled by the schemes and deWces employed to lead th^^
463
^he conclusion that the hope they had entertained for their organiza-
^^ was destroyed because a few men representing the Central Competi-
^^ Field had met in conference and worked out what every one who is
^nizant of the facts will agree is one of the best wag^e increases that
'^er came to the mine workers through any single conference during its
itire history.
The laws of the United Mine Workers of America plainly provide
hat local officers and local unions shall not engage in illegal strikes to
edress their grievances, whether they be real or imaginary. I have
eard men refer to the niining laws. The Federal Government has not
ispended the mining laws in any state, and your functions to deal with
lestions that affect your lives, your welfare and health are the same
day as they have been in the past. This penalty clause only requires
)u and the coal operators who may be in your districts living under
lese wage agreements to respect the courts that you yourselves estab-
sh, both in your wage agreements and in your constitution.
You tell me that tyranny is going to be prevalent if this plan is
lopted. What do your local unions do when a man in your organization
ansgresses its laws? What penalties do you apply? Why, the files
' the international ofSces are teeming with^ communications complaining
! the tyranny of an autocrat here and there holding office in our local
'ganizations.
Delegate Frampton said he felt compelled to vote for the contract
ither than overthrow the increase, much as he detested this contemptible
w, and then asked the convention to provide machinery that would pre-
int a repetition of it. He criticises, as others do, the action of a few
en who met in Washington and brought home to the mine workers of
is country a wage increase aggregating millions of dollars to the bitu-
inous miners alone. There is no consideration in his reasoning of the
traordinary conditions prevailing. The Central Competitive Field con-
rence has always been the wage conference tha^t has set the pace for
8 rest of the country, and no one knows that better than Delegate
*ampton.
I have here a Kansas paper which quotes Delegate Frampton as say-
g that John P. White, former international president, is the chief cause
the disturbance, and asserts that Dr. Garfield's information regarding
454
the conditions in the Southwest had come from the international officials
and not from the officers of the Southwest District. The men who
attended the wage conference in Washington will testify to the fact that
no suggestion of John P. White's brought the penalty clause into that
conference or elsewhere. If they will tell the truth they will tell that
John P. White and his associates remained one entire night until twenty
minutes after four in the morning fighting to keep out of this document
propositions that might have led to more serious harm to the mine
workers of the country and which might have a far-reaching effect upon
the welfare of our men. Let me say to my detractors that in their mad
desire to vent their spleen on John P. White, they ought to canvass
the entire situation and learn for themselves what were the real facts
in these matters and see if they can find a small place in their hearts
that will give John P. White just a little credit for helping to keep out
of the contract some things that might be considered obnoxious.
I have said that the adoption of a penalty clause in a large measure
takes away from unauthorized people the right to do wrong. Surely no
one is going to seriously object to legrislation that restrains men from
doing violence to the laws of their own organization, laws they them-
selves helped to make. I have said that in a large measure the conditions
in the Kansas coal fields and other sections where men have stepped oat-
side the pale of their laws to violate their agreements and constitution
have been the things that brought this penalty clause into your contracts.
I hold in my hand a list of several pages recounting ¥nld-cat strikes.
authorized by no one seemingly, in the state of Kansas since September
1, 1916, down to March 12, 1917. This does not include funerals, pay
days, miners' elections, short coal on account of men leaving early, or
anything of the kind, but they number 270 strikes exclusive of those
things. And then a man representing that district comes in here and
tells you how the "dirty coal operators" injure the welfare of the mine
workers of Kansas — and God knows they need every consideration and
all the elements of strength the organization can give them. They are
mining the hardest vein of coal I know anything of in that country; they
are working loyally, but they have been led away from the path of recti-
tude so far as the laws of our organization are concerned. And Presi-
dent Howat stands here and tells you the men will lose those rights.
What rights? The rights to go on wild-cat strikes and undo the work
that should be done by a well-ordained district organization.
We are blamed because, for the third time in eighteen months, the
officials of the Central Competitive Field and the international officers
got together in the interim of an agreement and worked out these wage
increases without consulting, as Brother Frampton says, the men from
the Southwest and elsewhere. Brother Frampton didn't tell all the story.
Brother Frampton was a member of this international organization for
several years, and at no time have I ever heard him, either in the councils
of our International Executive Board or on the floor of this convention,
offer such remedial legislation as would overcome what he now complains
of. Brother Frampton failed to tell you that following the adoption of
the Washington Agreement officers of the Southwest returned home and
they were assured that they would have all the support in working out
their problem that ^ould be given to any other district, including the
Central Competitive Field. They immediately went home and made cer-
tain demands that resulted in a disagreement. And without consulting,
without even advising, if you please, the international president or inter-
national officials, they decided in their little council in Kansas City — ^not
by a referendum vote of the miners of the Southwest — ^that they would
stage a strike and issue a strike order in open violation of the laws of
the United Mine Workers, which provide that no district of the United
Mine Workers of America shall engage in a state- wide strike or a strike
involving a miajority portion of their members without the consent of
the International Executive 'Board. That is the fellow who is here now
telling you how bad we violated the laws of the organization! It comes
with poor grace from Howat, from Frampton and those men who have
been the beneficiaries of the solid support of the international organiza-
tion in the years of the past and the Central Competitive Field miners
who morally and financially did everything in their power to aid them in
the establishment of the things they were deserving of.
We are told that men can not do anything now without incurring a
fine. That is wrong. The Washington Agreement was but a plain
injunction to dist»ricts to go out and work out a detailed agreement that
would put an end to strikes in violation of their- contracts, where penalty
clauses existed to strengthen them, and where no penalty clauses existed
454 '
the conditions in the Southwest had come from the international ofBciali
and not from the officers of the Southwest District. The men who
attended the wage conference in Washington will testify to the fact that
no suggestion of John P. White's brought the penalty clause into tittt
conference or elsewhere. If they will tell the truth they will tell that
John P. White and his associates remained one entire night until twenty
minutes after four in the morning fighting to keep out of this document
propositions that might have led to more serious harm to the mine
workers of the country and which might have a far-reaching effect upon
the welfare of our men. Let me say to my detractors that in their mad
desire to vent their spleen on John P. White, they ought to canvass
the entire situation and learn for themselves what were the real facts
in these matters and see if they can find a small place in their hearts
that will give John P. White just a little credit for helping to keep out
of the contract some things that might be considered obnoxious.
I have said that the adoption of a penalty clause in a large measure
takes away from unauthorized people the right to do wrong. Surely ^
one is going to seriously object to legislation that restrains men from
doing violence to the laws of their own organization, laws they theo^'
selves helped to make. I have said that in a large measure the conditiot^^
in the Kansas coal fields and other sections where men have stepped o^^
side the pale of their laws to violate their agreements and constitution
have been the things that brought this penalty clause into your contra-^*
I hold in my hand a list of several pages recounting wild-cat striJ^
authorized by no one seemingly, in the state of Kansas since Septent^^
1, 1916, down to March 12, 1917. This does not include funerals, f^^
days, miners' elections, short coal on account of men leaving early,
anything of the kind, but they number 270 strikes exclusive of ih<^
things. And then a man representing that district comes in here a^ ^
tells you how the "dirty coal operators" injure the welfare of the mi ^
workers of Kansas — and God knows they need every consideration a^*
all the elements of strength the organization can give them. They a ^
mining the hardest vein of coal I know anything of in that country; th^
are working loyally, but they have been led away from the path of rect:^
tude so far as the laws of our organization are concerned. And Pres '^
dent Howat stands here and tells you the men will lose those rights
455
What rights? The rights to go on wild-cat strikes and undo the work
that should be done by a well-ordained district organization.
We are blamed because, for the third time in eighteen months, the
officials of the Central Competitive Field and the international officers
got together in the interim of an agreement and worked out these wage
increases without consulting, as Brother Frampton says, the men from
the Southwest and elsewhere. Brother Frampton didn't tell all the story.
Brother Frampton was a member of this international organization for
several years, and at no time have I ever heard him, either in the councils
of our International Executive Board or on the floor of this convention,
offer such remedial legislation as would overcome what he now complains
of. Brother Frampton failed to tell you that following the adoption of
the Washing^ton Agreement officers of the Southwest returned home and
they were assured that they would have all the support in working out
their problem that ^ould be given tp any other district, including the
Central Competitive Field. They immediately went home and made cer-
tain demands that resulted in a disagreement. And without consulting,
irithout even advising, if you please, the international presid^it or inter-
national officials, they decided in their little council in Kansas City — ^not
y a referendum vote of the miners of the Southwest — ^that they would
tage a strike and issue a strike order in open violation of the laws of
he United Mine Workers, which provide that no district of the United
line Workers of America shall engage in a state- wide strike or a strike
ivolving a majority portion of their members without the consent of
le International Executive -Board. That is the fellow who is here now
filing you how bad we violated the laws of the organization! It comes
•-ith poor grace from Howat, from Frampton and those men who have
een the beneficiaries of the solid support of the international organiza-
ion in the years of the past and the Central Competitive Field miners
rho morally and financially did everything in their power to aid them in
he establishment of the things they were deserving of.
We are told that men can not do anything now without incurring a
ine. That is wrong. The Washington Agreement was but a plain
njunction to districts to go out and work out a detailed agreement that
vould put an end to strikes in violation of their- contracts, where penalty
:lau8es existed to strengthen them, and where no penalty clauses existed
!
456
to adopt them. I heard a delegate say a while ago that the Fuel Admin-
istration had decided to conscript miners.
Delegate Findley, District 24: A correction, Mr. Chairman. I said
the Fuel Administrator had circulated news that the mine workers could
be conscripted, and I can verify the statement.
Former President White: The Fuel Administration did no such
thing. I have been associated with the Fuel Administration since its
organization, and I handle all the labor disputes that come to that departs
ment. You may rest assured that in the future I shall be just as keon
to defend the ideals and aims and purposes that have cost the blood and
treasure of this organization of ours as I have always been in the past.
President Howat and President Frampton take exception to my atti-
tude in regard to the Fuel Administration. President Howat said yes-
terday that I had given out an interview endorsing the penalty clause. I
think the interview he refers to was given by me at Ft. Smith, Arkansas,
where I went to testify in the suit that has been referred to in the
reports of your international officials. The press dispatches announced
that Dr. Garfield had insisted that Alex. Howat, Dave Ftampton and
John Wilkinson insert in their contracts in the Southwest a penalty clause
if the men they represented were to be benefited by the Washington
Agreement. A reporter asked me what I thought of Dr. Garfield's posi-
tion. I said it was inherently correct and fundamentally sound. I said
that then and I repeat it now. Why should Dr. Garfield or the federal
government place upon us such a proposition as the proclamation carried
by the Washington Agreement to stabilize the coal industry if only the
Central Competitive Fields were to be affected?
President Howat came near verging on the demagogue when -he
spoke yesterday. He said, ''If the coal miners of the Southwest had done
their duty they would have stood up and told the coal operators that
they would make them pay every cent of the increase out of their own
dirty pockets and let the public keep their money." I want to ask the
Kansas miners do they believe Howat would do that?
Some of the Kansas delegates said ''Yes;" other delegates Said "No."
Former President White: Well, I will show you how Alex. Howat
talks to me. Here is Howat to this much-despised Fuel Administration
advisor:
c«
457
"Pittsburg, Kansas, Oct. 29, 1917.
John P. White, care Fuel Administration, Washington:
If
^According to press reports forty- five cents per ton is added to sell-'
in^ price of coal for entire country. I am absolutely positive this will
not absorb the increase in District 14 on account of cost of deadwork. I
hope you will see that enough is added to this to absorb the full amount
of increase we will receive. The operators also claim and insist that they
'will be unable to pay the full amount of Washington increase in wages
unless a sufficient amount is added to the selling price of coal. If this
question is not settled before the first day of November it will probably
result in every mine in the district being closed on that date. Kindly
'wire me if you will recommend to Mr. Garfield a change in the selling
price of coal for this district along the lines I have suggested, and oblige
"ALEX. HOWAT, District 14.'
>»
Here is the man "who told the miners of Kansas, who told these dele-
gates he would make the "dirty coal operators" pay it out of their own
pockets, and when the government of this country gave the operators 45
cents, this Moses stood up for the Kansas operators and said, ^It is not
enough for them, give them more." Those are the "dirty coal operators."
If they were unworthy at the time he made those declarations of the
increases necessary to pay the miners the increase, then why the change
of heart? He implored me to assist in getting more for them. Now, I say
there is something radically wrong. The Alex. Howat who speaks to you
in Kansas evidently is not the same Alex. Howat who speaks to me and
tries to get more for the "dirty coal operators" of Kansas. One of the
jewels of leadership, one of the nice, wholesome things that go to make
harmony between our officers and the great rank and file is consistency.
If I felt the coal operators were entitled to an increase in the selling
price necessary to meet the situation I would have told the Kansas miners
that. But if I were confronted with the proposition that he was I would
not have sought, for the sake of popularity or to get even with somebody
else, if you please, to try to blind the men from the mines by saying the
operators could take the increase in wages out of their profits, and then
'Write to me saying the 45 cents given the Kftnsas operators, the same as
was given all the other operators of the country, was not enough for the
Kansas coal operators — ^the men he referred to as the "dirty coal opera-
468
tors," the men, if you please, who steal the miners' hard-earned wages
through the penalty clause!
I had hoped, Mr. Chairman, on account of my retirement from this
organization, that I might have been spared the privilege, if you please,
of having to again descend to wring the bloody shirt in order to tell the
plain, unvarnished truth; but I have had to do that on more than one
occasion, as you know, in this famous old hall. I have never regretted
what I have done for the mine workers, be it little or be it great; but
let me say to you now, with all the sincerity of my soul, there is nothing
in this automatic penalty clause that is not contained in essence in your
constitution and in your agreement. It tells the mine workers that when
they have a grievance, or think they have, to take it up in the regular
way, and if they cannot get proper redress the responsibility must come
to your Executive Board. And if it is necessary to resort to a strike
and nothing else suffices, let them order that strike and finance you while
you are striking. That is the law of the United -Mine Workers. This
scheme of abandoning mines that has taken place in the Southwest in the
past is a subterfuge, and it is folly for this man. Howat to try to make
them believe the ''dirty coal operators" are going to treat those loyal
men in Kansas as though they are helpless. One can not be led to believe
those fellows are without their fighting qualities, because nearly aU the
strikes I have referred to have been called by the men themselves. Take
those cases and place them in the responsible hands of the various leaders
of this organization.
I was not the first to put a penalty clause in the Southwest contracts.
I put an automatic penalty clause in the Southwest contract with the aid
of the district officers. What caused that? The miners will remember
the compulsory arbitration of the Southwest, and the compulsory arbi-
trator. Even the district did not have a right to strike; the miners
grievances were referred to a paid arbitrator. When that compulsory
arbitration agreement was destroyed there were 465 cases in the South'
west District. Some of them had been pending for many years. It ^^
said the coal operators are never fined under a penalty clause. In 191"
I had the pleasure of assessing one company in Oklahoma more than
$12,500 for the violation of an agreement in that particular place, and
they paid it, too.
459
Yes, my friends, I know what this is staged for. This is no penalty
Jause fight. This penalty clause is introduced as an excuse, that is all
here is to it. Honest men have been deceived as to the merits of this
enalty clause. I have given to the mine workers of this country twenty
3nsecutive years of service in the official affairs of our org^anization. I
ave never hesitated to subject myself to every rule and requirement that
'as laid down for the government of my office or for the government of
le humblest member. Whether I shall continue to merit in a small way
our confidence and esteem is a matter that rests entirely with you. If
lere is no concerted fight in this matter and if it is devoid of personal
iiestions, why is it resolutions of this kind are here ? Here is one from
iberal. Mo. Without ever asking John P. White whether he had recom-
tended to the Central Competitive Field a penalty clause, these heroes
ho are standing up against the autocracy of responsible officials never
sked if I was responsible for this, and they are very careful to say
)thing as to my responsibility for getting any of the good things that
ive come to you.
When you men tell me I have not gone out on the hillsides for
^enty years and more and fought the good fight for the miners of this
untry, you are telling what is not so. I was holding office in this union
hen the offices went begging for people to fill them, because there were
> emoluments attached to the jobs in those days. And I have kept the
ith. I have never hesitated to face you in open convention, in your
cal unions, on the hill sides and on the mountains of every coal-produc-
g state in this country. I have not sat idly by*; I went out and did the
3rk. The records of the international office will bear testimony to that
ct. My detractors may be able in their own small circle to withhold
om me a measure of the credit that is due an honest man, but I hope
e little things I might have been able to do for this great army of
«ful men may earn for me a small place in their affections. I would
i a long time in the movement before I would tell the miners in my
»me district about the "dirty coal operators" and making them pay the
crease out of their pockets and then, after they had got the same
easure that was given to other coal operators, say they have not had
ough in Kansas, give them more.
The adoption of the penalty clause strikes from the stock argument
the non-union operators a cherished weapon they have used against
-l*-''
this organization for many years. I have journeyed to every coal-pro-
ducing field of this country; I have seen the emissaries of the non-union
coal operators filling the pages of certain publications; I have met them
in Washington, on investigations, and their chief stock argument has
been that the reason they will not treat with tlie men is because we have
such little regard for our contracts. They point to every strike of a wild-
cat nature that takes place in the organized districts for a justification
of their refusal to treat with the men and make terms that are equitable
and fair. When you adopted this penalty clause you were but giving a ■ -^
declaration of your fundamental principles and your organic law. You
have declared to the world that these new factors that have been comin(;
into our union in recent years, those that want to do everything in their
own time and disregard the laws, shall cease, and that there shall come
respect for authority with leadership in this movement.
It is not only necessary during war to have this, but it will be neces-
sary to save your organization from internal dissension and suict^^*
Closing down mines in order to get even with some officer that may ^^
sweltering under responsibility and endeavoring to do his duty faithf u^"-^
and well should be stopped. There is something radically wrong with ^^
president of a district that gets up and makes the argument that we ^
^ into the hands of local unions authority to call strikes without restrict^^'
It is an indictment of his efficiency — he is either a fool or a knave.
Over in Washington a few weeks ago, prior to the establishments
this new wage contract, we went to the President of the United St^
and asked him to use the power of his g^^eat office to help ua get at
mine owners of Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky in order to ind
them to treat with their employes. While we were telling this dist^
guishcd President of our great country, this man upon whom the
of the civilized world are focused, this great scholar, this man who
such a remarkable art of expression, while we were telling him of
blessings that come from collective bargaining and making a plea
the oppressed men of Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky, in Illinois thi
sands of our fellows who had the eight-hour day and a hundred per ce
organization were striking against the very thing we were telling t
President of this great country, that strikes would be eliminated
peace would come if we could get the operators of those non-union StatP
to treat with their employes. That is the treatment men get when th^^^^
li
^€> out and try to lift up the oppressed miners of those non-union dis-
"tr-icts.
If you men who have sacrificed so much for this union can justify
oonduct of that kind, then, my friends, the curtain will ring down on your
organization and the hour of your dissolution will be at hand. No organi-
zation can succeed without discipline or a recogn^ized authority, whether
it be a labor union, the school, the church, the fraternal body or what
not. It is vitally essential, my friends, that this organization maintain
^he high standing it now occupies in the presence of our government and
its officials. Don't strike it at the very foundation. I believe the future
liolds in store for the subterranean workers of this country a larger de-
£n^ee of sunshine and happiness than the past has ever held. I may not
live to see it, I may not see the full fruition of the things I am giving
voice to now; but whether I do or not, my earnest hope and constant
prayer is that you will go on in the even tenor of your ways, surmounting
every obstacle successfully and bringing home to the men, women and
children of the mining regions the happiness they so richly deserve.
But, my friends, that will never be achieved by the route suggested
by Howat. He has been at this game for ten years, constantly reminding
you how these "dirty coal operators" of Kansas injured those men, and
outside of his own little bailiwick what contribution has he made to the
proceedings of these conventions that is constructive and permanent?
He always argues that those who disagn^ee with him have enmity toward
him. I gave my word as a representative of this mighty organization to
the President of our nation. I said, "Mr. President, in harmony with the
Washington Agreement we will endeavor patriotically and loyally to have
the miners ratify our work; if you will grant this wage increase we will
endeavor to do our part." If you feel that the word I gave this distin-
guished man as your chief executive at that time should be repudiated,
the responsibility will be yours; you will not be getting even with John
P. White. Tliere is no office I wish to aspire to. I am anxious to remove
myself so far from the citadel of your organization that I am almost ex-
hausting my patience looking forward to the time when I may re-estab-
lish my home, take my place and do my part as a private citizen. I wish
for those who have agn'eed with me in the past and even those who have
vilified me all the success possible.
462
In striking at this agreement do not think yon will be injuring J<^n
P. White. There is no office he holds, there is none he desires. There is
only one thing that will bring to you retribution for an act of that kind.
What interpretation will the government place upon the word of Uie
presidents of your organization in the years to come? Of course, I will
go down in history, in case you repudiate this, as the man who did not
keep his word to the public. Make your president's word the bond of
your gn'eat organization and see if your officers do not bring to 3rou the
success you are entitled to. The penalty clause is a bogy man, a straw
man brought in here to deceive a lot of honest working men who have
been too busy getting out coal for Uncle Sam to keep abreast of the
machinations of designing men who have been trying to get even with
John P. White.
I am going to thank the delegates for the patience they have mani-
fested while I have been replying to some of the arguments of the oppo-
sition in this matter. I have never doubted where this convention will
stand, not in the least; this convention will be loyal, it will stand by the
organization, and I am confident the men back home expect you to stand
by the organization and by the country.
Delegate Farring^ton (F.), District 12: As one of those who had
part in negotiating the Washington Agreement I feel it incumbent upon
me to speak upon this question at perhaps greater length than I would
ask to do had I no connection with the agreement. I am not going to
appeal to your patriotism to the government in my endeavor to influence
you to ratify the work in which I took a part. I am going to confine my
discussion of this question to a matter of patriotism to the United Mine
Workers of America; I am going to take this issue merely as a funda-
mental necessary to the perpetuity and success of our organization. I
cannot concur in the advice given this delegation yesterday morning by
Delegate Howat I, too, may admonish you to think for yourselves, and
I am satisfied if you will do that some of the things said on this question
in this convention, particularly by Delegate Howat, will not be given
much consideration in the final determination of this great issue.
Delegate Howat's opposition to the penalty clause would have g^iven
him much more strength with this delegation and with the Kansas
miners, and would have given his objections in this convention a greater
r
463
aspect of sincerity had his objections been filed at an earlier date and in
the proper place. I make that statement for this reason: Delegate
Howat sat in the conference room in Washington when the Washington
Agreement was submitted by a sub-scale committee to the full scale com-
mittee for ratification. I assume that Delegate Howat was there in the
interest of the Kansas miners, that he was there for the purpose of see-
ing that those who were negotiating a wage scale for the Central Com-
petitive Field would do nothing that might prove detrimental to the men
he represented. If that was not his purpose in the Washington Inter-
state Joint Conference, then Delegate Howat should have been back in
Kansas looking after the interests of his men instead of being in Wash-
ington attending the conference of operators and miners representing the
Central Competitive Field.
My friends, at the time this wage scale was submitted to the full
scale committee in Washington I have a distinct recollection of Delegate
Howat being seated in the rear of the room. The records will not show
* that Delegate Howat interposed a single objection to the Washing^ton
Agreement, notwithstanding the fact that there was written into that
agreement a clause providing for the automatic collection of any penal-
ties that might be imposed upon men who wilfully violate the provisions
of our joint agreement. If that is not a statement of facts I ask that
those who attended the Washington Joint Interstate Conference give to
this convention a statement that I am not now telling the truth.
Delegate Howat was there, and I know that Delegate Howat never
approached me as one of the official representatives in that conference
and interposed any objections to the penalty clause or asked me to use
my influence to prevent such a clause being written into the Central
Competitive Field Agreement. He knew, as every one else knew, that
any agreement negotiated in Washington applicable to the Central Com-
petitive Field would likewise be used as a basis for the negotiation of
wage agreements applicable in every other district under the jurisdic-
tion of the United Mine Workers of America. Yet we find him at this
late day in this great international convention of mine workers vigor-
ously registering his protest against the adoption of the agreement be-
cause it has this objectionable penalty clause written into it.
We talk of this clause as though it were something new, some objec-
464
tionable feature to be fastened upon the mine workers of America when,
as a matter of fact, many of the districts under the jurisdiction of our
organization had penalty clauses written into them specifically proyid-
ing for the automatic collection of penalties, made many years before the
Washington Interstate Conference was convened. In Missouri, the dis-
trict Delegate Frampton represents, they took a similar clause out of
their agreement two years ago, before the Washington conference wa^
convened. The Pittsburgh district miners had written into their agree^
ment a clause providing for the automatic collection of fines. Eastern
Ohio, Indiana and Iowa miners were in a similar position, yet we are told
now that this penalty clause is going to take from the miners of our
union all of their rights and all of their freedom; that they are not going
to be allowed in the future to exercise the power that accrues to them
through the instrumentality of their organization.
Yes, it is in a large measure going to take from some of the mem-
bers of the United Mine Workers of America their freedom, but not their
freedom to exercise their legitimate functions as members of our organi-
zation; it will take their freedom to defy constituted authority, outrage
the laws of our organization and defy every fundamental of an organiza-
tion that has done more to improve the working conditions and increase
the wages of its members than has any other labor organization in
America or in all the world. That is the freedom it is going to take from
some of these members of ours, gentlemen, and I make that statement
without any desire to reflect upon the character or caliber of the great
membership of our organization. Personally I believe a great majority
of the United Mine Workers of America are willing and anxious to dis-
charge the obligations imposed upon them by membership in the organi-
zation, and I have no fear but what they will do that if they are not pre-
vented by the designs of those who do not have the regard for this organi-
zation they should have.
For the benefit of the Illinois miners in particular I want to discuss
this proposition from the standpoint of our joint ag^reement and the laws
of our own organization. We now have written into the Illinois agree-
ment, or did have previous to the convening of the Washington Interstate
Conference, a clause providing that where men shut mines down in viola-
tion of that agreement they shall be required to pay a penalty of $5 for
the offense. Supporting that provision in our agreement we have written
in tlie International Constitution a section which reads as follows : "Any
member or members shutting down a mine in violation of joint agree-
ments i|hall, upon conviction, suffer such penalty as may be imposed upon
them by the organization." That is the section in our International Con-
stitution. The Illinois miners' constitution says: . "Any member or mexn-
^rs of the organization creating a condition which prevents the carrying
out of joint agreements in any locality or mine shall be fined $5 each for
bucH an offense, and refusing to pay the same, shall be expelled from
tile organization."
T*hat section was not written into the Illinois mine workers' consti-
tution by the "dirty coal operators," but it was written into the consti-
tution by the representatives of an organization having a membership
Oft the first day of this year of 90,000 members with $1,800,000 in their
^^^Biiry. It wasn't written in there because of any weakness of the
o^^^nization, nor because the "dirty coal operators" compelled us to
"^^^^te it itt there; but it was written in there because the sane, conserva-
^^^9 intelligent members of the Illinois Miners' Union are anxious to do
^Qir ciiity to the organization and are desirous of having incorporated in
^ueir laws a section requiring those who are not willing to do their duty
^ do 80.
You say this penalty clause prevents us from going on strike. Liet
us see whether the members of this organization ever had the right to go
on strike without following the procedure prescribed in the laws of our
own organization. Over in Illinois our constitution provides the pro-
cedure that must be followed before members of a local union have a
right to go on strike. It says :
"When trouble of a local character arises between the members of
any local union and its employers, the mine committee and officers shall
endeavor to effect an amicable adjustment; and failing, they shall imme-
diately notify the District Board Member, who shall inmiediately investi-
gate the cause of complaint. Failing to effect a peaceable settlement
upon a basis that would be equitable and just to the agg^rieved members,
and finding that a strike would best subserve the interests of the locality
affected, they may, with the consent and approval of the district officers,
order such a strike.
3
1
466
U
'Any local union striking in violation of the above proyisioiiB will
not be recognized or sustained by the state officers. Before final action
is taken by any district upon questions that directly or indirectly affect
the interests of the mine workers of another district, or may require a
strike to determine, the president and secretary of the aggrieved district
shall jointly prepare, sign and forward to the International President a
statement setting forth the grievance complained of, the action contem-
plated by the district, togrether with reasons therefor, and shall await the
decision and direction of the International President and be governed
thereby. In all cases the mine committee, the emplosres and all parties
involved must continue work pending an investifi^ation and adjustment
until a final decision is reached in the manner above set forth/'
I ask you, does the penalty clause embraced in the Washington
Agreement take from you anything that the laws of your own organiza-
tion give you? Where in your own law is there a syllable or sentence
which gives to the local union the right to take action independent of its
district organization? Again I repeat that that section was not writioi
into our constitution by the 'Mirty operators"; it was written in there
by the delegates assembled in regular district convention many years
ago, before I was honored with the presidency of that splendid union.
We in Washington were not acting from a patriotic motive to the
government, but we were actuated by a patriotic desire to do that whidi
would protect the interests of the members of our own organization. At
the time the Washing^ton Conference was in session, and just previous to
its convening, more than 40,000 members of my district organization were
idle in violation of the law prescribed by their own district constitution,
in defiance of every fundamental of our organization, and despite every-
thing that could be done by the accredited officers of the district to influ-
ence them to return to work. Right at the time when the officers of this
organization were working diligently for the purpose of securing a wage
increase for our members we were handicapped and our progress delayed
because of the fact that we had to drop our ordinary procedure we would
have pursued in order to secure a wage increase and devote all our time
and energy to induce our men to return to work who were idle in viola-
tion of their own constitution.
This penalty clause does not deny to our members any right that is
467
not already denied them by the laws of this organization, and that is the
right as local unions or individual members to strike in violation of our
agreement. The membership never has had that right, within my knowl-
edge of the affairs of this organization at least. I have been coming to
these conventions for the past eighteen years, and I have a distinct recol-
lection that every man who has ever been honored with the presidency
of our union in that time, including Mitchell, Lewis and White, found it
necessary to incorporate in their reports to the convention a section warn-
ing the membership against illegal suspensions of work and directing
their attention to the great injury that was being done the organization
by such procedure. For eighteen long years, to my personal knowledge,
every international president of this organization has warned the mem-
bership against the procedure that is prohibited by the enactment of the
penalty clause in the Washington Agreement.
It was said that if a man goes to his mother's funeral he will be
fined. I say a man who makes a statement of that kind and who occu-
pies a responsible official position in this organization is inadvertently
indicting himself. Since the first of November my recollection enables
me to know that the penalty has been applied in numerous cases in Illi-
nois. For instance, two local unions in Herrin were fined, the men at
No. 7 and No. 8, Kinkaid, were fined, the men at No. 10 mine, Nokomis,
vrere fined, and the men at Assumption were fined. In every single in-
stance, when the matter was taken up with the responsible officers of the
organization, we compelled a refund of the fine.
A Delegate: Did the penalty clause apply to the operators in Her-
rin for what they did?
Delegate Farrington: Wasn't the fine refunded?
A Delegate: Yes, but the operators were not fined.
Delegate Farrington: If you want the operators fined you should
not tell me about it in this convention — take the matter up in the way
prescribed by your agreement.
At 12, o'clock the convention was adjourned to 2 p. m. of the same
day, after arrangements had been made to remove the service flag from
the hall and have it carried through the streets in a parade of the
miners while a moving picture would be made of the procession.
468
FIFTH DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION
The convention was called to order at 2 o'clock p. m., Saturday,
January 19, Vice-President Lewis in the chair.
Secretary Green: I have received the following message from the
Journeymen Stone Cutters' Association, now assembled in convention in
this city :
Indianapolis, Ind., January 15, 1918.
Mr. Wm. Green, Secretary-Treasurer United Mine Workers of America,
Merchants Bank Building, Indianapolis, Ind.
Dear Sir and Brother: — The Journeymen Stone Cutters' Association
of North America, this day in convention assembled in this city, extend
to the officers and delegates of your great organization our fraternal
greetings. We congratulate your officials on their achievements during
the past year and in their support of the United States government dar-
ing the present crisis. We trust that the deliberations of your conven-
tion will redound to the welfare and future benefit of your members,
your industry, and the great American labor movement.
Yours fraternally,
WALTER W. DRAYER, Gen. Sec
I have taken the liberty of sending the following reply to the com-
niunioation of tho Journeymen Stone Cutters:
Indianapolis, Ind., January 17, 1918.
Mr. Wait or W, Drayor, General Secretary, Journeymen Stone Cutters'
Aii!«iHMation, Indianapolis, Ind.
IVnr Sir and Brother: — The delegates attending the International
ooiwontion of tho United Mine Workers of America, now in session in
(hi^ iMty. tuH^f^viato the fraternal greetings and well wishes extended
t^y your oou vent ion.
rioa:so iivvopt \i\ rx'turn the unanimous wish of the del^;ates repre-
sent in^ tho rr.tt«\) Mine Workers for a profitable and harmonious con-
vontu^n. \Uy tho aotion of yv^ur vvnvention result in the building up of
jvur orj:Hnisiitu*n. tho pr\>n\o:ion of your interest and' the welfare of the
ATOorioan lalvr mowmont,
Krati^rnally yours,
WM. GREEN, Sec-Treas.
y
\
469
Secretary Green: I have a very interesting lefter that came to my
office today. It touched a very tender spot in my heart when I read it
and I know it wiU touch the same tender spot in your hearts when you
hear it. It is from one of our brothers who was with us in our last
convention.
"Camp Merritt, Tenafly, N. J., January 15, 1918.
"Officers and Delegates of the U. M. W. of A., Indianapolis, Ind.
"Dear Brothers: — I read an article in the paper the other day about
the service flag the Miners' Union is having made, and it makes me
feel proud to know that my star will be there with the many others, I
heartily congratulate the patriotic miners' convention for upholding the
President of the United States in the present crisis.
"Two years ago I was a member of the convention and the ques-
tion of government ownership came up there. I hope this convention
g^oes on record as being in favor of government ownership of mines.
"Wishing you success, I am
"Your brother, . AUG. SEMON.
"P. S. — Best regards to the members from Local Union No. 478,
Duquoin, BL, and hope they will give my best regards to my friends and
beloved ones at home.
"Aug. Semon, Co. M, 49th Infantry, Camp Merritt, Tenafly, N. J., Port
of Embarkation."
Secretary Green: The letter states "Port of Embarkation." That
means that this bjother is ready to sail for France.
Vice-Pr^ident Lewis: When we adjourned we were discussing the
report of the Committee on Ofilcers' Reports which concurred in the
action taken by the committee that negotiated the Washington Agree-
ment.
Delegate Farrington, District 12: Previous to the noon adjourn-
ment I attempted to prove to this convention — and I used as a basis for
my proposition the constitution of District 12 — that the constitution
shows conclusively that, so far as the Illinois miners are concerned, they
never had the right to take independent action, or action independent of
the authority of their district organization. And so far as the Illinois
]
470
miners are concerned — and I don't assume to speak for any one else in
this convention but the Illinois miners — their status is not changed one
iota by the adoption of the amended penalty clause, with the exception
that the fine provided for in our agrreement is to be automatically col-
lected beginning with November 1 of last year.
An attempt has been made to convince the Illinois miners that officers
of their district organization are responsible for that condition. Nothing
could be or is further from the truth than that attempt. As a matter
of fact, the arrangement providing for the automatic collection of fines
was written into the Washington Interstate Joint Agreement. That
agreement specifically sets forth that all fines provided for in all agree-
ments must be automatically collected, and the reason it was necessary
to write that arrangement into the Washington Agre^nent has already
been ably and clearly explained to this delegation. I don't feel it is
necessary for me to tire you by going over the same ground and repeat-
ing something that has already been said by previous speakers.
So far as my position in the Washington Joint Interstate Conference
is concerned I have no apologies to make to anyone. The records of the
Washington Interstate Joint Conference speak for themselves, and
embraced therein is everything I had to say in connection with that
agreement. Any member of our organization who wants to take the
trouble to do so can secure a copy of the proceedings of that meeting,
read for himself and learn the truth; and anyone who does not want ^o
go to that trouble, so far as I am concerned, is at liberty to assume any
position he may choose to assume toward me.
I hold that the practice of local unions going out on strike in opposi-
tion to the authority of their officers and against the laws of their own
organization is one of the most serious evils menacing the tJnited Mine
Workers today. I want to again refer to a condition that prevailed in
my own district not long ago. Before making that statement I say to
you that I am proud to be president of the Illinois Miners' Union; I am
proud of the men who make up that great organization; there isn't a
class of miners anywhere who have anything on the Illinois miners so
far as character and their loyalty to the organization is concerned. And
I make that claim for them without any desire to disparage the character
or caliber of men making up other district organizations. I know that
through their long experience in the organization the Illinois miners
471
well equipped to fight the battles of the United Mine Workers of
America as are the miners of any other district under the jurisdiction
of our organization.
Notwithstanding all I have said it has been possible during recent
months for certain influences working within that splendid organization
to bring out on strike, in spite of the laws of the Organization, more than
40,000 members. As a reason why we should have an automatic penalty
clause written into our agreement I want to read you a circular that was
promulgated among the Illinois miners during the months of August last
year. It is a typewritten circular and was sent out by the local union
at Mascoutah to all the other local unions in District 12.
^Resolved, That Local Union 1285, Mascoutah, 111., respectfully peti-
tion the district and international officers of our union to make an effort
to arrange an interstate joint conference at an early date for the purpose
of obtaining a substantial increase, to the amount of $1.25 a ton for each
ton mined and ten hours' pay for eight hours' work for all laborers."
That is all right that far. Over in Illinois we have no objections to
cur constituency petitioning the international officers or district officers
or anyone else they may choose to petition to use their best efforts to
secure an increase in wages or improve their working conditions, but when
tiiey go beyond that and take the action they did in the following para-
graph of that circular we do hold they are in contempt of the laws of
the United Mine Workers of America. They say in the next paragraph:
''This local union is sending a copy of this resolution to each local
union in District 12, and we are on strike until our demands are met, and
hope each local union will follow our lead. Please notify districts of
action tak^i."
That circular is signed by the officers and mine committee of a loca)
union in Mascoutah. They specifically set forth that they are on strike,
that they are going to stay on strike until their demands for $1.25 a ton
and ten hours' pay for eight hours' work is conceded to the miners of
that state. Not- satisfied with being on strike themselves, they circulate
this resolution for the purpose of influencing other local unions to follow
their lead. I want to ask the Illinois miners where, in our district con-
stitution, is there ft section that gives the Mascoutah local union a right
472
to take that position? At the time the resolution was sent out and
numerous other resolutions were being promulgated among the Illinois
miners, the officers of that district were working patiently and consists
ently to induce the Illinois coal operators to enter into an interstate joio^
conference so that a wage increase might be secured to enable our m««v-
bers to meet the abnormal conditions created by the war. At the dat^
of our negotiations more than 40,000 Illinois nuners suspended work 9^'^
a result of this and similar resolutions. It may be that is the prop^^
procedure for the members of this organization to follow in order to peiT^
pctuate the United Mine Workers of America and better the woridn^
conditions and advance the wages of the members. If it is, that policy i -
contrary to every law of the United Mine Workers and contrary to thi
advice of any man ever honored with official position in the organization ^
I have a telegram here that I received this morning. It is addressed^^
to mo from Livingston, 111., dated January 19, and reads as follows: ^
'*Would like to have you here at once to take op discharge case already
handloii by board member; otherwise I fear men will take independent
action.'* The telegram is signed by the president of the Livingston local
union. Horo are the officers of the district organization attending this
oi^nvontion, trying to do their part as best they know how to devise poU-
cit^ for the prot^nrtion of the membership of this great organization, and
the prosidont of that district is notified that if he doesnt leave the con-
vt^ntion at once and gi> to Livingston to take up a discharge case the men
thort^ will take independent action.
iirt'at God! Wher^ has the membership of this organization drifted
toT Whithor aro wi^ going if that is to be the policy pursued by the mem-
bor» of thi» organiraxion? In our contract we have a section which pro-
vid«^ that if a man is unjustly discharged he should be compensated for
all tho work ho K>sos. If this man has a good case and it is handled in
avvordano^ with the machinery provided for in our agreement, he will
Tocei>*v cv>nipeRsa::on for evi^ry hour he kxses: yet I am asked to leave
this convention ar.d go down then? to handle the case or the men wiU take
independent action.
*
The off-oers of this organisation who have had any experience in
trying to induenoe men to rviurn to work who have suspended work in
violation of their agr>wmen: know that, with vvry rare exceptions^ when-
ever you go into a mining camp when the men are on strike for the pur-
Pose of influencing them to return to work you will find within the midst
of that body of men some few who will stand up in a local meeting and
openly and defiantly tell you, "To hell with the constitution, the agree-
'iient and the Miners' Union!" I have had them tell it to me on numer-
ous occasions. There isn't an officer in this organization that hasn't had
'^® same experience. Then you tell me we have no need of a penalty
^a>X2sc that will prevent that sort of procedure !
X have in my office, not one or two or three, but a number of letters
^^t;^^:«n me by the members of our organization appealing to me to do
t^hing to protect them from these illegal shut-downs. They tell me
are men bt families, that their wives and children are dependent
them and that something must be done by the organization that will
le them to work and protect them against the loss of wofk that ac-
8 by reason of men who proselytize among the members of this or-
2ation and by every means try to prevail upon them to suspend work
^ "^'^olation of our agreement. If I did not do everything within my
^"^^^r to protect the conservative element in the organization who really
^ "^ant to discharge their obligations as members thereof I would feel
^ '^Xnild not be doing my full duty as an officer of this organization.
I have no apologies to make for my conduct at all. I feel that in the
Vast analysis a majority of the members of this organization will approve
^f the conduct of their representatives in the Washington Joint Inter-
state Conference, and that this agreement will be ratified. The men at
home are looking to this convention to perpetuate the Washington Agree-
ment. So far as I am aware no complaint has been made as to the
wages provided for in that agreement. I have heard men say the wage
scale provided for in the agreement >\as an insult to the intelligence of
the members of the organization. One dollar and forty cents a day
increase for the shift hands, 10 per cent, on the tonnage rate and 15 per
cent, on deadwork and yardage is an insult to the members of this organ-
ization! I think those who hold that opinion are in a very small minority
in the organization. There isn't another organization in all America that
has secured for its membership the same proportionate increase in wages
since the war began as has the United Mine Workers of America. I defy
the most radical, the most captious member of this organization to dis-
prove the truthfulness of that statement. No other class of workmen
474
has secured througrh the instrumentality of their organization as great
an increase in wages as the United Mine Workers of America. The only
thing we have been required to do in order to secure that increase in wages
has been to agree to a penalty clause which will require our members to
do that which their law says they must do: take any grievance they mi/
have up in the regular way as provided for in our joint agreement and
in the constitution of our own organization. Surely that is not asking
too much of the members of our organization.
I have had some experience in the non-onion fields of this country-
There are others in this convention who have bad similar and more ezp^
hence in non-union fields than 1 have had, and I know there never h^^^
been an attempt made to expand this organization into tlie non-union fielc^^ '
but what those who were engineering that attempt have been confront^^^
with the statement from the operators and the public that the Unit
Mine Workers of America is an organization whidi can not control i
membership: that no discipline exists within its ranks, and it is uselc
to enter into an agreement with an organization that can not enfor^^^
obedience to any covenant the organization may enter into. That va^^
thing has done more to prevent the expansion of this organisation^
than has any element that ever confronted us. and it has cost the Unite^^
Mine Worker? more in human life and suffering and in impositions^
imposed upon the men who were attempting to expand the organizatioir
than any other e*en;er.: we ha^ve had to contend
I hold when this orcanisation can prove conclusively to the great
American public that the United Mine Workers of America is a law-
abidir.tr or^ni ration — and I mean law-abiding so far as our own laws
are cv^.oorne\i — that they may be vSeper.ded upon to live up to any agree-
n-.en: they rrjiy enter into, we will not experience mnch difficulty in
txteno.injr this or«n'. ration into the non-union field& Rut ao long as a
.vniition rreva.Ifi th-a: ntake* i: obvious :ha: men are detwmined to take
?u.-h action as they .-r.xNS** to take without reisrard to the laws of their
.'An orcAr::j.:::n we w/*. alw:i\-^ Sf cvnfrocted with the strennona oppo-
v.cn :h^: no* .vrjfr.^n",^ ui^ w^en we attempt to expand cor organization
•:.* :>t? ncn-ur...*n neli*. I ho*d that an cr^ranisation of labor is just
:*-e sAn-.e *:? :> J.n u-.oiv .ijLjL: Oo into iny nr.inin^ camp« any community,
..:-.i \i ycu nno an in-i:\:i.:jil th^rv wh,- .5 j&w-dLbfdiag and decent and
.*02e>t anc :ncu*:r'.cu5. y,-^ w".: rLr^ :Ka: irc:v:iuai has the respect of
^»^^ community in which he lives. It is the same way with a labor organ-
^^tion. If a labor organization demonstrates that it is willing to dis-
• ^Wge its obligations to everyone, fulfill every duty imposed upon it by
Membership in the organization, do the right thing, and meet the issues
^t confront it in a fair, square and impartial way, that organization
'^'ll command the respect of the community at large — and the community
At large in our case is the great American public.
There never was a time in the history of this union when the mine
^or-kers of the country had the same opportunity to put their organization
^o the forefront and to bring greater results to the members than at the
-'•eaeiit time. The president of the United States has shown the greatest
^'^sideration to the United Mine Workers of America; he and his asso-
^^'^^s or representatives have gone out of their way for the purpose of
^^X>ixig us expand our organization into the non-union fields, and in many
^"•^^.^ices the greatly increased membership in this organization is due
**^oet entirely to the assistance rendered by the federal authorities
•*^i»xg the time the war has been on. I have no doubt if this convention
^ ^> clear and unequivocal way gives expression to a sentiment that
^^**.onstrates to the country at large, and particularly to the federal
'^"^^Tnment of the United States, or the men who represent that govern-
*^^^t, that within the next two years, if the war should last that long,
V^\x will find the standard of the "United Mine Workers of America
^*^Jited in every non-union field in the country.
Men who work in the mines in the non-union fields will, with rare
exceptions, be members of this organization, because I happen to know
it ia the desire of the president of the United States to see labor organ-
ized. That desire is created by a belief and a knowledge that in dealing
with the great forces of labor during this war there must be some accred-
ited, constituted head representing those workers to which the govern-
ment of the United States can go in order to secure from the workers
the support the government must have during this most crucial time. I
know when the war is over, if we shall have done our duty during that
period, there isn't anything that can prevent this great organization
making more and more progress than it has ever made before. And if
we should take advantage of the nation's distress at this time to improve
some material interests of our own it is but natural to believe that when
the nation is relieved of the necessity that now exists, the nation and
476
the citizenship will turn against us because we have failed to do our du^^
to the nation and to the citizenship during this time of war.
So far as the Illinois miners are concerned, their status under this
penalty clause is not changed one iota from what it has been for the la^'^
fifteen years in that state, with the one exception that the fine imposed 1^
automatically collected. And there is one way you can prevent that fy^^
being automatically collected, and that is to not disregard the obligation. ^
imposed upon you by this constitution, which is of your own making, and
by fulfilling the obligations imposed upon you by membership in th
organization. A man who is willing to do that has no reason to
the penalty clause.
I understand some operators in Illinois are telling the men that "s 't
they take a day off, no matter what the reason may be, they will be suL>^
ject to a fine of three dollars by reason of this penalty clause. No sue
thing is true, and if the operators in that state attempt to work thi
penalty clause in that manner they Will meet with the opposition of th
United Mine Workers of America in that district. And we won't comi
into the next convention telling the delegates of the abuses heaped u;
the men over there by the operators' abuse of the penalty clause; we wilf
strike the mines until the operators are willing to submit to the agree-
ment and until they cease to abuse the penalty clause.
The Illinois miners have the same right to strike now that they
always have. Their right has not been reduced one iota; but I also want
to point out to you again that you never did have the right to strike
without the authority of your district executive board. That fact is tes-
tified to by your own constitution. If there ever is a time when it is
necessary to strike the mines of Illinois and the case is presented prop-
erly to your district officers we will stick to the me;i. We have already
done it. Just before coming to this convention we struck a mine in the
Danville district and kept it on strike until the operators agreed to pay
some $420 compensation to our members. When they paid it we- ordered
the men back to work.
I will conclude by saying again I have no apologries to make for the
part I had in the enactment of the penalty clause. I believe it is neces-
sary for the preservation and perpetuity of the United Mine Workers
of America. I believe the conservative element in the organization wants
to be protected against the onslaughts of men who for various reasons
seexn to be desirous of suspending operations at the mines upon every
' occasion that may present itself. I feel the conservative element in the
organization is entitled to that protection. The penalty clause as
amended in Washington gives them a reasonable degree of protection in
that respect. I think this convention can ill afford, everything consid-
ered, to repudiate the penalty clause in the Washington Agreement,
^hichy after all, means the agreement will be repudiated in its entirety.
^ou cannot expect to retain the Washington wage increase and at the
^Rie time repudiate the penalty clause in that itgreement upon which
^«o Wage increase was predicated.
Delegate Walker (J. H.), District 12: Mr. Chairman and Dele-
^^^s— It is just nineteen years ago this week since I first attended a
n*t:ioTial convention of our organization. There is a little difference in
the size and in the appearance of the delegation attending this convention
°^^ -the delegation that attended the convention nineteen years ago
Toqij^ we had one side of the hall walled off and no chairs in the back
"^*^ of the hall; there were no delegates in the galleries, and most of us
I'^olc.^ as though we had got in off the road after being on it about a
^^"titli. So far as external indications are concerned we have made
^^'^Uo progress, not alone in the increase in the membership of our organ-
^^^tion, but in getting the material things of life for the men who com-
1^^8e the organization.
I was at the Illinois state convention a year before attending my
first national convention. We had up the question of ratifying our first
agreement after the '97 strike. That was considered and disposed of,
and from that time up to this convention I have been, either as a member
of the local union working in the mines or acting in different capacities
as an official of the organization, a delegate to your convention; so that
I have had by actual experience, in so far as one man can get it,
about as much information received in the way there is no misun-
derstanding what it means, as possibly any delegate, with a few excep-
tions, in tbii convention. During all that time there has been a continual
effort on the part of the membership to make progress, and that has
resulted in considerable strife during times of peace and considerable
argument and strife at times at the end of contract periods when we
were negotiating new agreements.
476
the citizenship will turn against us because we have failed to do our doty
to the nation and to the citizenship during this time of war.
So far as the Illinois miners are concerned, their status under this
penalty clause is not changed one iota from what it has been for the last
fifteen years in that state, with the one exception that the fine imposed is
automatically collected. And there is one way you can prevent that Mfs
being automatically collected, and that is to not disregard the obligations
imposed upon you by this constitution, which is of your own making, and
by fulfilling the obligations imposed upon you by membership in thi^
organization. A man who is willing to do that has no reason to fet^
the penalty clause.
I understand some operators in Illinois are telling the men that i'f
they take a day off, no matter what the reason may be, they will be snl> —
ject to a fine of three dollars by reason of this penalty clause. No sncfca
thing is true, and if the operators in that state attempt to work thi^
penalty clause in that manner they Will meet with the opposition of tt^-^
United Mine Workers of America in that district. And we won't cotm.^
into tho next convention telling the delegates of the abuses heaped upoxi
the men over there by the operators' abuse of the penalty clause; we will
strike the mines until the operators are willing to submit to the agree-
ment and until they cease to abuse the penalty clause.
The Illinois miners have the same right to strike now that th^y
always have. Their right has not been reduced one iota; but I also wa***^
to point out to you again that you never did have the right to stri"^^
without the authority of your district executive board. That fact is t^^'
tified to by your own constitution. If there ever is a time when i^
necessary to strike the mines of Illinois and the case is presented p^^'^
erly to your district officers we will stick to the me;i. We have alre^*
done it. Just before coming to this convention we struck a mine in
Danville district and kept it on strike until the operators ag^reed to ]
some $420 compensation to our members. When they paid it we- ord^
the men back to work.
I will conclude by saying again I have no apologies to make for
part I had in the enactment of the penalty clause. I believe it is nec^
sary for the preservation and perpetuity of the United Mine Work^
of America. I believe the conservative element in the organization wa^^
477
e protected against the onslaughts of men who for various reasons
1 to be desirous of suspending operations at the mines upon every
sion that may present itself. I feel the conservative element in the
tnization is entitled to that protection. The penalty clause as
nded in Washington gives them a reasonable degree of protection in
respect. I think this convention can ill afford, everything consid-
» to repudiate the penalty clause in the Washington Agreement,
■K after all, means the agn^ement will be repudiated in its entirety.
cannot expect to retain the Washington wage increase and at the
'- time repudiate the penalty clause in that agreement upon which
vage increase was predicated.
delegate Walker (J. H.), District 12: Mr. Chairman and Dele-
' — It is just nineteen years ago this week since I first attended a
rial convention of our organization. There is a little difference in
1 ze and in the appearance of the delegation attending this convention
the delegation that attended the convention nineteen years ag^
we had one side of the hall walled off and no chairs in the back
of the hall; there were no delegates in the galleries, and most of us
d as though we had got in off the road after being on it about a
h. So far as external indications are concerned we have made
progress, not alone in the increase in the membership of our organ-
^n, but in getting the material things of life for the men who com-
"the organization.
■ was at the Illinois state convention a year before attending my
Tiational convention. We had up the question of ratifying our first
^ment after the '97 strike. That was considered and disposed of,
^rom that time up to this convention I have been, either as a member
« local union working in the mines or acting in different capacities
fe. official of the organization, a delegate to your convention; so that
X'e had by actual experience, in so far as one man can get it,
I: as much information received in the way there is no misun-
>anding what it means, as possibly any delegate, with a few excep-
, in thill convention. During all that time there has been a continual
t on the part of the membership to make progress, and that has
ted in considerable strife during times of peace and considerable
ment and strife at times at the end of contract periods when we
> negotiating new agreements.
478
I think possibly I can say without overstating^ the case that there
no one in this convention that has had more real battles, either with
operators or with members and officers of our own organization, whem 1
could not afrree with them, than I have had. So that, looking at it in
the light of experience, I think perhaps that I may be as well able wls
the ordinary man to understand what the meaning of this question x^
that we are dealing with now. I am only human; I have said sonae
ugly things at times, and I have done some ugly things, just the same ^s
nu'n have on the floor of this convention, in dealing with the question we
art) now considering, f see men on opposite sides making mighty Strang,
ugly titatements about each other, and I go back ten years and find the:Kn
tight ing like tigers on the side of the Illinois miners. At that time ^^"e
liad a struggle, with the International as well as the operators agaicast
UH. Al«^x. Howat and the bunch from Kansas came here and did e^ec-'^'*
thing that lay in their power to assist us at that time. John P. Whm^®
gav« u« a couple of hundred thousand dollars to buy commissary wm^^h
whil^ the" k^ttlo was on. If we judge by what happened in the past it ^^
hot a i^uostion of personality that is involved really, although it mi^^^^
haw sonu* littlo influence in swaying either way; but if what was do-:^^*
\\\ tho im»t is what we have to go by, it is an intense feeling on
t{iu«Mtion thoy consider of vital importance to the international 01
illation that actuates both sides in their attitude on this matter.
And it is a vitally important question we are considering. If nt
Judgment is worth anything you are dealing in this question ¥rith ^
nmtter that is of more importance to you and will affect more vitall)
the nuMnbership, the good name of our organization and its possibility-^
for goiHl for us in the future than, not any other one question that will '
i iih\o before you, but all the other questions that will come before you in
ihiH convention. And I say to you that while I have my friends, and I
)m\ii my enemies — and I like my friends, I will do anything I can honor-
ably 111 help them, and I don't mind having a passage at arms with my
liiiunutiii, I got a little pleasure out of that sometimes — ^but whenever
iiity t|iii)!itit»n iH raised that vitally afl'ect^ the welfare of the men who
iiti: iliKMiiig i*<*(il nnd the welfare of their wives and families, the good
iiiiiM*: til* (Mir orpfanizntion, and the whole labor movement in so far as we
• iiiiuliiiilu a pait (»f it, I never saw a friend and never saw an enemy, I
111(11 ml A an indiK'oment and I never knew a consequence that wquld
479
affect my attitude in that matter — I will take the position I think in my
own conscience, with the light I have, is the position I ought to take.
I haven't agreed in the past with the policies of men at the head
of the organization in all instances. I have agreed with them at times
tnd I have disagreed with them at times. I would rather have men who
Are friendly to me taking the course that is best for the union, and the
enemies I may have taking the opposite courses-all men would like that
condition to obtain — ^but if the blackest enemy I have is taking a position I
think is the best thing for the men, women and children I represent I
will line up with that enemy of mine just the same as though he were
ray twin brother.
The question at issue is twofold, it is whether or not a man who, as
A member of our union, is a party to an agreement shall be penalized
when he violates it in a certain way, and how the penalty shall be col-
lected. I don't think there is a single individual here who claims to be
&Q honest man, who wants to do the right thing, who has the best inter-
^^^ of our organization at heart, but will take the position that if a man
who 18 a party to an agreement that our organization stands responsible
'^^» a.nd that he is responsible for, deliberately violates it, he should be
POniahed. The man who takes the position that when he has made an
^Si^eement he should have a right to violate that agreement without any
P^x^alty being applied to him, that man has no conception of what an
^S^eement means. And no intelligent man will make an agreement with
* *>^ii of that character.
^e say the party to the other side of the agn'eement has a right
*^^ to be penalized when they are guilty of violations of our contract.
'^^^^ the principle is accepted, details are matters to be worked out.
*hcre is no man in tlie convention that has given more earnest and
^^ous consideration to thie question than I have, both prior to and since
the time it was introduced in this meeting; and I, too, before I thoroughly
^^crstood, believed that under this agreement a coal operator would
wve the right on his own initiative to fine any man he wanted to for
uiything he liked, and that a strike could not be called to make him pay
bftck that fine; that the only way to get it back would be to persuade
hln to give it back. Now, after a thorough analysis of the agreement
I find there isn't a single right to strike the Illinois miners ever had that
478
I think possibly I can say without overstating the case that there is
no one in this convention that has had more real battles, either with coal
operators or with members and officers of our own orgranization, when I
could not agree with them, than I have had. So that, looking at it in
the light of experience, I think perhaps that I may be as well able as
the ordinary man to understand what the meaning of this question in
that we are dealing with now. I am only human; I have said some
ugly things at times, and I have done some ugly things, just the same as
men have on the floor of this convention, in dealing with the question we
are now considering. I see men on opposite sides making mighty strongt
ugly statements about each other, and I go back ten years and find them
fighting like tigers on the side of the Illinois miners. At that time we
had a struggle, with the International as well as the operators against
us. Alex. Howat and the bunch from Kansas came here and did evexy-
thing that lay in their power to assist us at that time. John P. White
gave us a couple of hundred thousand dollars to buy commissary with
while the battle was on. If we judge by what happened in the past it is
not a question of personality that is involved really, although it might
have some little influence in swaying either way; but if what was done
in the past is what we have to go by, it is an intense feeling on the
question they consider of vital importance to the international organ-
ization that actuates both sides in their attitude on this matter.
And it is a vitally important question we are considering. If my
judgment is worth anything you are dealing in this question with a
matter that is of more importance to you and will affect more vitally
the membership, the good name of our organization and its possibility
for good for us in the future than, not any other one question that will
come before you, but all the other questions that will come before you in
this convention. And I say to you that while I have my friends, and I
have my enemies — and I like my friends, I will do anything I can honor-
ably to help them, and I don't mind having a passage at arms with my
enemies, I get a little pleasure out of that sometimes — ^but whenever
any question is raised that vitally affects the welfare of the men who
are digging coal and the welfare of their wives and families, the gooJ
name of our organization, and the whole labor movement in so far as we
constitute a pai-t of it, I never saw a friend and never saw an enemy» ^
never saw an inducement and I never knew a consequence that would
479
my attitude in that matter — I will take the position I think in my
onscience, with the light I have, is the position I ought to take.
haven't agreed in the past with the policies of men at the head
i organization in all instances. I have agreed with them at times
have disagreed with them at times. I would rather have men who
'iendly to me taking the course that is best for the union, and the
es I may have taking the opposite course — all men would like that
ion to obtain — but if the blackest enemy I have is taking a position I
is the best thing for the men, women and children I represent I
ne up with that enemy of mine just the same as though he were
^in brother.
he question at issue is twofold, it is whether or not a man who, as
nber of our union, is a party to an agn*eement shall be penalized
he violates it in a certain way, and how the penalty shall be col-
. I don't think there is a single individual here who claims to be
lest man, who wants to do the right thing, who has the best inter-
f our organization at heart, but will take the position that if a man
I a party to an agreement that our organization stands responsible
nd that he is responsible for, deliberately violates it, he should be
led. The man who takes the position that when he has made an
Tient he should have a right to violate that agreement without any
y being applied to him, that man has no conception of what an
nent means. And no intelligent man will make an agreement with
I of that character.
I'e say the party to the other side of the agreement has a right
o be penalized when they are guilty of violations of our contract,
the principle is accepted, details are matters to be worked out.
is no man in the convention that has given more earnest and
s consideration to thie question than I have, both prior to and since
ne it was introduced in this meeting; and I, too, before I thoroughly
stood, believed that under this agreement a coal operator would
the right on his own initiative to fine any man he wanted to for
ing he liked, and that a strike could not be called to make him pay
that fine; that the only way to get it back would be to persuade
3 give it back. Now^, after a thorough analysis of the agreement
there isn't a single right to strike the Illinois miners ever had that
480
is impaired in the least by the enactment of this agreenr.ent. The only
thing about it is that you haven't the right to strike or materially reduce
the output of the mine without first taking your grievance up by the
methods provided for in the contract that we helped to make, going
through the courts we ourselves created, until we finally get to the place
where we have reached a final disag:reement. Then it is left in the hands
of the men we ourselves elected by our own vote, knowing. exactly what
their duties and responsibilities are, the men we chose to decide for as
between conventions whether or not a strike would be called in a case
of that kind.
Under this agreement if a coal operator fines me for going home
because I am sick, for going home because I have important business—
and I mention these things because it is specifically provided in the
agreement that you have a right to absent yourself under those circom-
stances — if I go home to attend a funeral, or I leave because the condi-
tions endanger my life, because the air is bad and I feel my health is
seriously menaced, if the scales are out of order and no satisfactory
arrangement can be made to protect me, under any and all of these cir-
cumstances if the operator fines me I will*have a right to take that ques-
tion up as a grievance. I can take it through the regular courts of our
union and after it reaches the final court, if the operators refuse to pay
back the fine and the officers of the district organization believe it was
collected unjustly, they will have the right under this agreement to
strike that mine to make the operator pay back that fine. ESvery right
to strike for any other reason within the meaning of the provisions of
our contract remains the same as before this section of the agreement
was enacted at all.
There is only one case in which a man would be fined now that he
would not have been fined under the other agreement, and that would be
if he violated the agreement — and under the old agreement he might
have been able to get away with it — and the case went to the highest
courts provided for in the contract and the district officers decided not
to strike to make the operators pay back the fine. In both of these
cases under the old agreement, without this provision in the contract at
all, if a man struck in violation of the contract and according to the
agreement he should have been fined, and if he shut the mine down under
481
circumBtances that justified him in doing it he would have been entitled
to exemption from fining.
There isn't very much in the whole proposition at all. The real milk
in the cocoanut, as the slang saying is— and I have considered it carefully
and looked over every detail of it, and I know how able some bosses are to
drop a man they do not like, aivi I think perhaps some of us on our own
side have been able to match them at the game and sometimes perhaps
have a little the best of it — but the only instance where a man will be
fined under this contract that he might not have been fined before will
be in case he violates the contract, and if he violated the contract under
the old agreement he was liable to be fined and should have been fined for
his own good and for the welfare of the union, under this agreement he
will be fined because the operator is compelled to collect the fine. How-
ever, if he is fined unjustly under any circumstancs it lies in the hand?
of the officers he helped elect to make that operator pay the fine back.
There is no getting away from that at all. I say to you, as others have
said, that not only the biggest obstacle in the way of expanding our own
organization has been that when you take it up with an employer and
point out that if he signs the contract and gives us the closed shop he
will have no more trouble he will say, "Yes, if I could be sure that would
be true I would do it." And then he would point out the things that are
not in harmony with that statement, not only in our union but in every
other union, that are the chief obstacles, outside of the opposition of the
employers themselves, in the way of expansion of the labor movement.
I never like to take a leap in the dark; I like to have a reasonably
good idea of where I am going to light before I jump. I think perhaps
we ought to consider that a little more in detail than we have done. If
you fail to ratify this agreement it means one of three things will hap-
pen. It may be possible the operators will say, in the face of existing
circumstances: "We will not shut down the mines; we will not
withhold the other advantages that go with the contract; wo
will put up with it and we will work on." But if they do
that, here is what it means: It means that we have gone on record
repudiating the assurances the men we elected to represent us gave in
the signing of the tentative agreement. It means that we will be going
against the express wishes of the United States government during this
time of war. And I don't care what the original circumstances might
16— M. Pro.
482
have been surrounding the entering into of the agreement itsdlf , the &et
is that now at this time the United States government is squarely on
record as saying publicly they believe this is a necessary saf^uard to
insure the needed production of coal to protect the best interests of this
government during this war. We will have gone on record as against
the judgment of the men we selected ourselves because we believed they
wore the most capable to decide for us on questions^ of that kind in
the present war situation, we will have disagreed with the United States
fi:overnment and with our own officials when they say in order to secure
the operation of the industry most vitally needed during this war time
wo believe this is a necessary safeguard. The best we can- liope to get
out of it will be that in the judgment of the men who helped the ofBoers
mako this agn^ement, not only in the organization but everywhere in the
UnitiHi States and everywhere in the countries that are allied with ours
in this war, that we went against the judgment and the wishes of our
own government in safeguarding this important necessity which may
nicnn the winning or the losing of the war itself.
With that kind of feeling in the minds and hearts of all the men
nmi women in our great nation and in the world everywhere who believe
tuir giwernment is right, thousands and hundreds of thousands of whom
havt> brothers and sons in the trenches giving their lives, yon can imagine
what kind of a feeling they will have for our union under those circum-
stances. And that, I say, is the minimum of evil that can come to us
fr\^ni rt'pudiating thif: proposed agreement And I say to yoo that as
a minimum it is the greatest disaster, it means more injury to as than
almost anything that any man could think of doing at this time. And
that is the minimum — don*t forget that! It may mean that the govern-
ment, the coal operators and the people who agree with them will deter-
mine to ti|;ht ^n organization that takes that position. And in that
event, gvntlenion — and let me say to you it is not improbable, the goveni-
mer.: is doing th^it in some industries in our nation this minute — in that
event I don*t know of any calamity that could happen to ns that wcmid
xear. greater i:\jury to the rank and file of this organization and the
rar-k and file of labor j^^neraliV.
I dor.'t propose to wrap the fiag around me in a sentimental appeal
to unvlioiy; but r.el;her do I ir.ter.d to blind myself to the real facts.
In yo;ir 1911 ci?n vent ion you elected two delegates to go to Enrope to
488
represent you in an international mining congress. The Illinois miners
honored me by making me their delegate to that same congress. You
instructed us to introduce a resolution declaring to the world, if that con-
gress agreed to it, that if either of our nations initiated a war of oppres-
sion for the subjugation of other people the miners' union ia that coimtry
would declare a strike and refuse to mine coal to assist the government
in carrying out purposes of that kind. This is not hearsay, I experienced
it, and no man can truthfully or honestly refute what I am going to say.
We introduced that resolution. I was one of the sig^iatories to it. When
it was read there were delegates present from every country in the
world and it had to be mterpreted. When it was interpreted in the Ger-
man language the German delegates asked for a recess. We granted it.
When they came back they said: "If we sit in this convention and act
as delegates while this resolution is being considered; if we sit silent and
do not say a word or vote, or even if we oppose the adoption of the reso-
lution and vote against it and it is defeated, our government will take
the position that we assume we would have a right to pass judgment on
a question of that kind. That will constitute treason on our part; our
organization will be destroyed; our property confiscated and the ofRcers
and members penalized in whatever way the imperial government desires
to penalize us for treason."
4
Your delegates, the men you instructed to introduce that resolution,
had to withdraw it in order to enable that delegation to stay in that
congress. I will say that, to their credit, the delegates from that German
miners' union felt ashamed; they felt humiliated; there were tears in
their eyes when some of them pleaded with us to withdraw that resolu-
tion because of the autocratic attitude of their government. But we had
to do it, and they said they had to do it or have their organization
destroyed. That is only one incident I could relate; there are hundreds
just as significant, just as vitally important, affecting the people detri-
mentally. You can imagine what it would mean in the event that some
day, if our government loses, that kind of condition would obtain here.
This is a war of resources. This is a war of resources just as much as
it is of men, and our country is a reservoir from which practically every
nation on our side, as well as our own soldiers and sailors, will have to
draw for their supplies and equipments. And if those supplies and equip-
ments fail it means weakening our side of this great world conflagration
\
484
to just that extent; it means the loss of just that many more lives
the prolonging of the war.
I haven't any fear of our losing this war. I don't believe they
ever impose on the people of the United States the kind of govenmierm"^
they have in Grermany till they kill every man and woman in our countiy -
But don't forget there is a trench line 312 miles long, with the men o
both sides supplied with the latest and most modem armament an
ammunition for effectively carrying on war; and whenever any spot i
that 312 miles fails to get supplies and equipments, no matter what th^^
reason, those men have either got to become prisoners and give up tiuu"^
territory or stand there and be killed. That is not wrapping the flai
about me — I am just telling you the plain truth. You have 19,125 o
your members in uniform now. At the present time we have over 300;
men on the other side. They have taken their places in the trenches,
want to ask you, I want to bring it home to you — ^because this is what i
means — if the supply of coal is reduced through our fault and the manu
facture of munitions is hindered or the transportation of supplies delaye
and a portion of our men are without the needed equipment, and they hap-
pen to be that 19,125, if you could see that condition and you knew it
existed — and it may happen any day — what do you think you would do?
Why, that penalty clause or anything else or everything else and every-
body else could go to hell — you would get that coal rather than see those
men killed, if you had to kill the men that stood in the way of getting it!
All over this convention are men who have their boys over there.
Would you like to feel that because of quibbling over something that is
not vital you were responsible for the loss of the son of one of your dele-
gates sitting here ? No, you wouldn't do it, and I would hate to be the
man you thought was responsible for doing it. One of the delegates
told me that if this penalty clause was only for the life of the war and it
automatically ended then he would not have any objections to agreeing
to it. If you adopt this clause and if the war ends before two years
from the first of next April the contract will end, that penalty clause will
end and it will be in your hands to either renew it or strike it out.
I served recently as a labor representative on a commission that was
sent out to settle, if possible, some disputes that had resulted in the
shutting down of industries producing materials that were vitally needed
485
isble our govcinment to prosecute the war on the highest plane of
ency. These disputes were in the copper mines of Arizona and the
>er industry of the Pacific Northwest. And what did we find there?
Tound there men with a partial organization, with the right to strike,
^with no power to strike effectively; with the right to strike any
ite they wanted tp; and, while I believe 95 per cent, of those men
i just as loyal to our government as I am or as you are, my judgment
lat there were a few hidden, able, shrewd, conscienceless representa-
& of the government across the water at the bottom of those industrial
utes. They were crippling the output of copper that is so badly
led for the equipment used in war; they were crippling the output of
>er that is so badly needed for the manufacture of air craft, one of
most important features of modern warfare. There is no question
lit that at all. The proof was plain; no man could doubt it.
Now, I ask you, in the event you vote down this section of the
shington Agreement, when by doing it you extend an invitation to the
its of that enemy government to come in and cripple an industry that
itally needed in every line of production, don't you think they will
i advantage of it? You know they will take advantage of it. If
war is ever won or lost; if it lasts one year or ten years, and a
:le instance occurs where, by reason of a lack of coal, air craft or
•s, or the transportation of troops was delayed and a hattle was lost
men were killed, I want to ask you what kind of welcome the United
e Workers would get in the homes and hearts of the citizens of our
itry that are not connected with our industry and do not understand
And what kind of feeling would the men working beside us, some
hem sitting in this convention, have toward us if they knew that
luse of sentimentality we committed an act that meant the loss of a
or a brother? You know what that feeling would be; I know, and
n't want to be responsible for that situation. I say to you again there
0 act you can commit in this convention that would bring greater dis-
r on our union, its members and dependents, than to repudiate this
ion of our agreement. That is my honest judgment, as God gives me
light to see things. You can do nothing that will strengthen our
inization, that will put us in right in the hearts and minds of
people, that will make us more welcome to every decent man and
486
woman on earth than to adopt that committee's report and assure our
nation and the public that we are willing to go the whole way. I -^
The boys that are in the trenches, when they get word of what yoo
have done, will have more courage and hope in thenL If they hear you
have done the other thing they will be bitter and discouraged. They are
working for $30 a month, suffering every minute of their lives, and they ■ i^
are willing to give their lives if necessary to save you and me from goUng M ''^^
back to the place where we had no right to organize, no right to diseon | ^-^
our problems, no right to fight our enemies; in fact, we will go bad[ SOO
years to a state of feudalism, with this difference, that the g«itlemen over
there have now got the experience, the knowledge that two hundred years | ^^
gives, and they will take greater precautions to prevent our rise and
onward march; they will provide for our having to pay a greater piice
than any feudal lords ever did in all the history of the human race.
- r'
I know what the political aspect of this proposition is just as mSi
■
as any man in this convention or in this country, and if making theB^
statements meant that every friend I have would turn against me, th^*^
they would hunt me and persecute me, knowing I had done the best ^
could with the light I had, I would look on and there would be a fedin.^
of contentment, although of sorrow. If I failed to do the thmg I believ^^''
means so much to you men and to our people in this country; if by faili
to do it or doing any act other than the best we can in this war I coi2l<
get the plaudits of every man on earth, I would despise myself
than I would the dirtiest dog that ever lived on this earth. I say thai
from the bottom of my heart, and I ask you men who are diggnig
to weigh this thing seriously and don't even allow the sentiment of th(
men back home to influence you in stabbing them to the heart. Don'^
do it. Vote for the thing you believe is the right thing to do. I wish
you could vote unanimously to adopt this proposition. There is nothing ^^^^^
you could do that would make for better things for our people than that
one act.
Delegate Wilson (D.), District 12: Is it the purpose of the oflkials
of this organization, as in past years, to let the big guns get on the
floor last and then put the question before the delegates have had
chance to discuss the question?
Vice-President Lewis: No.
^■
at
487
Delegate Wilson (A.), Local 99, District 12: I would like to know
if this convention is just for the official family, or have the delegates a
voice in the convention?
Vice-President Lewis: The chair will say he has been using the
utmost fairness in permitting delegates all over the convention to speak.
The chair appreciates the fact that perhaps almost every delegate in this
gr^t assembly desires to speak on this question, and he has been
endeavoring to select the men who have been asking for the floor the
longest. The chair can only do what the convention desires. Whenever,
in the judgment of this convention, the time has come for a vote on this
question the chairman can but yield to the desire of the delegates.
The chair has numerous individual requests from a gn^at number
of delegates who have personally come to him and asked to be recognized
on this question; but the convention will understand that during the past
two days the officers of this organization have been more or less on trial
before the delegates, and it is no more than right that they should have
the privilege of explaining their acts. You cannojt deny men who are
charged with acts of unfairness or charged with advocating wrong poli-
cies the opportimity to be heard on this proposition. The chair is recog-
nizing tile men he is with that desire on his part, and always with the
understanding that the disposition of this matter is in the hands of the
delegates who constitute this meeting. Any time it becomes evident
that a majority of the delegates desire to vote on the previous question,
no matter if there are hundreds of delegates on the floor, the chair must
yield to the convention. The chair has allowed the utmost latitude in
debate. The rules of the convention re(iuire a limit of Ave minutes on
speeches, but by common consent that has been suspended. I hope the
convention will bo patient.
Secretary Green: Mr. Chairmen and Gentlemen of the Convention —
I feel that this is a solemn occasion, a time when our organization is
meeting a great crisis and is put to a severe test. It is a time when we
are confronted by questions of policy that mean the very life or
death of our great organization. We are now at the crossroads of our
destiny, and the question to be decided by this convention is whetlyr or
rot we are going to pursue that path, that road of constructive progress
that has brought us along to the present high point of efficiency, or
488
whether we are going to turn aside and stamp upon the emblem of our
organization the stain of repudiation and dishonor.
I have no doubt as to the* outcome of these proceedings. The United
Mine Workers of America in days gone by met crises just as important
as the present one which we find ourselves facing. We have met ques-
tions of as great moment as this, and in every instance the good common
sense, the good judgment and patriotism of the delegates to the conven-
tion has responded and they have decided right. And when this question
is decided, in my judgment, it will be decided as the questions of days
gone by have been, on the side of progress and the material interest of
our great organization. I want to appeal for a moment to your reason.
I want you to listen to the voice of reason, as 1 know you have listened
to the two days of debate we have had on this question. You can not
afford to allow yourselves to be carried away by feeling, passion or senti-
ment; but your common sense, your good judgment, your reason, must
assert itself, because involved in this question is the honor, the inte^ty
and the future welfare of our movement.
What about the question we are now considering? It is as to
whether or not we are going to approve the action of your representa-
tives who negotiated the Washington Agreement, or whether you are
going to repudiate what they did. That is the question we must decide;
that is the issue we must meet. What is there about the Washingrton
Agreement that is objectionable ? There are two things involved, as has
been well said, an increase in wages and a penalty clause. The increase
in wages is 10 cents per ton on the mining rate, 15 per cent, advance on
dead work and yardage, and $1.4d a day advance for the day men employed
in and around the mines. Surely, there can be no objection to that; that
must be acceptable, because it is the most substantial advance we have
been able to secure in the twenty-eight years of our existence as an
organization.
What was the situation when your representatives met in Wash-
ington? I want to refresh your memory on that point. I need only
to refresh your memory on this, because you know it well. Back in the
mining districts there was unrest, the men believed they were entitled
to an advance in wages. And that belief was well founded; the cost of
living had gone up; the operators were selling their coal at high prices,
489
and we felt they had a right to share their prosperity with the miners.
Kesponding to the demand the operators were called into conference and
we demanded a substantial increase in the mining scale. What did we
find then ? We found that in many instances, even while we were meeting
in Washington, the spirit of unrest became so strong that local unions
closed down the mines, expecting thereby to secure more speedy action
than we were able to bring about. And so, when we finally, after days
and days of argument, prevailed upon the coal operators to grant an
increase in wages such as is now paid under the terms of that agreement
we were told by. the representatives of the federal government that they
wanted assurance that so long as the contract entered into then was
complied with by both miners and operators the mines would continue in
operation. They needed the coal to move the war supplies to the front;
to keep the machinery of this government in motion; to carry forward
their plans; and they wanted to be assured there would be no interrup-
tion in the production of coal.
The president of the United States, the man clothed with authority
greater than has ever been given to a single man in the history of the
world; clothed with that authority by act of Congress that enabled him
to issue orders and instructions that those things be done that would
protect the interests of the people of the country, said to this nation:
"This increase in prices shall not apply to any district in which the
operators and miners fail to agree upon a penalty provision satisfactory
to the Fuel Administititor for the automatic collection of fines in the
spirit of the agreement entered into between the operators and miners at
Washington, October 6, 1917."
Is that simple, easily understood English language? Is there any
camouflage surrounding that paragraph? Did he not tell us there in
that paragraph that there would be no increase in wages to the miners
unless their representatives and the operators agreed upon a pen-
alty clause satisfactory to the federal government? I am not dense or
dull of comprehension; I understood clearly what that meant; I knew
that if we were to secure an advance in wages for the men who mine
the coal we would have to agree upon a penalty clause that would meet
with the approval of the representatives of this federal government.
And you men, whether you like it or not, must remember that the two
things go together, the penalty clause and the advance in wages. What
490
were your representatives to do when the president of the United States
in his order asked these things? There was only one thing: for your
representatives to do, and that was to meet the requirements of the
federal government in order to get for the miners this substantial
advance in wages that is now being paid.
I am one of those who believe if we had failed to respond; if we had
failed to enter into an agreement based upon the conditions laid down
by the president; if we had broken ofif negotiations and liad come back
home and told the miners that we had five dollars a day in our fists for
the drivers, 10 cents a ton advance for the miners, aiid 15 per cent
advance on yardage and deadwork, but we would not take it because the
president of the United States asked us to agree to a penalty clause,
there would be more unrest at home after the men had been placed in
possession of that information than there had been before. That is one
reason why the penalty clause was agreed to.
The president of the United States was not really asking us to do
something different from what we had declared in the organic law of our
organization we were willing to do. I am wondering whether or not he
had not read Section 10 of Article XX of our International Law. It is
our own declaration, adopted by the last convention of the United Mine
Workers of America, and says: "Any member or members shutting
down a mine in violation of joint agreement, shall, upon conviction,
suffer such penalty as may be imposed upon them by the organization."
We declare in that section that we are opposed to members of our
union shutting down a mine in violation of the agreement. We declared
in our own convention — we told the world that we believed in that — ^that
we would not allow men in our organization to close down mines in vio-
lation of the agreement. Did we mean that or did we not? Were we
sincere when we put that in the law or were we insincere?
The president of the United States followed what we had already
declared, that we were opposed to men in our union closing down the
mines in violation of the contract. That has been the declared policy of
our great organization ever since its foundation was laid in 1890 in the
city of Columbus, Ohio. We have never deviated from that policy. We
have been opposed to violation of contracts, violation of rules, and we
have so declared from time to time. Now, have we reached the point
491
in our deliberations where all these declarations are going to be branded
as false by us and we are going to repudiate every declaration we have
ever made?
An examination of the contracts of Illinois and Iowa will show
dearly that in these districts penalty clauses for violation of contracts
were incorporated for more than ten years. They were agreed to by both
miners and operators. In Indiana the same was true in recent years.
In parts of Ohio the same was true, and within the last few years penalty
clauses were inserted in the contracts of Pittsburgh and other districts.
What did they provide? Merely that the mines should not be shut
down in violation of contracts, but that any grievance should be taken
up through the regular channels of the organization and settled in the
right way. If a grievance is not settled to the satisfaction of the men
employed in the mines, then the officers of your organization, those you
have placed in authority, those you have chosen to lead you, have full
authority to order you on strike until the grievance is settled satisfac-
torily to all concerned. Under the Washington Agreement no surrender
of that privilege was agreed to. You can still take up your grievance
or complaint in line with the laws of the organization.
Can we expect a great organization composed of 400,000 men to go
along and make contracts with coal operators without assuming respon-
sibility? We must guarantee that our members will faithfully carry
out the terms of the contract. If we do not do that we will be branded
as unreliable, dishonorable, and contracts will not be made with unrelia-
ble, dishonorable organizations. It is my experience in dealing with the
members of our organization that the great majority of them will live up
to the terms of the agreement; there is only a minority in certain locali-
ties who by their actions incite tho members of the local unions to 'take
hasty action, and in nine times out of ten when such hasty action is
taken the local unions regret what has been done.
Often a member of our organization who owns a litt}e piece of ground
or a small farm wants to work and plow in his field, and in order to get
a few days in which to do it he will incite the members to violence and
put them on strike. In other instances a man will want to do something
else and he will agitate among the men, and if any member gets up in
the local and says, ''Now, boys, let us not be hasty; let us call in the
492
officers and proceed according to the contract," he is branded as a scab.
You know I am telling you now just exactly what you experienced many
times at home. This penalty clause is not intended to apply where there
is no violation of contract. The good men in every local union want to be
protected from the fellow who wishes to put you on strike before you
take up your grievance. There is a way in which to settle these things.
One way is to take up the grievance in line with the contract and work
it out; the other way is to go on strike first and work it out afterwards.
The best way is to endeavor to settle first, and have tlie strike the last
resort rather than the first action.
The organization of the United Mine Workers of America has been
a reliable institution. It is because of that we were able to carry our
organization into Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee. It is because we
have the reputation of carrying out our contracts, because we were relia-
ble, that we got in there, and I ask you men now whether by your action
you are going to set the dial of progress back and have the United Mine
Workers of America stamped as unreliable, dishonorable and an organ-
ization that repudiates its contracts?
Some of the speakers have asked why the United Mine Workers of
America is the only organization that has been singled out by the g^ovem-
ment to be dealt with in this way. We are not the only one that has been
singled out. During the war industries engaged in shipbuilding and in
the metal trades have been called upon to sign contracts that contain arbi-
tration clauses, in which they agreed that a dispute will be referred to an
arbitration board that has been created for settling such matters, and
while the arbitration board is deliberating the men continue at work. They
have surrendered the right to strike because they have agreed to arbi-
trate clauses that mean an uninterrupted operation of the industries in
which they are engaged.
You are meeting a responsibility in this convention that you must
discharge in an honorable way. I have no fault to find with men who
differ with me in opinion. I am not going to condemn any one because he
does differ with me; but I have a right to believe, if we follow a policy
advocated by men who are asking that this committee's report be voted
down and that we repudiate what has been done, that such policy will lead
you to ruin and disaster. The men who helped establish this union sacri-
493
ficed too much for us in the year 1918 to destroy our union by following a
false policy. At Pana and Virden, in Illinois, in the early days men gave up
their lives, they sacrificed all they could give in order to establish our
organization there. The soil of Illinois is saturated with the blood of those
heroes. On the hillsides in the Hocking Valley of Ohio there sleep men
who died for this union, and I would rather go to the depth of hell than
undo the splendid work they have done. In those days they begged for
an audience, they begged for a right to present their grievances, they
begged for an opportunity to tell of their wrongs. They were willing to
pledge their lives and their honor that if they could only make a contract
it would be lived up to. But they did not have the right to present their
grievances or to make contracts. In order to get that right they bled and
died and gave us this organization; it is our heritage and we ought to
treasure it and maintain it.
There are in this convention old men from Illinois and Ohio who can
get up and testify to all the world. Their hair is grray now, but they went
through the battles and they know what I am speaking of. There are a
number of young men here who know nothing of those struggles; they
were not in them; they did not have to fight; they came on the stage of
action in later years. The young men of this organization ought to study
the history of this movement ; they ought to know the price that has been
paid for the splendid institution we have. If they did they would not
allow themselves, no matter what their feelings might be, to place upon the
banner of this great union one little spot of dishonor.
Now, what are you going to do? What is going to be your action?
The line is drawn and the issue must be met. There are men in our union
who do not believe in joint contracts; they believe in direct action; they
believe in the right to strike any time they please. They are not in sym-
pathy with the policy of this organization. I want to ask you whether or
not a majority of this convention is going to line up by their vote and say
we disown and disgrace the memory of those who gave us this great or-
ganization? That is the issue fairly and squarely set before this conven-
tion. The ex-president of this organization, Mr. White, told you in simple
and unmistakable language that as the spokesman of 400,000 miners he
had told the President of the United States through his accredited repre-
sentative. Dr. Garfield, that the miners in convention in the city of In-
dianapolis in January, 1918, would undoubtedly approve by an overwhelm-
494
ing vote the action of your conference in Washington and adopt the agree-
ment. He gave his solemn word, as he had a right to do ; he gave it be-
cause his colleagues told him to do so ; he gave it because he was instructed
by the men who participated in that conference to tell the President of the
United States those words and to convey to him that message.
What is going to be done in this convention? Is that obligation so
solemnly given to be repudiated by you? Are we going to set ourselves
before the people of this United States as men who repudiate what thejr
President did on an occasion of that kind, when it was a matter of decision
as to what was the right thing to do? As for me, my friends, as one man
in this convention, I would rather stand up and be counted as a man who
sustains the honor of our organization, who says to the world that what
our President said was true and we are here to support him, than to say
by my vote I will refuse to do what he said I would do. When you vote
keep that in mind; remember when you vote that tiist is the issue. The
Prtaident has been told, he has been promised, he has been assured that
our great convention would endorse the work that was done in Washing-
ton by your representatives, and now yon are here, fresh from the men
at home^ to register the verdict and to say what tiie President of our
organisation said to the Presidoit of the United States was true in every
partieular.
I would not stand up here and plead with yon with all tiie eamest-
n«« of my soul, as I am pleading, if I did not bdicvv from tlie bottan of
my heart that I ms pleading with you to do something that meant your
future welfare and happices& I think I can say, and those who know me
best can say. that I haT>e fought when we should ha^e fought, I have stood
tike a stcee wall f cr eternal princip lesL I have f ooght with mj feDow men
for the flings that have he^p^ make them a lit^ better off, and if I have
}^>c»peii by mj actxAS that I have 3<d you right, hare adviaed yon ric^t,
then, in the name oi G<«1 can^ tvc believe me when I ^ipeal to yon now
ti» enScffve th^
« •
I want th» Tcite to be cverirbe>r.:^, I cbcw a great many meat came
Dfik ^us {\>£xvati<vst with :h^:r mirsss aaSf :£p asi thesr efnukms fixed. Ton
k^K«w it^ ti.x\ Ycsa oarj^ b^rry ?r<:tti3c«c apiiTss: what 3ro«r representatives
hai dcoe^ Yc<ir ?r:i:^i* Va.'1 S^f- jciicc-f-i. y,^ hac been misled and your
»)^« at hoetie ^i Vi^ra: Tt:;<^^^. Kcv r<^ci 5«e« irfercKi. I know it, and the
sentiment here is not what it was yesterday. You have listened to the
voice of reason and you are ready to act. I hope when this vote is taken
it will be 80 overwhelmingly on the side of right that there will be no
qaestion where the miners of this country stand regarding the sacredness
of contract.
I am willing to wrap Old Glory around my body any time it is neces-
sary to appeal to the reason of my fellow men. I am willing to do it if
that is the way I can reach the reason and the intelligence of my fellow
workers; and no man can get up in this convention and deter me by say-
injT, "Don't wrap yourself in the flag." I feel it an honor to wrap myself
up in Old Glory and appeal to you.
«
We may have a lot of social and economic problems in America to
settle. If we have, no man will fight harder for the correct settlement of
those questions than I will. Just as Mother Jones said, this is no time to
dwell on that subject. We are in war, it is here; we don't know yet what
we will have to face. Each day brings new surprises and the most drastic
action is beii^ taken from time to time. You don't have in the Congress
of the United States a bunch of working men, remember that. In the Con-
gress and the Senate of the United States there are men enacting laws
while the war is going on that will affect you after the war is finished.
These men do not spring from the loins of the workers, but they represent
the producing class in a great many instances, and when it comes to legis-
lating on matters that affect your interests they are inclined to listen to
the appeals of property rather than to the appeals of the human heart.
And if you fail to respond in this hour when the future of our union is
hanging in the balance there may be something even worse happen to
the miners in this country than thq adoption of a penalty clause.
Now I am done. I have talked in this earnest manner because I feel
the seriousness of the occasion. The words I utter come from the bottom
of my heart, and I would not advise you to adopt the report of the com-
mittee, even though every man in this hall was against me, if I did not
believe it was the thing you ought to do in the interest of yourselves, your
wives and your families. We had our service flag here. On that flag
there were 19,185 stars. A few brief months ago each man represented
by a star in that flag was working with you. He took his place in the
mine where he lived, either driving a mule, operating a machine, loading
1
496
or working as a day man. But he has left you, he is not there now, but
his father, his mother, his brothers and sisters are still amonfi^ you. Their
hearts yearn for the boy that is gone. They wonder whether or not he
will ever return. In their hearts they are fearful that the supreme sacri-
fice may be paid by him.
My friends, I would rather vote for a million penalty clauses than to
have the blood of one of the members of our union represented by a star
up there on that service flag upon my heart. Somewhere along: that 300-
mile trench line in France will be the men who left us, not bankers or
farmers, but miners, members of the United Mine Workers of America.
The coal we mine must transport the ammunition, the equipment, the food,
the clothes they must use in order to protect their lives and carry on the
war. Whenever you shut a mine down for a single day you are to that
extent withholding the energy that they need to prosecute this war. When
you shut that mine down and stop the production of coal for the redress
of either a real or an imaginary wrong you ought to be sure that you have
a good case and that the blood of nobody is going to be on your hands be-
cause you took that action.
That is all I have got to say. As I look into your faces I believe we
are going to vote right. What shall it be? Shall it be repudiation and dis-
honor, or shall it be that we have arisen to the height of this occasion and
registered the vote of the 400,000 miners of this country in support of con-
structive, progressive legislation? The only way you can do that is to
vote overv/helmingly for the committee's report.
Vice-President Lewis: It has become evident that there is a gnreat
demand on the part of at least a portion of the delegates for a cessation of
debate. The chair can only carry the will of the convention into effect. In
order to be advised of what the will of the convention is the chair will ask
for an expression from the delegates. The chair wants all delegates who
aro in favor of closing debate on this question to arise.
An overwhelming majority of the delegation arose when the affirma-
tive vote was asked for.
Vice-President Lewis: The chair believes the proposition to close de-
bate has been overwhelmingly carried and will put the will of the conven-
tion into effect.
497
A Delegate: Will you allow me two minutes?
Vice-President Lewis : Debate has been closed by the will of the con-
vention. The chair has no alternative but to put the question.
A Delegate: I would like to ask a question of President Murray.
The question I want to ask is this : If this conunittee's report is adopted,
-will it allow the delegates of District 5 to go back to their district conven-
tion and adjust internal differences?
Vice-President Lewis : If this is adopted it will mean the Washington
contract is ratified.
A Delegate: And that internal questions cannot be taken up?
Vice-President Lewis : Yes. You cannot make a speech.
A Delegate: I believe in free speech. What is the use of my local
union sending me liere if I cannot speak on the floor of the convention?
Vice-President Lewis: To debate this question from a premise of
lofiric and to abide by the will of a majority of the delegates to this con-
vention.
Deleg^ate Rogers: A question of personal privilege. Is there a mo-
tion made to the effect that debate shall be closed?
Vice-President Lewis: No; but if Delegate Rogers will consult par-
liamentary law he will know it is the duty of the chairman of any con-
vention to carry into effect the will of the convention. In order to do that
he will ask the will of the convention. That has been done.
A Delegate: If a man tries to get the floor four or five times a day
and other men are recognized, is that man to be denied the right to ex-
press his sentiments in this convention?
Vice-President Lewis: Unquestionably there are scores and scores
of delegates in this convention who have desired to be heard on this
important matter. I know a great number of them personally and I
498
have had numerous individual requests from delegates who approached
me in the convention, in the hotel and on the street asking me for the
privilege of being heard. Since 10 o'clock yesterday morning Seerettry
Green, a man who participated in the Washington conference, has been
pleading with me to be heard on this question, and not untU just now
have I recognized him. I also participated in the Washington confer-
ence, I also am a delegate to this convention, I also have views on this
question I desire to express to our delegates, and as chairman of this
convention I can feel as a mere delegate I have treated msrseif unfairly
in not recognizing myself; but I have desired in every way to exercise
the greatest amount of judgment I possess and all the tact possible
in recognizing men from the floor of the convention. I think the records
of the stenographer will show that yesterday practically seven out of
ten men who spoke on this question were not officers of Uie International
or district organizations. Great latitude has been allowed and, notwith-
standing the fact that a large number of delegates desired to speak they
will have to abide by the will of the majority as expressed. There is
nothing before you but the vote upon the committee's report. The
adoption of this motion will ratify the Washington contract and the
rejection of this motion will mean that the contract is repudiated.
The chairman asked for a rising vote. An overwhelming majority
of the delegation arose when the affirmative vote was asked for. A com-
paratively small number of delegates voted against the report of the
committee.
Chairman Lewis: The chair is of the opinion that the motion to
adopt the committee's report has been overwhelmingly carried and the
contract is ratified.
Delegate Lavender, District 6: Will a motion be in order at this
time?
Vice-President Lewis: On what question?
Delegate Lavender: This question.
Vice-President Lewis: Assuredly not.
499
The following delegates desired to be recorded as voting in opposition
the motion to adopt the recommendation of the committee endorsing
e Washington Agn^eement:
District 12 — Delegate Arscott, Local 1800; Delegate Vaughn, Local
8, Harrisburg; Delegate Coulson, Local 2650; Delegate Reed, Local
S; Delegate Pirtle, Local 1151; Delegate McCleish, Local 665; Delegate
ack. Local 232; Delegate Bergadene, Local 3586; Delegate Ritchie,
>cal 2469; Delegate Utterback, Local 850; Delegate Dallett, Lo-
is 247 and 895, Herrin; Delegate Johnson, Local 1910; Delegate
ice. Local 1370; Delegate Rogers, Local 766; Delegate Oster, Local
B5; Del^^te J. T. Jones, Local 2657; Delegate Tom Jones, Local 2657;
^legate Kennedy, Local 794; Delegate Russell, Local 1910; Delegate
cGuinn, Local 1865; Marion Rogers, Local 766; Frank Johnston, Local
>&3, Ellisville, 111.; Joe P. Goett, Local 707, Peoria, DL; Nick Tulip,
ocal 843 ; Giles Davis, Local 843 ; W. H. Pascoe, Local 893.
District 5 — Delegate Bruce, Local 615; Delegate Leiphold, Local 92;
elegate Rohland, Local 2396; Delegate Hixenbaugh, Local 854; Delegate
}gers. Local 1197; Delegate Gunther, Local 1197.
District 6 — Delegates Atkins and Simmers, Coda, Local 897; Zac-
nine. Local 1077; Delguzzio, Local 284; Moyer, Local 1418.
District 25— Delegate Schmedeke, Local 2686.
District 18 — ^Delegates Livett, Smith, Biggs, Potter.
District 21— Delegate Galbraith, Local 2097.
District 14— Delegate Higbee, Local 2330.
District 10 — Delegate Fleming, Local 2512; Delegate Croci, Local
District 19 — Delegate Walker, Local 3643; Delegate Gammon, Local
S2; Delegate Emery, Local 3645; Delegate Nelson, Local 3644.
Delegate W. W. Walker, Local 1811, District 21, and Delegate W. O.
len. District 6, desired to be recorded as voting in favor of the report
the committee on the Washing^ton Agreement.
600
At 5 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 9 o'clock a. m^ Monday,
January 21.
tlXTN DAY-MORNINS SESSION
Indianapolis, Ind., January 21, 1918.
The convention was called to order at 9 o'clock a. m., Monday, Jan-
uary 21, Vice-President Lewis in the chair.
Vice-President Lewis: In convening this convention today, begin-
ning the sessions of the second week, the chair feels the delegates are
entitled to congratulation because of the progress made. Never before
in a similar period of our annual or biennial conventions has the amount
of business been transacted or more questions of such vital and far-
reaching importance settled as during the last week. In every way the
business of the convention has been expedited and the transaction of its
affairs facilitated. The convention has co-operated to the fullest degree.
Beginning the session today the chair desires to call attention to the
fact that we have yet to be enacted a number of very vital propositions.
However, with the splendid co-operation that has been evident, with the
splendid order that has been observed by the Relegates in the convention,
there ii| no reason to believe that the end of the present week will not
see the conclusion of this convention. The chair asks the continaed co-
operation of every delegate. He asks that we all be animated by a
desire to facilitate the prog^'ess of the convention; that in the debate
which will ensue upon the vital problems the delegates will confine them-
selves as nearly as possible to a brief presentation of their views, striv-
ing, as always, to confine themselves to the five-minute rule. Of course
there are times when in a discussion of these problems, by common
consent we do not limit ourselves to the five minutes. The chair does
not want to be arbitrary in these propositions, but merely asks your
co-operation in making it possible to transact our business as expedi-
tiously as possible.
This morning the Committee on Credentials is prepared to submit a
601
final report to the convention. The extent of their report is not very
S^reat and should consume no considerable amount of time. The chair
will recognize this morning for final actioi\ by the convention on its
report the Committee on Credentials.
Delegate Neutzling, secretary of the committee, read a list of names
of delegates whose seating the committee recommended. The recom-
mendation of the committee was concurred in.
Vice-President Lewis: The delegates who went to the office and
adjusted the tax for which their locals were delinquent are automati-
cally seated and their names will not be read.
CONTESTS.
Delegate Neutzling continued the report of the committee, as fol-
lows:
Ed Foster, Local Union No. 1202, Tilden, 111., District No. 12, whose
seat was contested, appeared before the committee. Jerry Browning, the
contestant, did not appear.
In accordance with the Constitution, we recommend that Ed Foster
be seated, with 1 vote.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
Ben Freeman, Local Union No. 75, Dugger, Ind., District No. 11,
mrhose seat was contested, and the contestant, Mark Palmer, from said
local union, appeared before the committee. After passing on all the
evidence presented and in accordance with the Constitution, we recom-
mend that Mark Palmer be seated, with 3 votes.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
Joe Waitkus, Local Union No. 8617, Spring Valley, 111., District 12,
i¥ho8e seat was contested, appeared before the committee. Richard Clark,
the contestant, did not appear.
600
At 6 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 9 o'clock a. m., Monday,
January 21.
SIXTH DAY-MORNINS SESSION
Indianapolis, Ind., January 21, 1918.
The convention was called to order at 9 o'clock a. m., Monday, Jan-
uary 21, Vice-President Lewis in the chair.
Vice-President Lewis: In convening this convention today, begin-
ning the sessions of the second week, the chair feels the delegates are
entitled to congratulation because of the progress made. Never before
in a similar period of our annual or biennial conventions hak the amount
of business been transacted or more questions of such vital and far-
reaching importance settled as during the last week. In every way the
business of the convention has been expedited and the transaction of its
affairs facilitated. The convention has co-operated to the fullest degree.
Beginning the session today the chair desires to call attention to the
fact that we have yet to be enacted a number of very vital propositions.
However, with the splendid co-operation that has been evident, with the
splendid order that has been observed by the Relegates in the convention,
there i^ no reason to believe that the end of the present week will not
see the conclusion of this convention. The chair asks the continued co-
operation of every delegate. He asks that we all be animated by a
desire to facilitate the progress of the convention; that in the debate
which will ensue upon the vital problems the delegates will confine them-
selves as nearly as possible to a brief presentation of their views, striv-
ing, as always, to confine themselves to the five-minute rule. Of course
there are times when in a discussion of these problems, by common
consent we do not limit ourselves to the five minutes. The chair does
not want to be arbitrary in these propositions, but merely asks your
co-operation in making it possible to transact our business as expedi-
tiously as possible.
This morning the Committee on Credentials is prepared to submit a
601
final report to the convention. The extent of their report is not very
fpceat and should consume no considerable amount of time. The chair
will recognize this morning for final action by the convention on its
report the Committee on Credentials.
Delegate Neutzling, secretary of the committee, read a list of names
of delegates whose seating the committee recommended. The recom-
mendation of the committee was concurred in.
Vice-President Lewis: The delegates who went to the office and
adjusted the tax for which their locals were delinquent are automati-
cally seated and their names will not be read.
CONTESTS.
Delegate Neutzling continued the report of the committee, as fol-
lows:
Ed Foster, Local Union No. 1202, Tilden, 111., District No. 12, whose
seat was contested, appeared before the committee. Jerry Browning, the
contestant, did not appear.
In accordance with the Constitution, we recommend that Ed Foster
be seated, with 1 vote.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
Ben Freeman, Local Union No. 75, Dugger, Ind., District No. 11,
-whose seat was contested, and the contestant, Mark Palmer, from said
local union, appeared before the committee. After passing on all the
evidence presented and in accordance with the Constitution, we recom-
mend that Mark Palmer be seated, with 3 votes.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
Joe Waitkus, Local Union No. 8617, Spring Valley, 111., District 12,
whose seat was contested, appeared before the committee. Richard Clark,
the contestant, did not appear.
602
In accordance with the Constitution we recommend that Joe Waitkns
be seated, with 6 votes.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
J. R. Gutienez, Local Union No. 3044, Tollerburg, Colo., District No.
15, whose seat was contested, appeared before the committee. Robert
Stoker and F. M. Stephens, the contestants, did not appear.
In accordance with the Constitution we recommend that J. R.
Gutienez be seated with 1 vote.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
John Kelly, Local Union No. 2621, Herrin, 111., District No. 12,
. whose seat was contested, and the contestant, John W. Walker, Delegates
Hugh Bell and Oscar Hughes, from said local union, appeared before
the committee. After passing on all the evidence presented and in accord-
ance with the Constitution, we recommend that John Kelly be seated,
with 1 vote.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
Delegate Neutzling: That completes the report of the Committee
on Credentials.
Following is the complete report of the committee :
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS.
Indianapolis, Ind., January 15, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third Bien-
nial Convention, here assembled:
We, your Committee on Credentials, recommend that the following nam^
persons be seated as delegates to this convention, except those in arrears io^
tax or assessment.
Fraternal Delegate from the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter
Workers,
MRS. EMMA F. LANGDON, Denver, Colorado.
DISTRICT NO. 1, PENNSYLVANIA.
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
r Peckville M. J. Coleman, Main St., Peckville 1
I Scranton Edward Mnlchone, Scranton 8
1 Scranton Anthony Kubliss, Scranton 8
i2 Parsons Patrick F. Walsh, 420 Chestnut St.,
Scranton _ 1
3 Scranton Thomas H. Davies, 632 N. Hyde Park
Ave., Scranton 8
1 Pljrmouth John Ertz, William Moore, PIsrmouth 2
) Wanamie Thomas Davis, Nanticoke 4
2 Duryea P. F. Walsh, Scranton 1
' Mildred John Lonie, Bemice 4
S Luzerne Jacob Brooks, 273 Vaughn St., Luzerne 2
Scranton Thomas F. Loury, 615 Oharra St.,
Scranton 2
Wilkes-Barre Richard E. Morgan, Wilkes-Barre 2
Wilkes-Barre Jos. Tunaitis, Wilkes-Barre 2
Wilkes-Barre Jas. Younis, Wilkes-Barre 1
^ Shickshinny Elmer E. Terry, Shickshinny 8
» Scranton Wm. J. Brennan, Scranton 2
» Scranton Arthur G. Lewis, Scranton > 1
t Lopez Joseph Yannis, 4 Mill Hill, Pittston 2
^ Glen Lyon Anthony Briski, Glen Lyon 1
t Lee Park Thomas Davis, 422 Chestnut St.,
Nanticoke 2
^ Scranton Henry Tizhue, Academy St., Scranton assess.
^ Edwardsville James E. Jones, Main St., Edwarda-
ville 8
k Carbondale Michael Monohan, 31 Barnett Ave 4
• Scranton John F. Dempsey, Scranton 1
r Carbondale Harry Kerins, 47 Powderly St., Car-
bondale 1
Nanticoke Thomas Davis, Nanticoke 1
7 Glen Lyon Leon Gajewski, Glen Lyon 2
^ Carbondale John T. Dempsey, 512 Miller Bldg,
Scranton 1
L Plymouth W. P. Dajnowski, 55 Walnut Si.»
Plymouth 8
4 Throop Steve Chorba, Throop 2
4 Throop Mike Wargo, Throop 2
0 Priceburg Mike Wargo, 624 George st, Throop 1
2 Eynon Stanley Stobak, Eynon 1
I
604
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vc
1062 Scranton Isaac Newton, 928 JoMer Ave.,
Scranton
1084 Exeter Borough Martin Tigue, 44 Lincoln Ave., Exeter
Borough
1182 Plymouth C. W. Zerby, 127 South Main St.
1188 Edwardsville Leo Thomas, 281 Grove St, Kingston
1166 Breslan, Henry Tigue, Scranton
1167 Mocanaqua Kalikst Ssnimowski, Mocanaqua
1169 Edwardsville Daniel Roarty, Edwardsville
1169 Edwardsville John M. Mack, 47 W. Luz Ave., Ed-
wardsville
1167 Glen Lyon John Snopkoski, Railroad St., Glen
Lyon
1174 Plymouth Hugh O. Kane, Plymouth
1217 Luzerne John M. Mack, 612 Miller Bldg.,
Scranton
1881 Scranton Henry Schnessler, 1204 Rock St.,
Scranton
1407 Wilkesbarre John B. Gallagher, 236 McDean st,
Wilkesbarre
1418 Lee Kalikst Syumowski, Mocanaqua 1—
1428 Scranton Martin McDonough, 128 N. Cameron
Ave., Scranton a:
1432 Ashley Frank Kolenski, Ashley
1466 Miners Mills Alfred Oplinger, 16 Ck>ok St., Plains
1487 Pittston John A. Gerrity, Plains
1681 Luzerne John A. Gerrity, Plains
1617 Scranton David Jones, 308 N. Filmore Ave.
1617 Scranton James Gleason, 118 S. Buren Ave.
1636 Ply James Bolton, Scranton
1646 Luzerne J. M. Mack, 612 Miller Bldg., Scran-
ton 2-
1649 Taylor James Bolton, 331 17th Ave., Scran-
ton
1649 Taylor David Fowler, Scranton
1666 Scranton Michael Walsh, Rockwell Ave., Scran-
ton
1672 Olyphant David R. Davis, 612 E. Grant St.,
Olyphant
1680 Scranton William M. Morgan, 2040 Margaret
Ave., Scranton
1681 Providence James Ruddy, 1646 Sweeney
1682 Archbald J. M. Mack, Scranton
605
F. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
9 Wilkes-Barre Harrison Cann, 236 Bowman St.»
Wilkes-Barre 6
1 Olyphant Charles M. Beatty, Olyphant 2
3 Scranton Wm. Brennan, Scranton 1
4 Shickshinny Adam Lowery, Shickshinny 1
0 Dunmore Ed. J. Ibberson, 106 Andrew St 1
7 Ridgewood Otto Binker, Miner St., Hudson 1
12 Nanticoke Joseph Tunitis, Wilkesbarre 1
9 Adam Lawry 1
9 Thos. Kosteka 1
9 Tom Davis 1
4 Pittston Joseph Yannis, Pittston 1
6 Wilkes-Barre Joseph Yamis, 4 Mill HiU, Pittston tax due
9 Scranton James Gleason, Scranton 1
5 South Scranton R. E. Morgan, South Scranton 1
DISTRICT NO. 2, PENNSYLVANIA.
^ Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
9 Expedit Robert Foster, Expedit 1
3 Phillipsburg H. E. Johnson, Phillipsburg 4
1 Defiance Chas. Wise, Defiance 2
) Arcadia Irvin Lewis, Arcadia 4
i Spangler Arthur McKivigan, Spangler 8
Winbume Ira S. Watts, R. D. Box 51, Munson 6
Madera Max Caldwell, Madera 6
De Lancey Daniel Devlin, DeLancey 4
South Fork D. C. Murphy, South Fork 5 — 1 ex.
South Fork Richard Gilbert, Miners Bldg., Clearfield 6
) Chambersville Peter Sembo, Chambersville 1
Jamestown Walter Price, Sonman 6
: DuBois Fred D. Thomas, DuBois 2
Helvetia Frank Raslavsky, Box 64, Helvetia 6
) Portage Thos. Hopkins, Portage 4
» Safi^amore John W. McMillon, Sagamore 4
Clymer H. M. James, Clymer 1
> Morrisdale Harry Crago, Phillipsburg 8
Bamesboro E. L. Thomas, Bamesboro 4
Barnesboro John McKillop, Bamesboro 4
Bamesboro Wm. Dainty, Barnesboro 4
( Desire Thomas Collins, Eleanora 8
t Soldier Chester Succhella, Soldier 8
' Seminole Tony Badiali, Seminole 8
^ Dunlo James Feeley, Dunlo 6
Ernest Frank Carabin, Ernest 5—1 ex.
I Patton Eli Stan, Patton 5—2 ex.
Cresson Alex Park, Cresson 2
506
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate.
865 Amot John Kinnaird, Amot
935 Cassandra Chas. George, Cassandra 5-
1020 Fulton Run Edward Daly, R. D. No. 2, Indiana
1031 Robertsdale Riley Donahue, Robertsdale
1031 Robertsdale Ross Poor, Robertsdale
1043 Portage John Cunningham, Portage
1056 Gallitzin E. M. Glaney, Gallitxin (^
1071 Ehrenfeld Richard Stafford, Ehrenfeld
1106 Nu Mine Thomas Anthony, Nu Mine
1134 Grass Flat Charles Sherman, Grass Flat
1186 .Fredell William Donaldson, DuBois
1218 Anita Thomas Cowan, Anita
1294 Lilly Michael Bradley, R. F. D. 218, Lilly
1295 Glen CampbeO Peter Ferrara, Punzsutawney
1304 Kittanning A. C. Hays, Kittanning
1305 Rimersburg Dale H. Hani^, Rimersburg
1810 Walston James Mark, DuBois
1347 Nanty Glo Wm. T. Welsh, Nanty Glo
1370 Morris Run Thos. Price, Morris Run
1370 Morris Run Mike Klimeko, Morris Run
1386 Nanty Glo Thomas McDermott, Nanty Glo
1386 Nanty Glo Frank Kelly, Nanty Glo
1402 Coalport Samuel Templeton, Coalport
1489 Clsrmer Benjamin Wilkins, Clymer
1515 Dizonville Thomas R. Penbertly, Dixonville
1569 Frostburg Samuel Brown, FrosU>urg
1583 Madera Alexander McMullen, Madera
1587 Homer City John Giorgi, Waterman
1627 Moshannon John M. Soltis, Clarence
1683 Six Mile Run James Miller, Six Mile Run
1736 Rossiter Wm. Maddox, Rossiter
1785 Yatesboro Ernest Mazzanslla, Tateaboro 5-
1871 Clarence John M. Soltis, Clarence
1924 Bitumen George Ritz, Bitumen
1957 Waterman Greorge Lightcap, Waterman
1995 Dudley Arthur Jones, Six Mile Run
2008 St. Benedict J. P. Duffy, St. Benedict
2030 Weedville O. J. Towns, Bymedale
2034 Osceola Charles Oniell, Clearfield
2041 Blossburg Stanley Hudzinski, Blossburg
2043 Wishaw James Mark, DuBois
2044 Dagus Mines Frank Mosier, Kersey
2085 Langdondale John Brophy, Clearfield
2098 Antrim Stanley J. Hudzinski, Blossburg
507
f. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
3 New Bethlehem Heber Silvis, New Bethlehem 2
Z Beaverdale Mike Nelson, Beaverdale 4
Z Beaverdale Mike Estok, Beaverdale 4
6 Marsteller Michael Waylo, Bamesboro 8
8 Martindale Andrew Smay, Martindale 4
6 Crenshaw Joseph Poggiani, Indianapolis, Ind. 1
7 Brockwayville Fred Carlson, Brockwayville 1
3 West Monterey Frank Waite, DuBoitf 1
8 Dutch Hill Samuel Nunemaker, Dutch Hill tax due
0 Shawmut F. C. Waite, DuBoia 1
2 LawBonham J. D. Stitt, Lawsonham 2
1 Cato John M. Soltis, Clarence Has required amt.
0 Marion Center W. S. Davidson, Marion Center 1
3 Sykesville Victor Golino, Sykesville 4
8 Luzerne Mines Thomas Bianco, Luzerne Mines 4
8 Luzerne Mines Rudolph Gostenik, Indiana Co. 4
1 Eriton Ross Cannail, Eriton 8
I Eriton Walter Armston, Eriton , 8
I Conifer Eugrene Quinn, Conifer 8
I DuBois Wm-. Joseph, DuBois, R. D. No. 2 6
I Meyersdale William James, Meyersdale 2
3 Smith Mills T. D. Stiles, Smith Mills 8
0 Anita Emil Anderson, No. 216 Anita 1
) Puritan Geo. Cowan, Puritan 4
6 Codogan Wm. Vaughn, Codogan 8
1 Dudley A. L. Edwards, Dudley 2
2 Finleyville Daniel McKnight, Six Mile Run 2
7 Parkers Landing Wm. Gallagher, Parkers Landing ' 1
4 Six Mile Run H. B. Roher, Six Mile Run 1
9 Beccaria : T. D. Stiles, Smith Mill 1
I MacDonaldton Andy Covolak, MacDonaldton 8
3 Pen Mar No. 2 Shaft Alex. Fisher, 1800 Main St., Berlin 2
I Homer City Andy Tomasko, Homer City 1
J Kearney....' A. W. Jones, Six Mile Run 1
) Aultman John Carso, Aultman 2
J Six Mile Run Arthur Jones, Six Mile Run 1
DISTRICT NO. 6, PENNSYLVANIA.
Location. Name and Address of Delegate.
Catsburg E. S. McCuUough, Monongahela
Catsburg Joseph Marsegali, Monongahela
Webster Thomas H. Naylor, Webster
Arnold Frank Leitbold, Fayette City
Votes.
1
1
8
8
508
L,IJ. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vo
M West Newton Moses Sweney, West Newton
108 Bridgeville Christ Shira, BridgeviUe
187 AUenport John O'Leary, Roscoe
286 Hazzard Joseph Christopher, Hazsard
285 Hazzard Steve Kiewech, Monongahela
260 Moon Run John Stanislaw, Moon Run
260 Moon Run Robert R. Gibbons, Moon Run
269 Baird William Hargest, Monongahela
274 Boston Sidney Davis, Amyville
280 New Eagle Daniel Grundy, New Eagle
816 Belle Vernon E. J. Murphy, Belle Vernon
816 Belle Vernon Peter Lehew, Belle Vernon
876 New Kensington William Hobough, Arnold
876 New Kensington Peter Haser, Arnold
408 Monongahela Mike Plesher, Monongahela
410 Guifey Louis Maioli, Yohoghaney
422 Shire Oaks James Sabin, Coal Bluff
424 Smiths Ferry Wm. Tear, Grove City
428 Hites Andy Hudeck, Hites
428 Hites James Gates, Hites
460 Creighton Patrick Garrity, McFettridge Mine tax d
524 Harwick Fred Brosky, Harwick
580 Floreffe William Pickering, Floreffe
540 Webster John Williams, Webster
568 Webster Fred Gullick, P. 0. 426, Ellsworth
503 Charleroi William A. Guiler, 419 FaUowfield
Ave., Charleroi
505 Burgettstown James H. Jones, Burgettstown
616 Fayette City Walter Bruce, Fayette City
688 Fredericktown John Irwin, Fredericktown
718 Shoring Robert Howard, Shoring
726 Cliff Mine Harry Ceyrotter, Cliff Mine
762 Fredericktown John McCarty, Vestaburg
762 Fredericktown John Dale, Vestaburg
797 Carnegie J. Carplen, 14 Glenn Ave., Glendale
813 Gallatin Jake Lynch, Gallatin
813 Gallatin Frank Ventureni, Gallatin
818 West Newton Sidney Davis, Amyville
827 Broughton William Gibbons, Broughton
849 Brownsvillo Edward Reed, Brownsville
854 Roscoe Robt^rt Hisenbaugh, Roscoe
864 Sturgoon James Flood, Noblestown
873 Broughton Jacob Helzhauser, Option
904 Bruceton John 0*Leary, Roscoe
609
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
dcGovem Thomas Huges, Canonsburg tax
(Canown William Hargest, Monongahela 2
jyre John P. BusavellOy Lyre 8
Uccoon Robert Baird, Raccoon 1
feadowlands Wm. F. Schmalz, Washington 1
heading Fred Ince, Reading 8
Cllsworth Jos. Hazlinsky, Ellsworth 2
CUsworth Fred GuUick, Ellsworth 1
Cllsworth Vincent Frossotti, Ellsworth 1
Doal Center James McDonald, Coal Center 1
Caylor James Hickey, Kaylor 2
Caylor Wm. Teare, Kaylor 1
Cllsworth John Mayer, Ellsworth 2
Cllsworth Ralph Bamabei, Ellsworth • 2
yokeburg O. F. Gunter, Cokeborg 2
yokeburg John Rodger, Box 171, Cokeburg 2
lAwrence Morgan Reese, Lawrence 8
donongahela Fred Gullick, Ellsworth 1
?amassus Peter Haser, New Kensington 1
sturgeon Jacob Fums, Sturgeon 1
sturgeon Robert Gaitens, Sturgeon 1
;:;ourtney John E. Pascoe, Courtney 1
toscoe John O'Leary, Roscoe 1
deadowlands Harry Henry, Meadowlands 1
3astle Shannon Andy Fielder, Castle Shannon 2
3astle Shannon H. J. Hahn, Castle Shannon 3
3ruceton A. Maracini, Bruceton 2
Jruceton S. Simmons, Bruceton 8
jutersville George Shaw, R. F. D. West Newton 1
5utersville Sidney Davis, Amyville 2
lanif old Stephen Yurcina, Manifold 2
Manifold Chas. Rossi, Manifold 1
ilendersonville Frank Dobbin, E. Pike St., Canons-
burg 1
3ecil Patsy Giommarco, Cecil 5
Dakdale D. W. Simpson, Oakdale 1
Dakdale James Flood, Oakdale 1
\rden William Hynes, Fayette City 2
^est Brownsville George Swords, West Brownsville 8
aazel Kirk Philip Murry, 907 First NatT Bank
Bldg., Pittsburgh 2
Imperial Andrew Fielder, Castle Shannon 1
510
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate.
1647 Penova Frank Maurer, R. F. D. No. 2, Box 48,
Avella
1648 Fair Haven Peter Jacob, 800 Morrow Ave., Gar-
ricke
1664 Cuddy Louis Scallary, Cuddy
1678 Sunnyside John William Sickels, Sunnyside
1712 Option Max Steinbach, Option
1724 ^ Midland Thomas Hughes, Canonsburg
1780 Suter Robert Little, Box 88, Amyville
1787 California Harry Delbarre, California
1787 California John Suleke, California
1787 California Leonard Seinar, California
1794 Studa Toney Skender, Studa
1812 New England Thomas Hurley, Willock
1826 Canonsburg Frank Davie, Canonsburg
1829 Meadowlands Joseph Shontos, Meadowlands
1829 Meadowlands Thomas Hughes, Meadowlands
1830 Braznell John Lewis, Braznell
1898 Imperial Andy Puskar, Imperial
1917 Dinsmore Robt. Howard, Oakdale
1917 Dinsmore F. P. Hannaway, Oakdale
1943 Carnegie Robert R. Gibbons, First Natl Bank
Bldg., Pittsburgh
1947 Elizabeth John Wilks, Elizabeth
1966 Cliftonville Joseph Castrodale, Clif tonville
1969 Deegan Wm. Tear, Grove City
2007 Cherry Valley James Flood, Noblestown
2012 Primrose John Bain, Midway
2025 Jacobs Creek James Malone, Jacobs Creek
2026 Westland Thomas Hughes, Canonsburg
2029 Van Voorhis E. L. Smith, Van Voorhis
2050 Southview John Hallan, Southview
2050 Southview Tony Bigones, Southview
2057 Whitsett Josiah H. Lyons, Whitsett
2065 Cherry Valley Paul Sabo, Cherry Valley
2086 Brownsville Thomas Sharratt, South Brownsville
2087 W. Brownsville E. D. Reed, W. Brownsville
2091 Cherry Valley Van Bittner, Cherry Valley
2102 Fayette City William Williams, Fayette City
2107 Avella James Flood, Pittsburgh
2128 McConnellsville Thomas Hughes, Canonsburg
2147 Morgan , Fred Donnelli, Morgan
2148 Pricedale David Conville, Pricedale
2148 Pricedale E. J. Murphy, Pricedale
611
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
6 Walkers Mills Philip Murray, 822 Bell ave., Carnegie 1
) Brownsville Joseph Bastow, California 2
) Brownsville Wm. Turnhlazer, California 1
2 Denbro Harry Humphries, Denbro 1
1 Raccoon Jos. P. Dillon, Raccoon 2
2 Curtisville *. Clifford Silcox, Curtisville 8
4 Courtney Wm. Hodgson, Courtney 2
9 Bunola Wm. Hargest, 907 First National Bank
Bldg., Pittsburgh 1
0 Brownsville Ed. Reid, Brownsville 1
2 Fayette City William Hynes, Fayette City 1
1 Smithton Amel Crome, Smithton 1
3 Smithton G. P. Bateman, Smithton 2
8 Bentleyville Thos. R. Metcalf, Bentleyville 2
8 Bentleyville Geo. Kopko, Bentleyville 2
8 Bentleyville Fred GuUike, Bentleyville 1
3 Fitz Henry Sidney Davis, Amyville 1
4 East Charleroi Eugene Murphy, Belle' Vernon 1
3 Mollenauer James Dugan, Castle Shannon 6
i Elizabeth William Leckie, Elizabeth 5
7 New Eagle Fred Gullick, Ellsworth 1
6 Fayette City Daniel Rohland, Jr., Fayette City 8
7 Bellevernon Eugene J. Murphy, Bellevemon 1
8 Van Voorhis John Robinson, Van Voorhis 2
9 Daisytown Andrew Homick, Daisytown 4
9 Daisytown Frank Long, California 4
9 Dais3rtown Steve Rajteke, Daisytown 4
Finleyville Robert Gibbons, Carnegie 1
Large William G. Dolfi, Large 2
Large *. J. E. Davis, Large 2
Van Meter George Lesefky, Van Meter 2
Blythedale Herbert White, Scott Haven 3
Fredericktown Fred Sterben, Fredericktown 1
Cuddy Henry Crawley, Cuddy 2
Fayette City William Hynes, Fayette City 1
Atlasburg Dannie Madden, Atlasburg 1
Stoneborq William Teare, Grove City 2
I Burgettstown R. M. Bailey, Burgettstown 2
Marianna Peter Moncusky, Box 178, Marianna 8
> Banning Sidney Davis, Amyville 1
Leechburg Paul Lobby, Leechburg 1
Leechburg Charles Bonello, Box 536, Leechburg 1
Leechburg Robert Caveglia, Leechburg 1
512
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate.
3113 Pine Run Wm. Hargest, 1-2 Nat. Bank Bld^^,
Pittsburgh
3118 Mooween J. W. Pearce, Saltsburg
3136 Russelton John Starch, Russelton
8136 Russelton John Mlzo, Russelton
3136 Russelton Paul Bremes, Russelton
8137 Bairdf ord Mike Barry, Bairdf ord
3138 Leechburg John Vogel, Leechburg
8139 Curtisville Steve Baker, Curtisville
3140 Vandergrif t Walter Dick, Vandergrif t
3141 Avonmore Joseph Bono, Avonmore
3143 Adri Thomas Lawton, Adri
3147 Apollo James A. Sarver, Apollo
3160 Saltsburg John O'Leary, Roscoe
3161 Freeport Thomas Naylor, Webster
3167 Braebum Pet Haiser, Braebum
8214 Kelly Sta Paul McGowan, KeUy Sta.
3267 Wyano Stephen Pohley, Wyano
3268 Peterson James Oats, New Kensington
3368 Yukon Martin Laurine, Yukon
3600 Burgettstown Robert Howard, Burgettstown
3606 Salina Tony Poleto, Salina
DISTRICT NO. 6, OHIO.
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. >
6 New Philadelphia John Pearch, New Philadelphia
13 Bridgeport Frank Ledvinka, Bridgeport 2—
38 Cambridge E. W. Flay, Cambridge
44 Glencoe A. W. Hart, Rey R. R. 1
63 Byesville Harry Rudy, Byesville, Rt. 1
68 Murray City John Moore, Columbus
81 Congo James Nicholls, Congo
121 Buffalo Chas. Snide, Buffalo
121 Buffalo Dave Watkins, Buffalo
170 Salineville 0. 0. Barker
183 Hopedale T. A. Atkins, Hopedale
193 Neffs Ira Kimes, Neffs
202 Hollister Fred R. Burgess, Hollister
208 Byesville C. H. Grabham, Byesville
231 Roswell Tony Amicone, Roswell
245 Barton Adolph Max, Barton
270 Coonville Sanford Snyder, Coonville
276 Glouster Wm. Ellis, Glouster
276 Glouster Joseph Richards, Glouster
515
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
Martins Ferry Ettore Delguzzo, Martins Ferry 2
Jobs * Conrad. Wein, Murray City 1
Crescent Wm. Applegarth, Crescent 2
Crescent John Ranach, Crescent 1
Glouster John Moore, Columbus 2
Fairpoint Wm. Wallace, Fairpoint 8
Barton George McGonegol, Barton 2
Buchtel Hugh Andrews, Buchtel . 2
Jacksonville Joe Thyne, Jacksonville 2
Chauncey D. H. Powers, Chauncey 2
Hollister John Rothery, Hollister 8
Saltillo Edmund Thomas, Saltillo 1
Coshocton James R. McCormick, Coshocton 1
Robins Alexander Allison, Robins 2
> Midvale Thomas Price, Midvale 2
5 Chauncey Clarence McCafferty, Chauncey 4
Murray Thomas Gears, Murray 8
Tiltonville Emil Coda, Box 106a, Tiltonville 1
Barton Geo. Kliar, Barton 1
Flushing William Roy, Bridgeport 1
Clainsville Isaac McGee, Steel 2
Clainsville John Cinque, Bellaire 1
Crooksville David Watkins, Buffalo 1
Coal Run John Mosier, Wellston 1
Uhrichsville Fred Helle, Midvale 1
Byesville David Watkins, Buffalo 1
Deerfield G. W. Savage, Columbus 1
Roswell Thos. J. Price, Midvale 1
Kipling Frank Linhard, Kipling 1
Crooksville Wm. C. Thompson, Cambridge 1
Nelsonville Orl Dougherty, Nelsonville 1
Doanville Sanford Snider, Athens 1
Caldwell W. B. Phillips, Caldwell 3
Kimbley Sanford Snyder tax
Jacksonville Frank Bums, Glouster 3
Klee Wm. Applegarth, Bridgeport 1
Benwood, W. Va Leopold Zearott 2
Rogers James Blair, Rogers 1
Orbiston Edward Simmers, Orbiston 2
Stewartsville John Shivers, Stewartsville 1
Wellston Thomas Moran, Wellston 2
Buchtel Orel Daugherty, Buchtel 1
Nelsonville John Moore, Columbus 1
Carrington Sanford Snyder, Athens 1
7— M. Pro.
514
I. i). Uictttion. Name and Address of Delegate. VotHi
miii Mttlin«!ville E. 0. Baker, Salineville i
M i \ Vurkville Jack Bell, Tiltonsville • 2
UYH Jackson Wm. J. Lamb, Jackson ^
07H Harnhill Fred Helle, Midvale :
bill Itoswell Thomas J. Price, Midvale
1(175 Pomeroy S. M. Gilmore, Middleport 1
1(177 Hellaire John Zaccanine, Bellaire 4
1145 Uendville A. C. Claborn, Rendville 2
\UVA Ifobson A. T. Jones, Cheshire, R. H. 2 J
I IH4 Carbondalc George Gardner, Carbondale ^
1205 Millfleld W. E. Omen, Millfield S
1210 Uhrichsvillc James Johnson, Tracy I
1215 Tippecanoe Fred Helle, Midvale 1
12111 Brilliant J. H. Chadwell, Brilliant I
1285 Borgholz John M. Paplin, Bergholz 2
128H Bycsville W. C. Thompson, Buffalo 1
1250 Dilles Bottom William Harris, Dilles Bottom 2
1202 Wollston George Cecil, Wellston 1
1272 Martins Ferry Alex Kovich, Martins Ferry 1
1 275 Cannel ville Herman Delong, Cannelville 2
1 280 Stcwartsville John Hugh 2
1297 Pincy Fork William A. Morgan, Piney Fork, Box 49 2
1302 St. Clairsvillo Patrick Robinson ,8
IM23 East Greenville Thos. J. Price, Midvale 1
1:JM4 Sugarcroek John Wyckoff, Athens 8
1:M8 Midvale Fred Hille, Midvale . 1
IH51 Murray James McGawa, Murray 2
i;i7H Tioro City James Forgie, Lore City 1
1 MOO Bannock Andy Watkins, Yorkville 1
i:iOO Minorsvillo A. D. Lavuder, Minersville 2
141H New Philadelphia J. E. Moyer, New Philadelphia 1
1 4210 Connersvillo Peter Jennings, Rayland 2
1 4n5 Amsterdam Hugh Hawkins, Amsterdam 3
1 474 Nelsonvillc Sanf ord Snyder, Athens 1
1 480 Lore City James Forgie, Lore City 8
1493 McArthur George Cecil, Wellston 1
1490 Midvale Charles Gribble, Midvale 1
1531 Sugar Creek James H. Taylor, Poston, Box 32 S
1570 Byesville Wifl C. Thompson, Cambridge 2
1578 Rush Run Wm. Barcus, Rush Run 1
1590 Salineville E. O. Baker. Salineville 1
1009 Lansing Andy Croppi, Lansing 3
1013 DoUroy Thomas J. Price, Midvale
Has required amount
515
«
Location. ' Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
Hopedale George M. Griffith 1
Dilles Station Alfred McConnell, Moundsville 2
Nelsonville Connard Weain, Murray City 1
Pattons Run Peter Armitage, Rayland 2
Dillon vale Emanuel Linhart, Dillonvale 2
Blairmont Joseph Vegh, Blairmont 2
Baileys Mills Lon Lashley, Baileys Mills 1
Robins Charles C. Rogers, Robins 2
Byesville C. H. Grabham 1
Byesville John Kerr, Byesville 8
Robyville Lewis Sringalskie, Robyville 2
Darlington David Watkins, Buffalo 1
Pomeroy H. F. Bartels, Pomeroy 2
Maynard Frank Rottlas, Maynard 1
Cambridge David Watkins, Buffalo 1
Shadyside D. L. Hirtline, Shadyside 5
Jacksonville Vcm Mills, Jacksonville 4
Salineville John Saxon, Salineville 3
Bergholz John M. Poplin, Bergholz 8
Cambridge I^e Hall, Columbus 1
Glouster Robert Marshell, Glouster 2
Rush Run William Roy, Bridgeport 1
Shadyside Isaac Elson, Shadyside 8
West Point Robert Foster, Lisbon 2
Adena John Kavasne, Adena 2
Murray Thomas Gears, Murray 1
Belle Valley J. W. Oakes, Bell Valley 2
Rayland James Coss, Rayland 1
Harperville James Forbes, Harperville 2
Pigeon Run George H. Foster, N. Lawrence, R.
F. D. 2 1
Minersville Lorenzo Parkes, Minersville 2
Dillonvale Wm. Roy, Bridgeport 1
Buffalo Ralph Selby, Buffalo 3
Coal Ridge William J. Edmonds, Ava 3
Lafferty William Roy, Bridgeport 1
Maynard W. H. Krone, Maynard 4
Kipling C. H. McCoUums, Cambridge 2
Blaine George Munis, Blaine 2
Blaine S. J. Jones, Blaine 1
Dunglen Jas. Hawkins, Dunglen 2
Ramsey George Stock, Ramsey 2
Pleasant City Willis Watkins, Pleasant City 2
Pine Fork Thomas Hendo, Pine Fork 2
51(5
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vote^
2186 Canaanville George Bobo, Athens ^
2188 Corning William Robinett ^
2190 Sharpsburg William Harris, Cutler ^
2196 Lost Run William Eberts, New Straits ville ^
2225 Roseville David Watkins, Buffalo
Has required amoaE:^^^^
2247 Wolf Run Ed. McAtteer, Wolf Run t
2260 Bailey Mills Eustace Workman, Bailey Mills 1
2262 Dillies Bottoms R, U. Wallace, Jacobsburg 3
2276 Bellaire George Morgan i
2276 Bellaire Wm. Roy ^
2284 Crooksvillc Lee Hall, Columbus ^
2300 Millflcld J. H. Martin, Jacksonville ^
2349 Floodwood J. E. Reed, 330 Oak St., Nelsonville 1
2379 Stanwood George Foster, Rt. 2, North Lawrence I
23H0 West Wheeling William A. Nichols, Bellaire 1
23H(J Glcncoc Lewis Orel, Glencoe 1
2387 Fair point Albert Blacker, Fairpoint S
2389 New Philadelphia J. H. Van Meter, 239 E. Front St.,
New Philadelphia 1
2390 W. Lebanon George Foster, Rt. 2, North Lawrence 1
2400 Rush Run George W. Ogden, Rush Run 1
2421 Middleport S. M. Gilmore, Middleport 1
2449 Offerman Frank Bender, Pleasant City I i
2450 Middleport Shird Gilmore, Middleport 1
2451 Seninra ville John Allen, Senecaville 2
2452 New Lexington Gus Shaner, New I^xington i
245S Pomeroy S. M. Gilmore, Middleport 2
2459 New Philadelphia Edward Hiser, New Philadelphia 1
24tU Roswell Thos. J. Price, Midvale
Has required amount
2526 Neffs John Weekly, Neff 4
2529 Maynard Wm. Green 1
2530 San Toy James A. Bell 4
2559 Carbon Hill Conrad Wein 1
2550 Mineral City John Bell, Mineral City 1
2551 Amsterdam Henry Wilkinson, Amsterdam 2
25S4 Jackson Thos. Wilson. Jackson 1
2591 Flushing Wm. Roy Has required amount
2592 Bridirt^port Joseph Ancrlo. Bridgreport 1
259S l.atTorty ... William Roy, Bridgeport
Has required amount
JiUKi IVmovoy U. Ra/.oy. Pomeroy 1
L*(U7 MvMiday . K'.roy Williams. Nelsonville 2
617
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
I Buffalo Owin Daniel, Buffalo 3
t West Lebanon Geor^re Foster, North Lawrence, R.
F. D. 2 1
» Pine Run Oscar Rodeline, Rhodesdale 2
Poston W. F. Bolingir, Athens 2
Germano Charles Wilson, Germano
Wellston George Cecil, Wellston
» Pleasant City John Wardle, Pleasant City
Redfield Leroy Brown, Saltillo
* Dillonvale Frank Ledvinka, Wheeling Creek
» Bergholz John M. Poplin, Bergholz
5 Palos Fred Burges, Glouster, R. 1
I
[ Kimberly Sanford Snyder, Athens
I Lore City David Watkins, Buffalo
Has required amoun
) Murray City Wm. Robinett
) Elm Grove, W. Va Mick Bender
I Triadelphia, W. Va James Shaskey, Triadelphia
) Follanabee, W. Va C. S. Gillespie, Wellsburg, W. Va.,
1317 Chas. St.
J Collins, W Va James Howard, Collins, W. Va.
i Crescent Frank Ledvinka, Bridgeport
I Morgan Run James McCormick, Coshocton
) Rendvillc I^e Hall, Columbus
I Yorkville Jack Bell, Tiltonville
! Moundsville Frank Ledvinka, Bridgeport
Has required amoun
J Moundsville Frank Ledvinka, Bridgeport Tax due
J Willow Grove Ira Kirncs, Neffs
L Cambridge Will C. Thompson, Cambridge
) McCainesvillc Isaac McGee, Steel
DISTRICT NO. 7, PENNSYLVANIA.
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
) Lattimer John Costello, Milnesville 5 — 3 ex.
> Freeland William Hemes, Freeland 2
L Janesville John Dougherty, Hazleton 3
) Hazleton Neal J. Ferry, Hazleton 4
I Cranberry John Yourishin, Hazleton 3
I Ebervale John Yourishin, Hazleton 1
I Coleraine John Sheridan, Juncdale il
\ Harwood Thomas McLoughlin, Harwood 2
I Nuremburg Thomas Kennedy, Hazleton 1
) Drifton (Jeorge Laputka, 99 Burton st., Freeland 2
518
L.U. Location.
1520 Harleigh
1536 Coaldale
1548 Hazle Brook . . .
1571 Tamaqua
1572 Lansford
1658 Sandy Run
1665 Summit HiU . . .
1704 Nesquehoning . .
1704 Nesquehoning . .
1738 Lansford
1831 Hazleton
1008 Reaver Meadow
2077 Harleigh
21G8 McAdoo
2647 Beaver Meadow
3280 McAdoo
3292 McAdoo
L.U.
48
136
216
LM4
246
249
301
337
620
6i>T
760
771
770
ss:^
12M
11^2r*
•J7i>4
SliV
:?iiL^
3174
Vota.
1
2
2
4
Name and Address of Delegate.
Thomas Kennedy, Hazleton
Peter Boyle, Phillips st, Coaldale
Cinchew Bolish, Hazle Brook
C. C. Boner
Daniel Fisher, Lansford
Andrew J. Matas, Jr., Sandy Run
Edward J. O'Donnell Summit Hill
Michael Hartnead, Nesquehoninc:
Benjamin Davis, Nesquehoning^
Thomas Kennedy, Hazleton
Neal J. Ferry, McAdoo
Joseph Gallagher, Beaver Meadow 2
Arthur McGinty, 524 Alter 8t.» Hazleton 2
Charles F. Gallagher, Kelayres 1
Xeal J. Ferry, Penna
Has required amount
Chas. Smith, McAdoo 4
Anthony Student, McAdoo 8
2
4
4
4
3 — 2 ex.
DISTRICT NO. 8, INDIANA.
Votes.
Location. Name and Address of Delegate.
Clay City. Ind J. M. Luther, Clay City
Carbon James Cantwell, Carbon
East Brazil lEd. Haverkamp, BraxQ
East Brazil John Ljmch, 115 Ashley St., Brazil
Diamond Lawrence Bromlett, Diamond
Hoosierville Ed. Haverkamp, Brazil
Ashboro James Cantwell, Carbon Less than 10 mem
Diamond Lawrence Bromlett, Diamond
Hadleytown Lawrence Bxx>mlett, Diamond
Center Point James J. McKinney, Perth
Canionia James Cantwell, Carbon
Perth James J. McKinney, Perth
Ashorvillo Ed Haverkamp. Brazil
Cwil Fluff James J. McKinney, Perth
Strin^rtown Ed. Haverkamp, Brazil
Diamo!\il Lawivnce Bromlett, Diamond
Clay City J. M. Lurker. Clay City
Ci'^nl City J. M. Lu:her, Clay City
Smithy ir.o David Gonser. Coal City
Carbon Jame5 Cantwell. Carbon
P.^trioksbun: J. M. Luiher. Clay City
S.*i:ir.e City J. M. L'jiiher, Clay City
Jessup Lawrence Bromlett* Diamond
519
DISTRICT NO. 9, PENNSYLVANIA.
]Li.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
32 Mahanoy Thomas Peck, Mahanoy 1
105 Mt Carmel Thomas J. McDonald 5
118 Mahanoy City Stiney Gegvizis, Mahanoy City 1
124 Trevorton James McAndrews, Shamokin 1
124 Trevorton George Brubaker, Trevorton 5
160 Shamokin Ed. G. Renn, 31 S. H. 4th st., Shamokin 2
206 Shenandoah P. F. Sweeney 1
606 Locust Gap Leo Bradley, Locust Gap 5 — 1 ex.
561 Shamokin Peter J. Yodzio, 1314 Hemlock st.,
Shamokin 2
579 Mt. Carmel Wm. Douty, 118 S. Spruce st., Mt. Carmel 5
807 Shenandoah Matt Earengo, Shenandoah ^ 1
807 Shenandoah Anthony Matkanskey, Shenandoah 1
866 Mahanoy City James P. Foley, Mahanoy City 3
918 Girardville Peter Geiamaites, Connerton assess.
920 Post Carbon George Litvenn, Silver Creek assess.
933 Mt. Carmel John Strambo, Mt. Carmel 1
967 Mt. Carmel Cornelius Pottier, 603 Wave, Mt Carmel 1
984 Brady Stanley Serespie, 1441 Hemlock st,
Bradey 1
1023 Shamokin John C. Rumbercer, 836 W. Spruce st.,
Shamokin 2
1105 Morea Patrick Campbell, Morea 1
1112 Mahanoy Place John J. Coonan, Mahanoy Place 1
1113 Middleport George Litvenn assess.
1183 Wilburton William C. Rhods, Wilburton 2
1261 Tower City John S. Schreiner, Tower City 1
1261 Tower City George W. Henry, Tower City ^ 4
1320 Maysville Stiney Geguzie 1
1333 Mahanoy City Owen Crossen, 404 W. Center st.,
Mahanoy 6
1362 Mahanoy City John Getzin, 509 W. R. R. St.,
Mahanoy 2
1384 Shamokin Francis Gillespie, Shamokin, 515 S
Anthracite st. 4
1384 Shamokin John C. Delbaugh, 211 7th st, Shamokin 3
1393 Lost Creek Philip Possesky, Lost Creek 1
1398 Shaft Joseph Cutchinsky, Shaft 2
1409 New Boston John Strambo, Mahanoy City 1
1414 Shenandoah Monroe Kline, Shenandoah 1
1443 Shenandoal^ William Hartz, 411 W. Center St.,
Shenandoah 2
520
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vote
1479 Centralia Wm. Calaggy, Gentralia
1500 Mahanoy City Stiney Geguzie, Mahanoy City
1500 Mahanoy City Frank Klimosky, Mahanoy City
1509 Shenandoah Anthony Cuff
1511 Mahanoy City Stiney Geguzie, Mahanoy City
1514 Lost Creek Philip Possessky, Lost Creek
1516 Lost Creek M. J. McGrath, Lost Creek
1517 Ashland Thomas Graham, Ashland 5—2 e:
1533 St. Clair Pati J Malia, N. Second st., St. Clair
1537 Tuscarora Anthony Cuff, Shenandoah
1540 Buck Mountain John Strambo, Mahanoy City
1541 Gilberton . . . ! James Whalen, Gilberton
1542 Mahanoy Plane J. L. Whalen, Mahanoy City
1^50 Williamstown John J. Mates, Williamstown
1550 Williamstown Harper Watheys, Williamstown
1550 Williamstown Thos. R. Davis, Williamstown
1558 Pine Grove Irvin Zerbe, Pine Grove
1560 Tremont John S. Shremer, Tower City
1564 Lanig^ans James Mathews, Shenandoah
1568 New Philadelphia George Rontineatis, New Philadelphia
1584 Locustdale John Moyer, Locustdale
1592 Cumbola George Litvenn, Silver Creek
1598 Middleport George Litvenn, Silver Creek
1600 Ravine A. J. Zimmerman, Ravine
1618 Turkey Run James Mathews, Shenandoah
1619 Fowlers James Mathews, Shenandoah
1621 Bymesville Patrick J. Sweeney, Shenandoah
1628 Hegins Harper Watkeys, Williamstown
1669 Shamokin Christ J. Golden, 234 S. Diamond st..
Shamokin
1669 Shamokin John C. Rumbergor, 836 W. Spruce
St., Shamokin
1685 Shenandoah .*. . . P. F. Sweeney, Jordin st., Shenandoah
1711 Gratz Charles M. Wise, Gratz aa
1725 Shamokin Frank Trykowski, 1205 Oneida st,
Shamokin
1728 Wilburton Michael J. Watslof , Wilburton
1767 Silver Creek Miles Finley, Silver Creek
1781 Mt. Carmel John J. Carr, Mt. Carmel
1796 Mt. Carmel Benjamin Glessman, Mt. Carmel
1838 Maeizville Michael McDonald, Mahanoy City
1 876 Shenandoah Thos. Peck, Shenandoah
1886 Wadesville George Litvenn, Silver Creek as
1889 Shamokin Victor Marietta, Shamokin
2850
2485
2539
2565
267T
2587
2596
2pil
2745
'-^ T-i
19:
24T.^
Name and Address of Delegate. Vo
Minersville John Strambo, Mahanoy
Branchdale Barnard Connelly, Branchdale
New Philadelphia Henry Laginski, Silver Creek
Minersville George Litvenn, Silver Creek asset
Five Points John Strambo, Mahanoy has required am
Maryd James Cannon, Tamaqua
Kulpmont Henry Mummaw, Kulpmont
Shenandoah Harry Williams, 643 W. Penn St.,
Shenandoah S
St. Clair George Litvenn, Silver Creek ]
Centralia Michael Washuta, Centralia 2
Girardville Michael McDonald, Mahanoy Plane 1
Kulpmont James J. McAndrews, Shamokin 1
Natalie Joseph Donnelly, Mt. Carmel ^
Ravenrun William C. Moll, Ravenrun 2
Shamokin Isaiah Spotzcr, 243 S. 9th st, Shamokin ]
Shenandoah H. T. Giese, Shenandoah 2
Shamokin Joseph Nalewajk, 1501 W. Mulberry
St., Shamokin assess
Mt. Carmel- John Parry, 250 E. 2nd st., Mt. Carmel S
Seltzer City George Litvenn, Silver Creek assess
New St Michael McDonald, Mahanoy ]
DISTRICT NO. 10, WASHINGTON.
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes
Ronald James Reese, Roslyn i
Carbonado John L. Johnson, Carbonado 4
Cumberland Frank Cope, Cumberland 1
Tono Henry Warren, Tono ]
Durham Frank Cope, Palmer ]
Chehalis Martin J. Flyzik, 407 Mutual Life
Bldg., Seattle ]
Palmer Samuel Caddy, Palmer ]
Bayne William H. Petler, Box 6, Baync 1
Taylor Wm. Short, Seattle ]
Black Diamond J. W. Bartoluzzi, Black Diamond <
Franklin Robt. H. Harlin, 404-407 Mutual Life
Bldg. :
New Castle Helgs Peterson, New Castle
Burnett Chas. Castle, Burnett '
Issaquah Wm. Short, Seattle 1
Roslyn James Reese, Roslyn [
Cle Elum Thos. Fleming, Clc Elum 5
Cle Elum Robert H. Harlin, Seattle 1
m
522
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
2583 Seattle Martin J. Flyzik, Seattle S
2634 Wilkeson Frank Purse, Box 105, Wilkeson 3
2682 Cle Elum Charlie Croci, Cle Elum 2
2717 Cumberland Wm. H. Short, Seattle 1 ,
2747 Issaquah t Wm. H. Short, Seattle 1
2869 Spiketon Martin J. Flyzik 1
2871 Ronald James Nelson, Rosljni t
3179 Fairfax Martin J. Flyzik, Seattle i
Has required amount
3458 Renton Emil Hendrickson, Seattle 8
DISTRICT NO. 11, INDIAJ^A.
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
21 Princeton, Ind W. H. Raney, Princeton 8
23 Terre Haute John Stitt, 1644 1st ave., Terre Haute 8
23 Terre Haute Wm. Mitch, Rm. 214, 1. 0. 0. F. Bldg.,
Terre Haute 1
24 Jasonville Joseph H. Fritz, Jasonville 1
39 Clinton Otto Armstrong, cor. 6th and Walnut
sts., Clinton 8
46 Petersburg G. G. Miller, Petersburg 2
54 Linton Com Smith, K st., Linton 2
74 Clinton Harry E. Bums, 102 E. Sycamore at.,
Clinton 2
75 Dugger Mark Palmer, Dugger 3
117 West Terre Haute Frank Potts, West Terre Haute 2
134 Clinton Thomas Price, Clinton 1
155 Bicknell Earl Atkinson, 213 E. Eighth St.,
Bicknell 2
184 Jasonville Homer Knoll, Jasonville 1
195 Cass James Eeeve, Cass 3
217 Boonville Chas. H. Williams, Boonville 1
228 Linton Warren Foster, Linton 2
254 Brazil James Summers, R. F. D. 4, Brazil 1
289 Winslow John Hagan, Winslow 8
352 Bicknell M. H. Head, Bicknell 1
352 Bicknell Joe Edwards, Bicknell 1
355 West Terre Haute David J. Barter, West Terre Haute 2
390 Evansville Dave Brink, Law an, 1
399 Linton Joseph Nixon, Linton 3
412 Hymera Lloyd L. Mahan, Hymera 3
463 Jasonville Oliver Channell, Jasonville 2
508 Terre Haute John Sedden, R E., Terre Haute 2
i
523
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
525 Terre Haute William Miller, 3102 N. 15th st.,
; Terre Haute 2
582 Augusta William H. Raney, Princeton 1
604 Clinton A. Powers, Terre Haute 3
625 Linton J. L. Sims, Linton 2
656 Jasonville Chas. Markle, R. R. 4, Linton 1
670 Terre Haute Charlie Morris, 1737 N. 6th st., Terre
Haute 1
670 Terre Haute W. D. VauHorn, Terre Haute 1
690 Princeton W. H. Raney, Princeton 1
713 Winslow K. L. Whitman, Winslow 2
764 Littles Moses Dossett, Glezen 2
884 Bicknell Wm. M. Gillem, Bicknell 5—1 ex.
906 Clinton Muril Sims, 353 N. 3d st., Clinton 4
953 Terre Haute Clyde Hirshf eld, Terre Haute 4
1019 Universal Marshal Stewart, Universal 2
1022 Chandler L. McWilliams, Evansville 1
1046 Clinton L. M. Fielding, 1211 S 3d st, Clinton 2
1099 Dugger Ben Blew, Sullivan R R 1
1111 Shelbum George Rice, R R No. 2, Shelburn 1
1187 Rosedale H. A. Harpold, Rosedale 3
1248 Boonville Joseph Dodwell, Boonville 1
1277 Shelburn John Banks, Shelbum 2
1326 Bicknell S. A. Van Hoy, R. R. 19, Bicknell 1
1328 Linton John J. Eddy, Linton 3
1368 Bruceville Frank Mitchell, Bruceville 3
1371 Chandler Elmer Smith, Chandler 1
1383 Linton . . 7 Camden Smith, Linton 2
1394 West Terre Haute Joseph Smith, Box 42, W. Terre Haute 2
1452 Evansville Robert Leigh, 917 E. Oregon st.,
Evansville 2
1539 Universal Michael Carroll, Universal 5
1555 Carlisle S. E. Dial, Carlisle 1
1634 Vincennes Thomas Winning, 35 E. Portland ave.,
Vincennes 4
1636 West Terre Haute Barney Potter, W. Terre Haute 2
1646 Clinton Jack Wake, 203 N. 8th st., Clinton 1
1668 Winslow Lou Chesser, R R No. 17, Winslow 2
1676 Linton Wm. Smith, Linton 2
1698 Bicknell Thomas Kinney, Bicknell 2
1702 West Terre Haute Chas. Sheperd, 1450 Liberty ave.,
Terre Haute 2
1713 Dugger Leonard Carr, Dugger 2
1743 Jasonville Harry Ashbaugh, Jasonville 3
524
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
1755 Boonville J. A. Greer, Boonville 1
1895 Gilmour J. H. Norris, Gilmour 2
1919 Jasonville Fred Billingsly, Jasonville 2
1 967 Edwardsport Harvie Morris, Edwardsport * 1
2011 Clinton John Greenway, Clinton 4
2024 Jasonville Lessie M. McDonald, Jasonville 8
2061 Clinton Thomas J. Raider, Clinton 3
20G2 Sullivan J. W. Anderson, 540 E. Washingrton
; St, Sullivan 1
2075 Glen Ayr Robert Hughes, R R D, Terre Haute 2
2121 Jasonville Joe Shelton, Jasonville 2
2122 Midland George Borders, Midland 1
2134 Antioch Henry Hautin, R R 7, Linton 2
2382 Shelburn Archie Forbes, Shelbum 2
2410 Oakland City John J. Williams, Oakland City 1
2411 Bicknell Joe Strickland, Bicknell S
2422 Clinton John Grange, 724 S. 4th st, Clinton 1
2422 Clinton Edward M, Davis, 802 S. 4th St., Clinton 2
2423 Vicksburg Claude Richards, Vicksburg 2
2427 Paxton George Gathes, Paxton 2
2431 Coalmont Harvey Asbury, Coalmont 2
2446 Clinton Robert Salmond, Clinton 3
2475 Shelbum James Shealey, Shelburn 1
2521 Wheatland M. M. Oskins, Wheatland 2
2522 West Terre Haute Edward Nicholas, 231 S. 3d st, West
Terre Haute 1
2522 West Terre Haute Dave Robb, 231 S. 3d st, West Terre
Haute 1
2544 Shelburn Roy Hershfelt, 1727 S. 4th st, Terre
Haute 1
2549 Fontanet Marshall Turner, Fontanet 2
2598 Farmersburg John Nikirk, Farmersburg 1
2G32 Terre Haute John E. Miller, West Terre Haute 2
2646 Terre Haute Job Deer, Terre Haute 1
2648 Libertyville Chas. Vernetti, Paris, 111., R R 1 2
27r)8 Shelburn James Dix, Shelburn 2
2777 Ft. Branch Charles Smith, Ft. Branch 1
2892 Dugper Ben Blue, Dugger 1
2976 Staunton C. E. Gillespie, Staunton 1
2989 Linton James Veller, 410 F st., N E, Linton 1
3041 Blanford Joe Marcinko, Blanford 3
8097 Terre Haute William Hurlow 2
3426 Staunton T. C. Trout, Staunton 1
3552 Paris Ave Charles Poff, S. 10th st, W. Terre Haute 1
525
LkU. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
8666 Linton J. L. Sims, Lock Box 161, Linton tax
3667 Cloverland Robert Cash, Harmony 1
DISTRICT NO. 12, ILLINOIS.
Li.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
2 Farmington ., Sam Cadulli, Farmington 2
4 Carson City Frank Davidson, Harco 2
1 1 Coal City Robert Osborne, Coal City 2
12 Logan M. Applegate, Logan 4
30 Lovington Thomas Wallett, Lovington 2
41 Catlin Chas. Bishop, Catlin 1
43 Spring Valley Anton Andrew, Spring Valley 4
43 Spring Valley Joe Balzarini, Spring Valley 3
52 Centralia Christ Roewekamp, corner Cherry
and Kaskaskia sts., Centralia 8
52 Centralia John Mentler, 1027 S. Hickory St.,
Centralia 3
58 Kewanee David W. Davis, 143 Dwight St, Ke-
wanee 1
67 Breese Pete Docherty,, Breese 2
78 Breese Pat Ratchford, B. 62, Breese 3
88 Eldorado Edward E. Kirk, Eldorado 3
91 Johnston City Geo. Hope, Johnston City 2
91 Johnston City Patrick Clancy, Johnston City 2
94 Moweaqua Ben Williams, Taylorville 1
99 Belleville Andy Wilson, 216 N. Race St., Belle-
ville 5 — 1 ex.
100 Mapleton John Beetler, Mapleton assess.
101 Pana John Pudia, Pana 3
106 Dunfermline Joseph Stokes, Canton 3
109 Assumption George Bunch, Assumption 1
122 Pocahontas G. R. McVey, Pocahontas 2
125 Mt. Olive* James Hickey, Mt. Olive 3
125 Mt. Olive Frank Norder, Mt. Olive 3
146 Divernon Roy Draper, Divemon 5 — 1 ex.
165 Willisville A. S. Russell, Willisville 4
167 Witt Caleb Marfell, Witt 3
221 Peoria George Noble, 403 Siebolt St., Peoria 2
224 Lincoln John Tynne, E. Pekin St., Lincoln 2
232 Christopher Ivor Rowlands, Christopher 2
232 Christopher John Black, Christopher 3
232 Christopher Orley Staples, Christopher 2
238 Belleville Fred Green, Belleville 2
526
L.U. Location. Name ana Address of Delegate.
238 Belleville Harry Bcrgadine, Belleville
288 Belleville Ed. Dobbin?, Belleville X
240 Marseilles Harry A. Holman, Marseilles 1^
247 Minonk L. M. DoUet, Roanoke ^
264 CoUinsviUe Jos. Schultz, Collinsville S
264 Collinsville Irvine Strain, Collinsville ^
291 Toluca Daniel Reece, Toluca ^
297 New Baden Christ Minekoth, New Baden 5
303 Orient H. W. Mills, Orient ^
303 Orient John Knapp, Orient 4
304 Belleville Robt. Knowles, 201 S. Fair St, Belle-
ville 2
304 Belleville John R. Schaefer, 514 Park ave.,
Belleville 2
305 Rentchler James Mahan, Rentchler * 1
317 Springfield Walter Cullen, 514 Ridgely Ave.,
Springfield 2
322 Danville W. R. Russell, Station C, Danville 1
329 West Frankfort John Burnett, West Frankfort 5
331 Springfield Thomas P. Moughan, 2028 E. South
Grand, Springfield 2
341 Lenzburg Joseph Prediger, Lenzburg 1
361 Niantic Ben Williams, 1016 Oak St., Taylorville 1
362 Coal Valley Geo. L. Mercer, Canton • 1
368 Cuba David Dixon, Cuba 3
388 Clifford W. G. Davis, Clifford 2
388 Clifford F. C. Hughes, Clifford 2
388 Clifford Lee Van Hoose, Clifford 1
409 Du Quoin Pete Kauffman, Du Quoin 8
409 Du Quoin Ed Green, Du Quoin 2
413 Springfield Thomas Hayes, 1223 Enterprise,
Springfield 8
419 Craig Henry A. Walker, Craig 2
420 Grayson A. L. Waytte, Grayson • 2
438 Equality Jack Dilback, Equality 1
448 Springfield John G. Dixon, S. 9th St., Springfield 3
467 Farmington Ben Montle, Farmington 1
473 La Salle Peter Jones, R. R. 24, La Salle 3
474 Belleville George J. Dahm, R. R. No. 4, Belleville 2
478 Du Quoin Charles Farras, Du Quoin 3
478 Du Quoin Robert Paxton, Du Quoin 2
492 Springfield Nick Klarens, 446 W. Carpenter St.,
Springfield S
493 Nokomis John Smith, Coalton 6
527
-^^ • Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
4^4 Springfield Robert Seisick, Spring^field 3
50^ Westville Thomas Pitchford, Westville 2
)0 ^ Westville August Houdock, Westville 2
^^ ^^ Westville John Jacobs, Westville 1
»^ ^ Westville John H. Walker, Westville 1
30 ^ Westville Herbert Halls, Westville 1
&V^ Tilden J. D. Phillips, Tilden 2
Tavey Alf. Campbell, Tavey 5
Pekin Thomas Hancock, Pekin 1
^'^B Springfield Thomas Hughes, Indianapolis, Ind. 1
^^8 Springfield Fred Guy, 2214 S. 11th St., Spring-
field, 111. 1
563 Peoria Walter Boundy, 234 Steward Ave.,
East Peoria 1
565 Equality J. H. Hampton, Equality 1
576 Pinckneyville Sam Brayfield, Pincknesrville 2
578 Benton E. R. Lodan, Benton 5
600 Cantrall M. R. Metz, Cantrall 1
605 Murphysboro Jake Wilson, Murphysboro 2
611 Sparta Sam Dickey, Sparta 2
618 Peru Michael Pietzak, Oglesby 1
620 La Salle Peter Grubich, La Salle 2
621 Sandoval John Hosbom, Sandoval 8
633 Athens Richard Rogers, Athens 2
644 Hillsboro Frank Zibb, Hillsboro 3
649 Peru Michael Pietrzak, Oglesby 2
650 Edwards Jacob Graham, Edwards 1
661 Rutland Michael Pietrzak, Oglesby 1
655 Rendville James McLeish, Rendville 3
655 Rendville Robert Morris, Rendville 3
658 Percy Sam Simonds, Percy 3
659 Sparta Ben F. Lince, Sparta 4
661 Hailna City Wm. Craggs, Hanna City 1
663 Coulterville Frank Resar, Coulterville 2
668 Worden Fred Conroy, Worden 3
672 Petersburg John M. Zimmerman, Springfield 1
675 Glasford A. J. Owens, Glasford 2
. 683 Murphysboro John Stevenson, R. F. D. No. 3, Mur-
physboro 1
685 CoUinsville Frank Stuart, Collinsville 2
685 Collinsville Dom. Peila, Collinsville 1
685 Collinsville Thomas J. Reynolds, Collinsville 1
685 Collinsville Frank J. Hayes, Merchants Bank
Bldg., Indianapolis, Ind. 1
528
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delef^ate. Votes.
686 Glen Carbon Dan H. Slinger, Glen Carbon 4
687 Freeburg Robert Browning, Freeburg 4
691 Troy Thomas Scott, Troy 3
694 Girard John W. Nuse, Girard 3
698 Pittsburgh Frank Dee, Pittsburgh 1
702 Carlinville A. A. Bowyer, Carlinville 1
705 O'Fallon Dave Wilson, O'Fallon 5
707 Peoria Jos. P. Goett, 215 Livingston St.,
Peoria 1
711 Johnston City O. C. Baor, Johnston City 2
712 Edinburg Ben Williams, Taylorville 1
715 Odin Sherman Uhls, Odin 3
720 Staunton Leo Safka, Staunton 3
720 Staunton Dominick Gori, Staunton 3
721 Pana Roy Morgan, Pana 3
726 Wenona Otto Timme, Wenona 3
728 Mt. Olive John DeWerff, Mt. Olive 3
730 Benld John L. Templeton, Gillespie 4
730 Benld Joseph Frew, R. R. No. 13, Mt. Olive 4
731 Springfield Nick Fontecchio, 2416 E. N. Grand
ave., Springfield 3
731 Spring^eld Harry Fish wick. Farmers National
Bank Bldg., Springfield 2
732 Peoria John St. Clair, R. R. 1. Box 62, Peoria 2
734 Peoria Thomas H. Tippitt, 610 Millman St.,
Peoria 4
736 Dalzell Pib Frankey. Spring Valley 5
743 Lebanon James Campbell, Lebanon 1
745 Pawnee Thos. M. Harrison, Pawnee 4
753 Bloomington Henry Potthoff, Bloomington 2
754 Riverton Henry Zake, Riverton 5
755 Staunton Edw. A. Wieck. Staunton 5—1 ex.
755 Staunton John H. Wieck, Staunton 5
755 Staunton Frank Paske, Staunton 5
757 Elk\ille W. B. Graham, Elk\nlle 4
758 Ledford H. E. Mullinix. Ledford 2
765 Breese William Fischer, Breese 2
766 Herrin Marion Rodgers, Herrin 2
766 Herrin Richard Jully, Herrin 1
781 Decatur Emil Remhold. Cor. Locust and
Charles Sts.. Decatur 2
782 Belleville P. S. Thompson, R. R. No. 4, Belleville 2
784 Marissa ?am North, Marissa 4
789 West Frankfort Mat Lee. West Frankfort 4
789 West Frankfort Julius Zulonisky, West Frankfort 4
529
Li.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
792 Norris James Conners, Norris 2
794 Eldorado Harry Kennedy, 509 Wise St., Eldorado 3
798 Harrisburg John Vaughn, Harrisburg 2
798 Harrisburg Tom Reed, Harrisburg 1
800 Streator Robt. Hodg^sen, Streator 1
800 Streator ^ram Farrington, Farmers' National
Bank Bldg., Springrfield 1
815 Lincoln James Deane, Oklahoma Ave., Lincoln 4
820 Edwardsville Louis Zak, Edwardsville 2
821 Oakwood John Billman, Oakwood 1
822 Pana Fay Bradley, Pana 4
826 Collinsville Henry Steckstor, 734 St. Clair Ave.,
Colli nsville • 2
843 Muddy Chas. Grace, Harrisburg 2
843 Muddy Giles Davis, Harrisburg 1
843 Muddy Nick Tulip, Harrisburg 1
848 Collinsville Harry Ewing, Collinsville 2
848 Collinsville Frank Hefferly, Collinsville 2
850 Dawson James Utterback, Dawson 1
859 Belleville Eugene LePere, Belleville 2
859 Belleville Walter Nesbit, Farmers* National
Bank Bldg., Springfield 1
860 Saint David John G. Atkenson, Canton 2
860 Saint David Thomas Prosser, St David 2
893 Canton W. H. Pascoe, Canton 5
895 Roanoke L. M. Dollet, Roanoke . 2
912 O'Fallon Thomas G. Harper, O'Fallon 2
923 Herrin James Dunihoo, Herrin 1
929 Oglesby Rud Farneti, Oglesby 2
929 Oglesby . . .* Michael Pietrzak, Oglesby
944 Herrin John Reid, Herrin
944 Herrin E. Hawkins, Herrin
944 Herrin H. R. Thompson, Herrin
944 Herrin A. M. Belcher, Herrin
946 Farmington Barney McMahon, Farmington
946 Farmingrton Samuel Pascoe, Farmington
948 Danville John Swisher, Oakwood 3
959 West Frankfort Ed Rick, West Frankfort 3
969 West Frankfort T. W. Hurst, West Frankfort 3
959 West Frankfort ^teve Bone, West Frankfort 2
980 Coff een Albert Haenny, Coif een 2
986 Herrin Abe Hicks, Herrin 1
986 Herrin Matt Rogers, Herrin 1
986 Herrin Dennis Morefield, Herrin 1
530
L.U. Location. Name an4 Address of Delegate. Votes.
986 Herrin W. J. Sneed, Herrin 1
992 Zeigler Frank Stafford, Zeigler 6
992 Zeigler Joe Filipovich, Zeigler 4
997 Springfield Peter Rossiter, 1604 N. llth St,
Springfield 2
999 Springfield Terry Hughes, Springfield 8
999 Springfield Frank Hughes, Springfield 1
1000 Herrin Chas. Hundley, Herrin 2
1000 Herrin A. T. Pace, Herrin 1
1040 Harrisburg M. W. Tavender, Harrisburg 2
1051 Ladd John Roman, Ladd 4
1058 Ellisville Frank Johnson, Ellisville 1
1055 Cambria Jeff Vaughn, Cambria 3
1059 Ledford James Rose, Ledford S
1090 New Athens Chas. Sebastian, New Athens 2
1103 Westville Louis Roberts, Westville 2
1 103 Westville Frank Thomas, Westville 1
1 103 Westville Evan Evans, Westville 1
1115 Andrew Dixon Tumbull, Andrew 2
1117 Marion John Thompson, Marion 2
1144 Colp A. W. Lefant, Colp 8
1144 Colp J. E. Taylor, Colp 8
1146 Carterville John Wiming, Carterville 8
1151 Rend A. W. Pirtle, Rend 4
1193 Brereton Edward O'Neil, Brereton 2
1202 Tilden Ed. Foster, Tilden 1
1213 Farmington Ben Montle, Farmington 1
1228 Dewmaine Alvis Stewart, Dewmaine 2
1228 Dewmaine Frank Michnax, Dewmaine 2
1237 Sesser Wm. Lackey, Sesser 5
1239 Johnston City A. A. Pearce, Johnston City ^
1248 Herrin Robert Clem, Herrin 1
1248 Herrin Joe Reed, Herrin 1
1248 Herrin Edw. Smith, Herrin 1
1248 Herrin B. Lamaster, Herrin 1
1248 Herrin Hugh Willis, Herrin 1
1285 Mascoutah Walter Oster, Mascoutah 8
1356 Vermillion Felix Sandy, Vermillion 5-1 ex.
1356 Vermillion T. J. Emory, Vermillion 5
1380 Marion Robert Cash, Marion 2
1391 Thayer Thos. Emerson, Thayer 5—1 ex.
1397 Centralia l-oo Reese, Centralia 5
1421 Bucknor Joe Morris, Buckner 8
1421 Buckner Ceorge Craggs, Buckner 8
531
1
Location.
Name and Address of Delegate.
Johnston City
George F. Cooper, Johnston City
1
Taylor Springs
Robert French, Hillsboro
1
Wasson
H. L. Harmon, Wasson
Du Quoin
.... Frank Soner. Du Quoin
Du Quoin
.... J. C. Grills. Du Quoin
\
Benton
.... George Blakely, Benton
Springfield
. V . . Peter Joyce, 1813 S. 16th St., Spring-
field
\
Panama
.... John L. Lewis, Merchants Bank
v Bldg., Indianapolis, Ind.
i
Panama
.... Wm. McDonnell, Panama, 111.
»
Panama
Angelo Corradini, Panama, 111.
»
Panama
.... Denny Lewis, Panama, 111.
»
Panama
.... Peter Smith, Panama, 111.
[
Nokomis
Wm. Edwards, Nokomis
[
Nokomis
.... Samuel Dow, Nokomis
^
Herrin
A. Walker, Herrin
\
Cedar Point
.... Henrv Ucro. Cedar Point
•
Carrier
.... Orlie Blackman, Carrier
>
Carrier
William Broyles, Carrier
>
<
Springfield
J. M. Zinmierman, 620 Black Ave.,
Springfield
f
Eldorado
.... Orville Miller, Eldorado
;
Herrin
.... Ed Hall, Herrin
>
Royalton
Ben Hess, Royalton
Royalton
.... H. J. Hays, Royalton
Royalton
Jack Miller, Royalton
Royalton
Geo. Heberer, Royalton
Royalton
Anton Heberer, Royalton
•
Herrin
Frank Meece, Herrin
Herrin
H. L. Whiteside, Herrin
Herrin
Hy Sjoblom, Herrin
r
Edgemont
Fred Jackson, Edgemont
1
Peoria
John Arscott, 509 Wonson St., Peoria
t
Mary ville
Victor Saladin, Maryville
»
Maryville
Ed Morris, Maryville
1
Maryville
.... Mose Johnson, Collinsville
1
Coulterville
Chas. Stokes, Coulterville
►
Eldorado
J. J. McGuinn, Eldorado
>
Marion
James L. Eveland, Marion
)
Marion v^
.... Paul J. Smith, Marion
t
Witt
Allan S. Haywood, Witt 5
1
Auburn
Thomas Jordon, Auburn
>
Harrisburg
Abe Johnson, Harrisburg
Votes.
8
8
3
4
8
8
1
2
1
1
1
8
8
2
8
1
1
1
4
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
1
1
8
3
2
2
2
2
3
3
8
5 — ^2 ex.
2
8
532
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
1910 Harrisburg James Russell, Harrisburg I
1927 Farmington James Bugni, Farmington 2
1941 Johnston City E. G. Miles, Johnston City 8
1944 Westville Andrew Stevens, Grape Creek S
1944 Westville J. M. Adamson, Westville S
1948 Pekin Peter Johnson, 1110 Market St, Pekin t
1959 Benton Thos. Clayton, Benton 4
1971 West Frankfort Ivor Johns, West Frankfort 5
1986 Norris John Anderson, Norris 2
2129 Marion Roy Sellars, Marion 2
2158 Tower Hill Charles R. Ellison, Tower Hill I
2215 Johnston City Troy Lewis, Johnston City 6— lex-
2219 Gillespie Robert Cairns, Gillespie '
2219 Gillespie George Johnson, Gillespie 5
2219 Gillespie Ben Firth, Gillespie 2
2307 Mark Anton Galdonis, Granville 5—1 ex.
2368 Murph3rsboro Joe Lof tus, Murphysboro 5
2376 Christopher E. H. Owlett, Christopher 5
2376 Christopher Jack Carso, Christopher 3
2384 Matherville Georgre Sackiield, Matherville 2
2385 Springfield James J. Bogue, Springfield 2
2403 Springfield Jacob Wiessing, 618 Calhoun Ave.»
Springfield 2
2404 Virden Omella Gremo, Virden 5—1 ex.
2418 Royalton Grate Giovenetti, Bush 2
2425 Virden George Graham, Virden 2
2441 Springfield Hughie Monahan, 1306 N 8th st,
Spring^field 4
2468 Christopher E. Parker, Christopher 8
2468 Christopher T. J. McKeown, Christopher 8
2469 Herrin Jim Ritchie, Energy 2
2513 Taylorville John Osterkamp, Taylorville 4
2514 Belleville Ed Regem, Belleville 2
2514 Belleville Henry Meyer, Belleville 2
2515 Dorrisville James Rose, Dorrisville 3
2515 Dorrisville Bert Dunn, Dorrisville 8
2553 Sherman Andrew Risse, Sherman 5
2556 Carterville L. Felts, Carterville 3
25G2 Springfield J. M. Zimmernran, 620 Black Ave. 1
2619 Beckemeyer John Lenox, Beckemeyer 3
2621 Herrin John Kelly, Herrin 1
2621 Herrin Hugh Bell, Herrin 1
2C21 Herrin Oscar Hughes, Herrin 1
533
f. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
2 Decatur Wm. Thara, 1429 E. Locust St,
Decatur 8
D Harrisburg Joe Coulson, Harrisburg 2
I Auburn James Sloan, Auburn 4
3 Livingston Attelo Tanel, Livingston 4
3 Livingston George Smith, Livingston 3
7 West Frankfort John T. Jones, 908 E. Poplar St., West
Frankfort 2
7 West Frankfort Tom Jones, West Frankfort 2
B Herrin Thomas Pengilley, Herrin 8
9 Hillsboro Albert Slater, Hillsboro 4
3 Edgemont James E. Taylor, East St. Louis, 111 8
4 Marion C. L. Gilbert, 1200 S. Holland St.,
Marion 1
5 Stonington Pat Doyle, Stonington 4
6 S. Wilmington George Wilson, S. Wilming^ton 5
7 Benld B. F. Crawford, Benld 4
7 Benld Harry Hill, Benld 8
8 Belleville David Jenkins, Collinsville 8
8 Belleville James Taylor, Belleville 8
9 Norris City A. F. Douglas, Norris City 2
0 White Ash Lee Sanders, White Ash 2
1 Cherry Atilio Corsini, Cherry 6
7 Carriers Mills Jas. Pittman, Carriers Mills 2
7 Carriers Mills Ezra Lavender, Carriers Mills 1
0 Middle Grove D. E. Bradshaw, Middle Grove 2
7 Girard Ben Firth, Gillespie
) Sesser Elmer Thompson, Sesser
2 Johnston City McElroy Trout, Johnston
L Pittsburg Jake Fry, Marion
1 Danville Calvin Koontz, Station C, Danville
J Tallula Stephen Sullivan, Springfield
J Raleigh Ed Hass, Raleigh
> Selbytown Steven Sullivan, Springfield
) Mascoutah Ashley Bergadine, Mascoutah
I Auburn Stephen Sullivan, Springfield
1 Spring Valley Joe Waitkus, Spring Valley 5 — 1 ex.
DISTRICT NO. 13, IOWA.
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
) Valley Junction C. W. Sage, Des Moines 1
I Maple Pete Kennedy, Eddeyville Maple 2
i Des Moines Frank Traister, 3927 W. 2d St., Des
Moines 2
534
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vota
56 Colfax Harry Darrock, Colfax
97 Oskaloosa John P. White, Indianapolis
152 Ottumwa M. W. Jones, Ottumwa
172 Foster J. C. Lewis, Albia
178 Beacon John P. White, Indianapolis
201 Brazil John Lampkin, Brazil
206 Seymoui^ J. C. Shars, Seymour
242 Avery John Bilterman, Avery
318 Yoder Arthur Burk, Des Moines
318 Yoder J. G. Edmonds, Des Moines
372 Rathbun Matt Horn, Rathbun
384 Des Moines A. J. Danielson, 1342 Clark St, Des
Moines
387 Jerome Frank McKin, Jerome
407 Frakers John Gay, Albia
550 Tipperary Wm. E. Wood, Tipperary
553 Centerville Joe Jame^, 1515 S. 2d St., Centerville
553 Centerville Chas. Hindley, 1406 S. 21st St., Cen-
terville
634 Mystic Wm. Lewis, Mystic
634 Mystic Herbert Stolz, Mystic
662 Cricket Josh Brown, Lo Vilia, R. 2
709 Madrid W. H. Gibbons, Granger
775 Cincinnati H. E. Chanley, Cincinnati
783 Mendota, Mo John Gay, Albia
790 Whiteburg B. M. Vanee, Whiteburg
793 Albia Martin Heenan, Albia
812 Exline James Stover, Exline
840 Snider P. T. McGary, Granger
845 Diamond Ralph Shelton, Diamond
851 Des Moines William Jarvis, 2047 E. Grand Ave.,
Des Moines
869 Boone Dan Weir, W. 6th St, Boone
869 Boone Samuel Ballantyne, Albia
875 Numa John Hagethom, Numa
916 Hiteman Henry Bilterman, Hiteman
981 Everist J. C. Lewis, Albia
1042 Albia John Gay, Albia
1047 Des Moines Thomas Emerson, Des Moines 2
1063 Centerville Joe Gilgrass, Centerville S
1121 Hockings John Gay, Albia 2—1 ex.
1140 Des Moines Barney Perich, Des Moines 1
1169 Bear Creek Gomer Hughes, Bear Creek 2
1504 Melcher William Mitchell, Melcher 6
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
Carney Dominic Gkispria, Carney 3
Des Moines Samuel Balantyne, Albia 1
Dean James Stover, Exline 1
Andersville Michael Murnane, Knoxville 2
Madrid Arthur Munson, Woodward, R. 1 1
Madrid A. B. McGary, Des Moines 1
Buxton G. D. Yancey, Buxton 6
Buxton Dan Smith, Buxton 4
Cainsville J. C. Lewis, Albia 1
Streipy Frank Battistello, Streipy # 2
Des Moines John Samuelson, Des Moines 2
Chariton Thos. Preston, Chariton 4
Knoxville Edward Joy, 358 E. Robinson, Knox-
ville 2
Spring Hill J. A. McCarty, Spring Hill 1
High Bridge J. C. Lewis, Albia 2
Ankeny C. U. Hampton, Ankeny 2
Lovilia Ernest Courtney, Hamilton 3
Des Moines Thos. McCuUy, 246 Bsther St, Des
Moines 2
Enterprise John Bowes, Enterprise 2
Ward Robert Dobson, Ward 2
Bidwell David J. Reese, Bidwell 2
Des Moines Thomas Maxwell, 3740 Bowdoin St.,
Des Moines 1
DISTRICT NO. 14, KANSAS.
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
Mulberry Herman Haymont, Mulberry 2
Breezy Hill Henry Kauplin, Breezy Hill 1
Ringo Tony Tomsic, R. R. 3, Girard 1
East Mineral James Cahill, East Mineral 1
Liberal, Mo Thomas Harvey, Pittsburg 1
Frontenac Alex Howat, Prontenac 1
Strippville Robert Gilmour, Pittsburg 1
Mulberry John Yockum, Mulberry 1
Capaldo Thomas Harvey, Pittsburg 1
Mulberry J. H. Grimther, Mulberry 1
Frontenac Thomas Kolduff, Frontenac 3
Pittsburg Dave Parr, Girard 1
Weir City Otis Scranton, Weir City 8
Pittsburg John Toeller, Pittsburg 1
Turck Vic Sivil, Columbus 1
Midway Robert U. Stoneman, Pittsburg 1
536
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
310 Cherokee Steve Atkinson, Cherokee I
393 Pittsburg Alva Bray, 206 E. 13th St., Pittsburg 1
406 Radley Wm. Thompson, Radley 1
411 Arma Miles Namara, Arma 1
414 Grass William Hamaker, Grass 1
445 Mulberry Wm. Rush, Mulberry 1 ]
498 Scammon Allen Dunn, Scanmion 2
533 Midway O. E. Moore, Pittsburg, No. 6 1
544 Scranton Alex Howat, Pittsburg 1
561 Oskaloosa A. W. Brown, Oskaloosa 1
559 Arcadia Frank Stephan, Arcadia 1
588 Breezy Hill Peter McDonald, Breezy Hill 2
589 Mulberry Arthur Eagelton, Mulberry 1
597 Scanmion Arthur Evans, Scammon 2
723 Hazen Harlan Slaughter, Croweburg 2
735 Yale Frank Kurda, Pittsburg 1
768 Arma James McDonald, Arma 1
836 Radley Amon Hunter, Radley 1
902 Panama, Mo Amos Standing, R. R. 4, Rich Hill, Mo. 1
951 Arcadia E. E. Trogdan, Arcadia 1
960 Mulberry George Crockett, Mulberry 1
1009 Osage City John Billings, Osage City 1
1038 Minden Mines A. M. Moore, Minden Mines 1
1064 Sheridan Bish Slaughter, Sheridan 1
1074 Burlingamc Thomas Harvey, Pittsburg 1
1088 Cherokee Frank Benintende, Cherokee 1
1093 Kirkwood Louis Bourlard, 403 E. 9th St., Pitts-
burg 1
1149 Gross Pete Hampson, Gross 1
1194 Breezy Hill Frank Godinco, Breezy Hill 2
1212 Croweburg Joseph Beinbrodt, Croweburg 2
1283 Edson Hank Allari 2
1429 Pittsburg Fred Parker, Pittsburg 1
1466 Capaldo James Moriconi, Pittsburg 1
1607 Ringo Frank Hoslett, Girard 3
1701 Peterton John Billings, Osage City 1
1765 Stone City W. C. Hamilton, Stone City 1
1790 Pittsburg Sam Variot, Pittsburg 2
1820 Roseland Wm. Larmour, West Mineral 1
1821 Arma John Short, Arma 3
1870 Minden Mines E. M. Barber, Minden Mines 2
1896 Croweburg Thos. Nezel, Arma 1
1922 Croweburg George W. Reid, Croweburg 2
1963 East Mineral Gus Dwyer, Scammon 1
537
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
Mulberry Charley Davis, Mulberry 1
Franklin T. R. Beadle, Franklin 2
Cherokee John Catterson, Cherokee
Gross Dave Lase, Mulberry
Mulberry Charley Higbee, Mulberry
Frontenac B. T. Cordray, Pittsburg
Fostoria Alex Howat, Pittsburg
Minden Mines Ray Wolfington, Minden Mines
Franklin Joe Wayenberg, Franklin
Pittsburg J. A. Culver, R. R. 2, Pittsburg
Oskaloosa Jesse Harvey, Oskaloosa
Klondike George Creggs, Cherokee
Fleming Emile Theys, Pittsburg
Edison L. S. Harston, Edison
Dunkirk Thomas Harvey, Pittsburg
Sunshine M. L. Booker, Sunshine
Ringo Chas. Dunn, Girard
Corona E. J. Gillespie, Roseland
Radley John Christo, Radley
Cockenill R. K. Wilson, Girard
Radley G. L. Peck, Pittsburg
Franklin Ben Purgatori, Frontenac
Scammon Tames McNamara, Scammon
Mulberry A. A. Hook, Mulberry
Frontenac Chas. Scavezze, Frontenac
Frontenac James Ferns, Scammon
Frontenac Alex Howat, Pittsburg
Radley John Ryan, Radley
Radley John Crisso, Radley
Arcadia William Hammon, Mulberry
Pleasanton Amos Standring, Rich Hill
Liberal Roy Butler, Liberal
Ringo Eugene Kennedy, Girard
Ringo Dave Parr, Girard
Roseland Thomas Harvey, Pittsburg
Litchfield W. M. Prince, Pittsburg
Frontenac Wm. Anderson, R. R. 1, Pittsburg
Arcadia William Hammon, Mulberry
Hume D. F. Morrell, Hume
Ardath E. H. Guss, Arcadia
Chicopee Edward Ferns, Pittsburg
Liberal Roy Butler, Liberal
Mulberry Wm. Rush, Mulberry
Arcadia Tim Wheeler, Arcadia
538
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vo
3524 Mulberry George L. Crockett, Mulberry
3602 Minden Mines J. E. Mewton, Minden Mines
3669 Pittsburg Robert Gilmour, Pittsburg
3682 Croweburg Geo. Reid, Croweburg
DISTRICT NO. 15, COLORADO.
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vot
186 Rockvale James F. Moran, Natl Bank Bldg.,
Pueblo
186 Rockvale Albert Newcomb, Rockvale
423 Walsenburg Charles Allebach, Toltec
834 Firestone ^ £. L. Doyle, Denver
876 Oak View John Hoard, Oak View
1082 Pueblo John M. O'Neill, Trinidad
1388 Lafayette Robert G. Bolton, Lafayette
1662 Curtis John McLennan, P. 0. Box 1408,
Denver
1878 Delagua J. W. Morris, Delagua
2060 Aguilar John R. Lawson, 1661 Williams St,
Denver
2483 Gorham James Patterson, Gorham
2546 Chandler W. D. Dugh, Chandler
2662 Gallup, New Mexico Leo P. Galvin, Gallup, New Mexico
2753 Frederick E. L. Doyle, Frederick tax
2850 Canon City G. A. Pippin, Canon City
2868 Morley Thomas Conway, Morley
3001 Maitland Valentine Petarini Patton, Maitland
3003 Leyden J. W. Cunion, 121 Welton St., Denver
3006 Haybro John R. Lawson, Denver
3008 Walsenburg Chas. Allabaugh, Toltec
3018 Ojo Sterge Mavrodis, 3018 Ojo
3020 Oak Cr^k Robert Llewellyn, Oak Creek
3024 Tioga Richard E. Shaw, Tioga
3025 Camp Shumway John Sherwood, Camp Shumway
3033 Lester Fred Franklin, Lester
3034 Starkville Joe Bosone, Starkville
3035 Rapson E. L. Doyle, Denver
3044 ToUerburg Gutierrez, Tollerburg
3048 Sopris Harry C. Stewart, Sopris
3051 Mt. Harris Robert Llewellyn, Oak Creek
3053 Tioga Richard Shaw, Tioga
3095 Bowen Alfonso Trujillo, Bowen
3102 Toltec Charles Allebach, Toltec
3105 Ravenwood Robert B. Huey, Ravenwood
639
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
) Puritan John R. Lawson, 1661 Williams St.,
Denver tax due
) Ludlow Robert Sniith, Ludlow
I Strong Mike Salvage, Strong
' Los Cerrilloc Gus Mayer, Madrid, New Mexico
> Crested Butte James Hoy, Crested Butte
I Gallup, New Mexico Steve Katzmann, Gallup, New Mexico
I Brodhead Sebastian Pellizari, Broadhead
I Rugby Mike Livoda, Rugby
) Picton Valentine Patarini Patton, Box 174,
Walsenburg 1
DISTRICT NO. 16, MARYLAND.
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
Piedmont, W. Va Ross Raley, Bloomington, Md. 2
Piedmont Thos. Wildman, Bloomington 1
Vale Smnmit, Md Thomas J. Higgins, Vale Summit 1
Blaine, W. Va Ed. McKinzie, Kitzmiller 4
Blaine Joseph Weicht, Blaine, W. Va. 3
Mt. Jackson, Md Henry Crump, Mt. Savage, Md. 2
Mt. Jackson Joseph Stayder, Mt. Savage, Box 463 1
Bayard, W. Va Steward Gayf ord. Bayard, W. Va. 1
Barton, Md Joseph Davis, Barton, Md. 3
Frostburg John Broall, Frostburg 4
Frostburg Daniel Evans, Frostburg 4
Lonaconing Pat. McConnell, Lonaconing 8
Lonaconing Robert Reynolds, Lonaconing 2
Lonaconing Wm. Trickett, Midland 2
Midland Patrick W. O'Rourke, Midland 8
Davis, W. Va James H. Cox, Davis, W. ^a. 1
Shaft, Md Ernest Layman, Shaft, Md. 2
Ben Bush, W. Va H. J. DeWitt, Pierce, W. Va. 1
Thomas H. J. DeWitt, Pierce 2
Shaw Ross Raley, Bloomington, Md.. 1
DISTRICT NO. 17, WEST VIRGINIA.
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
Blair Joe Branham, Blair, W. Va. 1
Independence W. T. Dadiman, Independence 1
Mammoth James Van Camp, Mammoth 2
Simpson C. E. Cain, Simpson 1
Carbondale Steward Jenkins, Carbondale 1
Hemshaw Arch Ferrell, Hernshaw 2
538
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegmte. Vff
3624 Mulberry George L. Crockett, Mulberry
8602 Minden Mines J. £. Mewton, Minden Mines
3669 Pittsburg Robert Gilmour, Pittsburg
3682 Croweburg Geo. Reid, Croweburg
DISTRICT NO. 15, COLORADO.
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vo
186 Rockvale James F. Moran, Natl Bank Bldg.,
Pueblo
186 Rockvale Albert Newcomb, Rockvale
423 Walsenburg Charles Allebach, Toltec
834 Firestone £. L. Doyle, Denver
876 Oak View John Hoard, Oak View
1082 Pueblo John M. O'Neill, Trinidad
1388 Lafayette Robert G. Bolton, Lafayette
1662 Curtis John McLennan, P. 0. Box 1408,
Denver
1878 Delagua J. W. Morris, Delagua
2060 Aguilar John R. Lawson, 1661 Williams St,
Denver
2483 Gorham James Patterson, Gorham
2546 Chandler W. D. Dugh, Chandler
2662 Gallup, New Mexico Leo P. Galvin, Gallup, New Mexico
2753 Frederick E. L. Doyle, Frederick te
2850 Canon City G. A. Pippin, Canon City
2868 Morley Thomas Conway, Morley
3001 Maitland Valentine Petarini Patton, Maitland
3003 Leyden J. W. Cunion, 121 Welton st., Denver
3006 Haybro John R. Lawson, Denver
3008 Walsenburg Chas. Allabaugh, Toltec
3018 Ojo Sterge Mavrodis, 3018 Ojo
3020 Oak Cr^k Robert Llewellyn, Oak Creek
3024 Tioga Richard E. Shaw, Tioga
3025 Camp Shumway John Sherwood, Camp Shumway
3033 Lester Fred Franklin, Lester
3034 Starkville Joe Bosone, Starkville
3035 Rapson E. L. Doyle, Denver
3044 ToUerburg Gutierrez, Tollerburg
3048 Sopris Harry C. Stewart, Sopris
3051 Mt Harris Robert Llewellyn, Oak Creek
3053 Tioga Richard Shaw, Tioga
3095 Bowen Alfonso Trujillo, Bowen
3102 Toltec Charles Allebach, Toltec
3105 Raven wood Robert B. Huey, Ravenwood
639
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
) Puritan John R. Lawson, 1661 Williams St.,
Denver tax due
3 Ludlow Robert Snlith, Ludlow 1
I Strong Mike Salvage, Strong 1
1 Los Cerrilloc Gus Mayer, Madrid, New Mexico 1
6 Crested Butte James Hoy, Crested Butte 1
B Gallup, New Mexico Steve Katzmann, Gallup, New Mexico 1
3 Brodhead Sebastian Pellizari, Broadhead 1
B Rugby Mike Livoda, Rugby 1
5 Picton Valentine Patarini Patton, Box 174,
Walsenburg 1
DISTRICT NO. 16, MARYLAND.
^ Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
7 Piedmont, W. Va Ross Raley, Bloomington, Md. 2
r Piedmont Thos. Wildman, Bloomington 1
J Vale Summit, Md Thomas J. Higgins, Vale Summit 1
I Blaine, W. Va Ed. McKinzie, Kitzmiller 4
i Blaine Joseph Weicht, Blaine, W. Va. 3
L Mt. Jackson, Md Henry Crump, Mt. Savage, Md. 2
L Mt. Jackson Joseph Stayder, Mt. Savage, Box 453 1
I Bayard, W. Va Steward Gayf ord. Bayard, W. Va. 1
I Barton, Md Joseph Davis, Barton, Md. 3
^ Frostburg John Broall, Frostburg 4
^ Frostburg Daniel Evans, Frostburg 4
> Lonaconing Pat. McConnell, Lonaconing 8
> Lonaconing Robert Reynolds, Lonaconing 2
> Lonaconing Wm. Trickett, Midland 2
L Midland Patrick W. O'Rourke, Midland 8
i Davis, W. Va James H. Cox, Davis, W. Va. 1
S Shaft, Md Ernest Lajonan, Shaft, Md. 2
> Ben Bush, W. Va H. J. DeWitt, Pierce, W. Va. 1
J Thomas H. J. DeWitt, Pierce 2
L Shaw Ross Raley, Bloomington, Md.. 1
DISTRICT NO. 17, WEST VIRGINIA.
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
I Blair Joe Branham, Blair, W. Va. 1
J Independence W. T. Dadiman, Independence 1
[ Mammoth James Van Camp, Mammoth 2
I Simpson C. E. Cain, Simpson 1
L Carbondale Steward Jenkins, Carbondale 1
i Hemshaw Arch Ferrell, Hernshaw 2
540
L.U. Location. Name and Addreis of Delegate. Vot
722 Standard Will Patrick, Standard
760 Kayf ord Ed. Holbrook, Kayford
760 Laing James Scoot, Laing
841 Tunnelton G. C. Montgomery, Tunnelton
887 Flemington Ira Marks, Fleming^ton
974 Milbum Fin Johnson, Milbum
1007 Eagle J. B. Simms, Eagle
1037 Carbondale W. E. Craigo, Carbondale
1166 Republic W. H. Tumbull, Joctrin
1209 Crown Hill Judson Godfrey, Crown Hill
1267 Bumwell Bert E. Skeans, Bumwell
1276 Boomer 0. A. Nietter, Boomer
1292 Cannelton F. R. Shepherd, Cannelton
1814 Olcott W. E. Zirkle, Olcott
1386 Black Betsy S. P. Alderman, Poca
1426 Ohley Henry J. Bayless, Ohley
1448 Oakland James E. Corbitt, Longacre
1469 Austin John H. Robertson, Austin
1638 Rhonda William Stone, Rhonda
1661 Sharon Frank Harras, Sharon
1673 Hartford John Schray, Hartford
1674 Marfork W. M. Evans, Marfork
1808 Elk Ridge G. R. Miller, Elk Ridge
1818 Dry Branch C. T. Keeney, Marmet
1846 Whittaker T. J. Lyons, Whittaker
1861 Bentree William Gray, Bentree
1869 Longacre Robert Peters, Longacre
1914 Plymouth Fred Mooney, Box 248, Charleston
1931 Donwood E. E. Oakes, Donwood
1932 Boomer M. L. Haptonstall, Boomer
1960 Montgomery Floyd Gay, Montgomery
1962 Bloomingrose W. B. Foster, Blooming Rose
1977 Eagle William Brown, Montgomery
1982 Ivaton B. H. Smith, Ivaton
2014 Raymond City J. W. Javins, Poca
2016 Plymouth Hobert Cundiff, Plymouth
2018 Haywood W. S. Reese, Haywood
2022 Rosemont Wm. Motley, Rosemont
2032 Powellton C. A. Thompson, Powellton
2063 Sand Lick Bruce Mcintosh, Simpson
2118 West Columbia E. Williams, Maggie
2120 Black Betsy G. W. Shanks, Black Betsy
2140 Gallagher A. T. Lester, Gallagher
2161 Brydon Bruce Mcintosh, Simpson
541
Location. . Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
Marting S. E. Montgomery, Marting 2
Lewiston W. M. Carr, Lewiston
Monarch J. W. McGruder
Ivaton B. H. Smith Ivaton
Winifrede A. C. Porter, Winifrede 8
Ivaton B. H. Smith, Ivaton
Putney . . . *. Fred Mooney, Charleston
Crown Hill R. J. Trimble
Bream Earl Williams, Big Chimney
Decota Frank Keeney, Charleston
Whitesville George Carr, Whitesville
Kasrford James M. Fugate, Kayford
McClanan M. F. Kerns, McClanan
Dorothy J. B. Thompson, Dorothy
Jarrolds Valley George Carr, Whitesville
Mahan Calvin Smith, Mahan
Ward : A. J. Peters, Ward
Greencastle T. J. Lyon, Whittaker
Wevac C. F. Keeney, Charleston
Blair Ben J. Williams, Blair
Cannelton Walter Halsey
Ramage Luther Baisden, Ramage
Eskdale Wm. Blizzard, Eskdale
Cedar Grove W. W. Lusk, Cedar Grove
Wevaco F. F. Hartwell, Wevaco
Boomer Chester Sanders, Boomer
Boomer Dave Ware, Boomer
Clothier George Norman, Clothier
Clothier W. 0. Brown, Clothier
Acme Bud Smith, Warrior
Wendell Joseph Povlok, Wendell
Wendell Armendo Folio, Wendell
Cedar Grove Rean Martin
Blair K. D. Pratt, Blair
Blakely Ben Racer, Blakely
Percyville C. F. Keeney
Tunnelton Taylor Osborne, Tunnelton
Gilmer Letcher Townsend, Gilmer
Flemington Ira Marks, Flemington
Coalfork H. J. Bayless, Okley
542
DISTRICT NO. 18, CANADA.
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vot
431 Bellevue Robt. Livett, Bellevue
574 Lethbridgc Steve Begala, Stafford Village
1054 Brule Hugh McDonald, Brule, Alberta
1058 Hillcrest Thomas Price, Hillcrest
1746 Drumheller Harry Smith, Drumheller, Alberta
2314 Fernie Wm. Potter, Femie
2814 Fernie Thos. Briggs, Femie
DISTRICT NO. 19, TENNESSEE.
L.U. Location. _ Name and Address of Delegate. Vo
130 Wallsend G. D. Morland, Wallsend
157 Wooldridge John Qaufle, Wooldridge, Tenn.
200 Oswego John Baufle, R. 2, Jellico
587 Ferndale G. F. Baker, Meldrum, Ky.
890 Soddy P. P. Lynch, Soddy, Tenn.
890 Soddy T. J. Smith, Soddy
890 Soddy J. M. Gorm, Soddy
945 Ar jay Ben Delph, Arjay, Ky.
1264 Harrison E. P. Walsh, Harrison
1808 Pittsburg John Jeffrey, Pittsburg
Less than 10 n
1327 Davisburg John Brooks, Davisburg
2052 Gary G. M. Stamper, Gary
2517 Elys James Gabbard, Elys
2572 Coalmont A. G. Duncan, Coalmont, Tenn.
2673 Tracy City W. E. Arbuckle, Tracy City
2687 Meldrum H. F. Reed, Meldrum, Ky.
2884 Briceville J. T. Brooks, Briceville, Tenn.
2914 Gravity C. H. Standifer, Gravity, Ky.
2925 Bosworth C. L. Vaughn, Bosworth, Ky.
2929 Longmont George Collins, Longmont
2983 Chenoa J. M. Hurst, Chenoa
2984 Bennett D. W. Cannon, Bennett, Tenn.
2997 Tinsley Joseph C. Hembee, Tinsley
3161 Hollingsworth J. H. Ledford, HoUingsworth, Ky.
3162 Manring W. C. Presley, Manring, Tenn.
3164 Coal Creek J. J. Henderson, Coal Creek
3165 Bryson W. B. Denney, Bryson
3166 Kensee Genasl Fraley, Jellico
3167 Rim John Paterson, Rim, Ky.
3169 Shamrock Quince Padgett, Shamrock, Ky.
543
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
Hartranft J. A. Branson, Hartranft, Tenn. 1
Fork Ridge D. F. Price, Fork Ridge, Tenn. 2
Westbourne A. W. Coins, Westbourne
Gatliff Wm. Brady, Duff
Harlan R. C. Ridirgs, Harlan, Ky.
Ages Milt Bryant, Verda
Kitts B. Cecil, Kitts, Ky.
Nichelson J. F. Settle, Nichelson, Tenn.
Middleboro H. N. West, Middleboro, Ky.
Gravity C. L. Vaughn, Gravity
LaFoUette J. C. Claxton, LaFollette, Tenn.
LaFoUette Mathew Broyles, LaFollette
Newcomb E. L. Terry, Newcomb
Mountain Ash John M. Rains, Pleasant View, Ky.
Trosper Stratton Campbell, Trosper
Blanche Charles Eads, Blanche
Kettle Island John Green, Kettle Island
Peabody J. F. Hendreh, Peabody, Tenn.
Eagan P. T. Gammon, Eagan
Pruden Joe Demarcus, Pruden
Carjrville J. N. Bumetti, Caryville
Morley S. D. Bryant, Morley
Balkan H. A. Lucy, Balkan
Varilla Chesley Thompson, Varilla
Colmar Price Cole, Colmar
Jellico W. M. Hallars, Jellico, Tenn.
Chaska George Hunter, Cupp
Gatliff W. S. Smith, Gatliff, Ky.
Gatliff J. H. Elsevick, Gatliff
Packard Green Hamblin, Packard
Wheeler J. B. Centers, Wheeler
Hosman Robert B. McKeehan, Hosman
Wilton W. R. Hix, Wilton
Red Ash J. L. Coins, Red Ash
Tinsley Joseph Hembree, Tinsley
Bell Jellico A. B. Coon, Bell Jellico
Wilhot R. C. Ridings, Harlin
Excelsior H. F. Reed, Excelsior
Clairfield W. T. Grubbs, Clairfield, Tenn.
Burchfield Jas. J. Blanton, Molus
Wallins Creek C. E. Mattingly, Kentenia
Cupp P. D. Castleberry, Cupp, Tenn.
Colvan Price Cale, Colvan, Ky.
Dale C. T. Smith, Williamsburg, Ky.
544
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vo
8601 Elk Valley Alfred Sharp, Elk Valley, Tenn.
8609 Tatesville John T. Farmer, Tatesville
8626 Brumett W. H. Foster, Williamsburg, Ky.
8686 Titus Alfred Sharp, Titus
8694 Anthras Rile Chambers, Anthras, Tenn.
8697 Shamrock Wm. Feeney, Pineville, Ky.
8609 Davis Creek Georg^e Hunter, Cupp, Tenn.
8615 High Cliff Aaron McKenney, Pruden
3619 Ralston W. E. Lynch, Ralston, Ky.
8642 Caryville J. M. Sharp, Caryville, Tenn
8648 Red Ash R. E. Walker, Caryville
8644 Vasper Wm. Nelson, Vasper
3646 Caryville John Emery, Caryville
3646 Block D. C. Newport, Block
3660 Coxton W. M. York, Coxton, Ky.
8670. Fondo Will Heaneger, Fonde
8697 Harlan B. Cecil, Harlin town,
3706 Black Joo S. N. Saylor, Black Joe
3727 Elys James Gabbard, Elys
3743 Artomus W. J. Campbell, Artemus
DISTRICT NO. 20, ALABAMA.
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vot
H2S (^oal (^ity J. R. Kennamer, Birmingham
952 ('arbon Hill Jas. D. Segass, Carbon Hill
1182 Piper Walter White, Piper
1424 CuUlalo J. R. Kennamer
1525 Birminghnm W. L. Harrison, 1420 Peter ave.,
Birmingham
1734 Altimna J. R. Kennamer tax
3223 Besat^mor James Gardner, Bessemer
3*J25 Mayleno J. C. Cooper. Maylene
3233 Wost BUvton Wm. Mills. Birmingham
3234 Roil Eaglo Josh Jones. Red Eagle
3237 Wylam Jas. Woodman. Wylam
3235 Pratt City W. S, Schaffer. Pratt City
3239 Oivalmont A. L. Briles. Maglene, R. F. D. 1,
Coalmont
3240 Roobuok . I.oti Porry. R. F. D. 1, Maylene
3245 Wost BKvton Jan'.es Adams. Blocton
3246 John* . i;. T. Dtason. Box 72. Adger
3255 Oravo* II a v son Ph'/.Mps. Birmingham
32f>i> i^ayrt* . W. <, Swinney. Sayre
32tK< Cardiff A. Shadriok. Cardiff
545
ication. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
/el G. E. Browning, Marvel 2
isey J. H. Watkins, Gamsey 2
iblic David Alexander, Republic
nde I. W. Doles, Yolande
»way John G. Smith, R. R. 3, Carbon Hill
}as Ed. Castleberry, Kansas
Star W. P. Ratlifr, Red Star
ton John Winn, Parrish *
nley Dave Ingram, Townley
istic W. H. Cremeans, Morris R. 2,
Majestic
ine N. P. Martin, Quinton R. 3, Maxine
o W. M. Jones, Quinton
J. I. Drake, Adamsville
Creek Wm. Marcus, Quinton
kwood J. G. Brown, Brookwood -
;rman John Bagwell, Kellerman
Valley Walter H. Smith, Coal Valley
iral Bridge J. R. Kennamer, Birmingham
met Henry Bowser, Jasper
eellum Brooks Fuller, Oakman
lan J. F. Christin, Oakman
3n John L. Clark, Patton
/oo Major H. Francis, Nauvoo
¥orth J. R. Kennamer, Birmingham
na W. L. Peeples, Carona
iant Walter Thompson, Brilliant
DISTRICT NO. 21, ARKANSAS-OKLAHOMA.
cation. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
Hill, Ark William Wooten, Coal Hill, Ark. 1
Isior Frank Savage, Greenwood 1
Oak W. E. Thomas, Red Oak, Okla. 1
tington H. L. Scott, Huntington, Ark 3
8 W. L. Yearwood, Bates 1
sir Walter McLuckie, Dewar, Okla. 2
ams Dave Evans, Bokoshe 1
John Galbraith, Hartshome 2
g^eport S. C. Bingham, Bridgeport, Tex. 2
M. J. Cathcart, Lyra 2
irate Simon Phillips, Coalgate, Okla. 8
i S. A. Connaughton, Paris, Ark. 1
shorne W. L. Jones, Hartshome, Okla. 2
urton Thomas Guest, Wilburton 8
M.
546
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate.
1131 Coalton Tony Butch, Coalton
1170 McCurtain H. B. Long, McCortain
1176 Haileyville Dan Brator, Haileyville
119:1 Coalgate Hugh McKellip, Coalgate
1303 Brewer Ed. Victor, Brewer
1315 Jenny Lind R. C. Petty, Jenny lind^ Ark.
1366 Lehigli James Hughes, Lehigh, Okla.
1526 Hartford B. T. Card, Hartford, Ark.
1530 Hartford Ed. Long, Hartford
1556 RusaeUviUe R. F. Bunch, RusseUville
1565 Prairie Geo. Manick, Prairie, Okla.
1567 Hartford Ben T. Card, Hartford, Ark
1777 Cambria Wm. Morris, Gowen
1810 Jenny Lind Lester Henson, Jenny Lind, Ark.
1811 PhiUips W. W. Walker, Phillips, Okla.
1814 Denning . : Chas. Ireland, Denning, Ark.
1816 Alderson Oscar Cook, Alderson, Okla.
1819 Lehis^ Thomas Gold, Lehigh
1842 Greenwood Thos. L. Rachels, Greenwood, Ark.
1856 Pittsburg George Yother, Pittsburg, Okla.
1934 Hartman H. W. Smith, Hartman, Ark.
2028 Howe Harry Brown, Howe, Okla.
2053 Montana Jas. Doyle, Montana, Ark
2053 Montana W. B. Wilson, Montana
2053 Montana Sam Sampson, Montana
2084 Hughes C. N. Davidson, Hughes, Okla.
2097 Hartshome John Galbraith, Hartshome
2111 Ola Neff Thurston, Wilburton
2201 Bryant Chas. M. Brown, Bryant
2220 Calhoun F. R. Hoffman, Calhoun
2253 Alderson Orval Neal, Alderson
2283 Gowen R. Null, Gowen
2287 Dewar Hugh J. Connor, Dewar
2316 Milton Andrew McGarry, Milton
2317 McAlester Wm. Dalrymple, McAlester
2332 Henryetta Jim Cates, Henryetta
2415 Coalton Alfred Frid, Coalton
2492 Adamson H. N. Cates, Adamson
2494 Huntington H. L. Scott, Huntington, Ark.
2535 Strawn W. W. Munford, Strawn, Tex.
2538 Thurber W. E. Crew, Thurber
2557 Henryetta J. A. Stnink, Henryetta, Okla.
2566 Alix Jas. H. Arbough, Denning, Ark.
2590 Haileyville J. H. Phillips. Haileyville, Okla.
547
N Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
) Bokoshe Dave Evans, Bokoshe 2
? Wilburton Tony Koch, Wilburton 2
3 Tharber Marco Zannarini, Thurber, Tex. 5
3 Tharber John Wilkinson, McAlester, Okla. '
S Greenwood Frank Rooney, Greenwood, Ark.
0 Hartford E. O. Holden, Hartford
1 Huntington George AUsup, Huntington
) Newcastle W. E. Wimberly, Newcastle, Tex.
0 Bonanza George Minton, Bonanza, Ark. •
S Clonsilla Robert Rutherford, Adamson, Okla.
1 Bache Owel Neal, Alderson
1 Schuller Eph Green, Schuller
1 Dewar Joe Isherwood, Henryetta
0 Tulsa J. M. Wilkerson, R. 1, Box 118, Tulsa
DISTRICT NO. 22, WYOMING.
Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
) Monarch Elmer McElroy, Monarch, Wyo. 8
> Reliance Phil Sturholm, Reliance 4
1 Lion John Lawson, Lion 2
> Acme Allen Rennie, Acme 2
i Rock Springs Paul J. Paulsen, Rock Springs 3
I Rock Springs Philip Jucanovich, Rock Springs 8
\ Rock Springs Joseph McLee, Rock Springs 1
) Rock Springs Philip Jucanovich, Rock Springs 1
J Dietz E. D. Chesney, Dietz 8
I Cumberland Desire Gaspard, Cumberland 8
I Superior ....'. Frank Short, Superior 8
I Oakley H. Bryant, Oakley 2
» Haana Alex. Kerr, Hanna 8
» Hanna John H. Crawford, Hanna 8
> Diamondville Paul J. Paulsen, Rock Springs 1
) Frontier James Morgan, Cheyenne 2
L Glencoe James Morgan, Cheyenne 1
> Rock Springs W. W. Gildroy, Rock Springs 1
I Cambria John L. Jenkins, Cambria 4
\ Superior Walter Short, Superior 2
) Hudson James Morgan, Cheyenne 2
I Gebo John Itnowles, Gebo 8
) Crosby E. Bretthauer, Crosby 3
5 Gunn F. A. Molk, Gunn 3
I Cameyville John Conlon, Cameyville 2
I Sublet Mike Korman, Sublet 2
{ Point of Rocks Paul J. Paulsen, Rock Springs 1
548
DISTRICT NO. 28, KENTUCKY.
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vot
6 Equality Chas. Curtis, Ceralvo
174 Bevier Wood Hall, Cleaton
188 Beech Creek Robt Rives, Beech Creek
266 Corydon W. C. Hopgood, 435Alva8ia st, Henderson
487 Simmons A. T. Davis, Simmons
501 Hillside H. H. Vincent, Central City
602 Central City George Baker, Central City
607 Mercer A. S. Gish, Mercer
630 Browder E. Martin, Browder
6S1 Taylor Mines H. L. Martin, Beaver Dam
669 Bevier Chas. Smith, Bevier
669 Bevier Dennis Young, Bevier
678 Echols Lonnie Jackson, Central City
681 Hillside A. R. Bryan, Hillside
682 Powderly J. Jarvis, Powderly
708 Morganfield Bally Cartwright, Morganfield
716 Cleaton J. E. Phelps, Cleaton
809 McHenry J. W. Beockbum, McHenry
1017 Rockport Harry Brown, Rockport
1021 Henderson Wm. Steinwoechs, 927 Wash, st,
Henderson
1091 Waverly Clarence Williams, Waverly
1124 Dekoven J. E. Baettger, Dekoven
1162 Baskett E. S. Higgins, Baskett
1282 Dekoven Joe Andrews, Dekoven
1289 Cleaton P. L. Brigance, Cleaton
1309 Morganfield Bally Cartwright, Molrganiield
1630 Luzerne C. S. Engler, Greenville
1735 Midland J. W. Wright, Midland
1793 Render R. C. Owens, McHenry
1862 Mercer J. A. Sweeney, Central City
2166 Mercer Lewis McDowell, Central City
2214 Mannington Robert Gray, Mannington
2504 Mortwick A. L. Messer, Mortwick,
2600 Uniontown Georg^e Schneider, Uniontown
2613 Graham James Todd, Graham
2783 Nelson W. D. Duncan, Central City
2870 Diamond Block J. F. Davis, Drakesboro
3440 Hillside A. J. Seiber, Hillside
3441 Henderson W. C. Hopgood, Henderson
3534 Render J. D. Walker, McHenry
3590 Owensboro Lonnie Jackson. Central City
549
DISTRICT NO. 24, MICHIGAN.
J. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
8 St Charles Ed. McCullough, St. Charles 2
3 Bay City Wm. Roberts, 173 Filmore st, Bay City 1
4 Saginaw John Crutcheld, 901 S. Woodbridge St.,
Sag^inaw 1
4 Bay City Robert Gaffne;f, 610 Farragat st».
Bay City 2
4 Unionville Lawrence Buckins, Unionville 1
6 Flint John Cnitchfield, Saginaw 1
4 Saginaw John Harris, 2271 S. Hamilton, Saginaw 1
4 Saginaw Wm. Diamond, Box 420, Cumberland, Md. 1
4 Saginaw John Hatton, 1601 Gratest st., Sagi-
naw, Mich. 1
6 Bay City James B. Muir, 1118 N. Sheridan st,
Bay City 1
4 Munger John Crutchfield, Saginaw 2
2 Saginaw Charles Findley, Saginaw 1
DISTRICT NO. 25, MISSOURL
r. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
5 Keota Robert Gruber, Keota 8
Lexington George W. Robinson, Lexington 2
Lexington George Canning, Lexington 2
Lexington John Rosenberg, Lexington 2
Lexington W. A. Ford, Lexington 8
Lexing^ton Hub Haydon, Lexington 2
Lexington John Gueg^en, Lexington 2
Bucklin George Hepple, Moberly 1
Higginsville Wm. Ward, Higginsville 8
Richmond R. J. Lee, Richmond 6-— 1 ex.
Richmond ^ . . . D. S. McCall, Richmond 6
Hfgginsville David A. Frampton, Moberly 1
Perry George Hepple, Moberly 1
Higbee Jesse W. Whitemore, Higbee 8
Bevier Wm. T. Thomas, Bevier 8
Fleming David Smart, Orrick, R. F. D. 8 1
Higbee O. Bradley, Higbee 2
Ardmore Manford Taylor, Ardmore 8
Ardmore P. T. Peterson, Ardmore 8
Macon George Hepple, Moberly 1
Elliott Geo. Hepple, Moberly, less than 10 members
Deep Water Arch Helm, Deep Water 1
550
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Vofeei.
1089 Waverly John Closterman, Waverly
1135 Huntsville James E. Jones, Huntsville
1226 Novinger John Warwick, Novinger
1231 Wellington Horace Beauford, Wellington
1400 Coder Arch Helm, Wellington
1442 Novinger Jas. Ck>oley, Novinger
1442 Novinger Jas. Mobney, Novinger
1442 Novinger D. A. Frampton, Moberly
1472 Napoleon George Hepple, Moberly
1611 Leavenworth A. W. Hopkins, Leavenworth, Kan.
1827 Lexington George Miller, Lexington, Mo.
1858 Leavenworth Al. Hopkins, Leavenworth, Kan.
1874 Sanwick D. A. Frampton, Moberly, Mo.
1875 Brookfield George Hepple, Moberly
1928 Camden D. A. Frampton, Moberly
1942 Novinger John Jackson, Novinger
2143 Marceline R. T. Washburn, Marceline
2480 Stahl James Mooney, Novinger
2669 Bowen D. A. Frampton, Moberly taxdne
2686 Kirksville Ed. Schneideke, Kirksville
2695 Trenton Andrew Steele, Novinger
2855 Kirksville D. A. Frampton, Moberly
2862 Waterloo Arch Helm, Waterloo
3450 Wellington Clyde Taulton, Wellington
DISTRICT NO. 27, MONTANA.
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
370 Belt John J. Bahnack, Belt
703 Lehigh John Laird, Lehigh
858 Bear Creek John P. Kane, Bear Creek
1340 Bridger Stephen Ely, Bridger
1585 Carpenter Mack Stigler, Carpenter
1727 Bear Creek Wm. Dempster, Bear Greek ^
1729 Bear Creek David McKee, Bear Creek
1733 Bear Creek George Irvine, Bear Creek
1771 Red Lodge Adam Whitehead, Red Lodge
1771 Red Lodge Max Novack, Red Lodge
2020 Sand Coulee Stephen Ely, Bridger
2020 Sand Coulee Wm. Day, Sand Coulee
2301 Stockett Steve Evanko, Stockett
2659 Washoe Stephen Ely, Bridger
2360 Musselshell Adam Wilkinson, Roundup
2866 Roundup Val Baily, Roundup
I'
[ 651
^' L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
8478 Roundup Adam Wilkinson, Roundup 1
• 8574 Klein R. D. Jones, Klein 6
DISTRICT NO. 28, VANCOUVER.
L L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
f 2888 Ladjrsmith David Irvine, Seattle, Wash. 1
DISTRICT NO. 29, WEST VIRGINIA.
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate.' Votes.
87 Elmo Marvin McNeal, Ansted
252 Teny Joe Patton, Teny
802- Wright John Gatherum, Beckley
812 Jodie N. O. Skaggs, Jodie
821 Michigan L. M. McNeil, Lansing
654 Whipple Patrick Gilmore, Whipple
688 Ansted Z. W. Campbell, Ansted
847 Stone Cliff Wm. B. Brown, Stone Cliff
1454 Ansted Z. W. Campbell, Ansted
1522 Caperton F. S. Sellers, Caperton
1770 Elverton J. L. Green, Elverton
1788 Wyndal John Gatherum, Beckley
1985 Lansing S. S. Christian, Lansing
1888 Grand View C. R. Williams, Grand View
2016 MabscoU G. W. Scott, Wickham
2046 Cancho Frank P. Davis, Cancho
2205 Spragon James Harvey, Spragon
2821 Sullivan Lawrence Dwyer, Beckley
2825 Warden Lawrence Dwyer, Beckley
2456 Warden Lawrence Dwyer, Beckley
2639 Cranberry Marshall Price, Beckley
2670 Eccles John Kennedy, Eccles
2889 Kay Moore G. W. Decker, Fayetteville, R. F. 1,
Box 31
2894 Ansted Z. W. Campbell, Ansted
2898 Fayetteville L. M. McNil, Lansing
2941 Page J. M. Cox, Page
2942 Carlisle G. O. Risis, Carlisle
2958 Edmond George Blizzard, Edmopd
2958 Sanger « Sam L. Craft, Minden
2968 Minden Sam L. Craft, Minden
2969 Harvey J. C. Hill, Hill Top
2972 Layland Joe Patton, Layland
552
L.U. Location. Name and Address of Delegate. Votes.
2973 Macdonald Wm. Fink, Macdonald
2974 Hawknest L. M. McNeil, Lansing
2982 Thayer Lawrence Dwyer, Beckley
8082 Lansing S. S. Christian, Lansing
8172 Kilsytne J. D. Zeller, Kilsytne
8194 Scarbro L. H. Pepperd, Scarbro
8196 Red Star J. C. Hill, Hilltop
8197 Sun Thomas J. Price, Sun
8208 Glen Jean J. S. Baker, Glen Jean
8207 Affinity O. Dempsey, Affinity
8212 Stanaford J. J. Deckerson, Beckley
8220 Willis Branch Lawrence Dwyer, Beckley
8247 Raleigh Willis Cooper, Raleigh
8258 Cliflf Top Z. W. Campbell, Ansted
8288 Long Branch John Gatherum, Pax
8485 Lawton Joe Patton, Beckley
8502 South Nutall Joe Green, Elverton
8649 Laurel Creek «... John Gatherum, Beckley
8560 Slabfork L. Wolker, Slabfork
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN J. MOSSOP,
ALBERT NEUTZLING,
T. G. MORGAN,
Credentials Committee.
The report of the committee as a whole was adopted.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON OFFICERS' REPORTS.
Delegate O'Neil, secretary of the committee, continued the report
of the committee as follows :
ANTHRACITE WAGE AGREEMENTS.
The Anthracite Mine Workers have also secured two supplemental
wage agreements carrying with them large and substantial increases in
wages since the adoption of their regular agreement April 1, 1916, and
continuing to March 31, 1920. In addition the regular agreement carried
with it the eight-hour day, which marks the close of the long and tedious
struggle of the anthracite mine workers for this great reform.
The committee highly commends the work accomplished in the an-
thracite region and concurs in the President's report.
553
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
FEDERAL FUEL ADMINISTRATION.
The Committee on Officers' Reports concurs in this part of the Presi-
dent's report and recommends that this convention pledge to Dr. H. A.
Garfield, Fuel Administrator for the United States, their unqualified sup-
port and co-operation in his gni-eat task. Also on hehalf of the union
mine workers of the nation pledge him the maximum production of coal
possible in our jurisdiction.
The report of the conamittee was adopted unanimously.
CAMPAIGNS IN UNORGANIZED FIELDS.
The committee recommends the continuation of the campaigns in the
unorganized fields of the country and are pleased at the progress that
has been made in Southeastern Kentucky and Eastern Tennessee and
Alabama, as well as other sections of the country. We also commend
that section of the President's report which reads as follows :
"The International Executive Board, in the early part of last year,
decided to take over and administer the affairs of the organizations in
the partially organized and non-supporting districts. It became neces-
sary, in line with this policy, to suspend the autonomy of our non-sup-
porting districts in order to more successfully carry on our organizing
work. In the past dual authority seriously interfered with the success
of our efforts. The re3ult in the above mentioned districts fully justifies
the action of the Board in this respect."
The conunittee concurs in the report of the President.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
LITIGATION.
In the cases of the Coronado Coal Company and others against the
United Mine Workers of America and the Hitchman Coal Company
against the United Mine Workers, the committee heartily agrees with
the report of the President in this most important matter and urge that
such steps be taken as will properly protect our interests, referring the
entire matter for action to the special committee to be provided by the
554
President to formulate a policy to meet the issues presented in then
cases.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
INCREASE IN PER CAPITA TAX.
After a careful investigation of the report of the President and the
Secretary-Treasurer on the financial necessities of our union the Com-
mittee on Officers' Reports is convinced that the increased cost of every- ^
thing necessary to conduct the affairs of our union requires an increase
in the per capita tax to the International sufficient to meet their needs.
Inasmuch as this is a constitutional question, the matter is referred to
the Committee on Constitution.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
INCREASE IN SALARIES OF EMPLOYES AND OFFICERS.
The committee concurs in this part of the President's report and tbe
action of the International Executive Board in recognising the rights d
the employes and officers of the organization to receive an advance in
their wages, on a percentage basis equal to that received by the mem-
bership, in order that they might meet the increased cost of living.
The report of the committee was adopted.
EMPLOYMENT OF FORMER PRESIDENT WHITE.
The committee has carefully considered this portion of the Presi-
dent's report and are of the firm opinion that the United Mine Workers
of America should maintain proper representation in the Advisory De-
partment of the Fuel Administration during the period of the war in
order that the interests of the mine workers of the country may be
properly protected and that our views on all the great questions that
are arising and will continue to arise during this time may be properly
presented. We believe that the settlements already secured through this
agency, benefiting thousands of mine workers, provides more than ample
justification for maintenance of this position. Even though the govern-
ment was willing to pay our representative a salary, the necessity of
our union to have an independent spokesman in this position convinces
555
e committee that proper representation is by having a member of our
lion, paid and supported by our union, act as labor adviser to the U. S.
ael Administration.
The committee therefore heartily concurs in this part of the Presi-
nt's report and the action of the International Executive Board in em-
oying former President White to fill this very important position and
commend to the convention" that he be continued during the period of
e war.
A motion was made and seconded to ado^t the report of the com-
ittee.
Delegate Arscott, District 12: I would like to have a resolution on
lis subject read.
Vice-President Lewis: The resolutions bearing on this subject are
< the hands of the Resolution Committee and will be reported on by that
immittee.
Delegate Arscott: If we take action now the resolution will not be
:ted on.
Vice-President Lewis: The action taken today will precede any
:tion taken by that committee. Action on this report will be final.
Delegate Arscott: I move the calling up of that resolution. Either
lat or I will move to defer action.
Vice-President Lewis: You cannot call up a resolution under the
jport of the Committee on Officers' Reports.
Delegate Arscott: Can't I move to defer action?
Vice-President Lewis: No. The committee's report. must be voted
;> or down ; you cannot defer action.
Delegate Fontecchio, District 12: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Dele-
ites: — Most of you know that John P. White is no longer president of
ir organization. Of course, when he resigned the understanding was
lat he would get a position with the government. There is no dispute as
John P. White's honesty. John P. White was the best president this
'ganization ever had. There is no dispute about that at all. We under-
556
stand, however, that John P. White is today in the employ of the govern-
ment and not in the employ of our organization. I object to paying the
salary, not because it is too much money to pay him, but becauae it estab-
lishes a precedent in this organization, and in the future any time an ofli-
cer feels satisfied to resign his office and go to any other employment he
can remain on the pay-roll just as John P. White is doing.
I hope the war madness will not work on you as it did last Saturday
and make it appear as though the Germans are at the Union Station and
if you are not careful they will get you today. We are willing to do our
share to help the government during the war, but remember that John
P. White has resigned as your officer and is now working for the govern-
ment. If you accept the report of the committee you might as well declare
that you are going to pay the salary of any mine manager, superintendent
or even operator. That is what it means. As I said before, any oflScer or
individual wishing to leave this union, if you establish this precedent, can
remain on the pay-roll all his life. Suppose you have officers in your or-
ganization and they accept positions from other employers or from the
government, you will have to pay all these individuals' salaries. If you
are satisfied to do that, all right, but it will be establishing a bad prece-
dent.
Delegate Murray, Chairman of the Committee: If there is
one part of the report of the Committee on Officers' Reports
that we did not expect any debate upon it is this section.
I might explain to the delegation that the services of John P.
W*hite, the ejc-President of this International Union, were commandeered
by the United States government; he was conscripted by our govern-
ment, as it were, into this service as an adviser to the Fuel Adminis-
trator. Acting as adviser with Mr. White is Mr. Bembrandt Peale,
who is representing the vast interests of the coal companies of America.
Mr. Poale receives one dollar per year from the United States govern-
ment but his salary while acting in this capacity is well taken care of
by the coal operators. We foel that the interests of this great organi-
zation should be protected, and the International Executive Board, in its
wisdom decided that because of the great task that International Presi-
dent White had to perform he should be continued in this position during
the perioil of the war. If the coal operators of this country can pay the
advisor who is acting for thorn, surely this great United Mine Workers
I
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557
of America, in order to have our interests amply and properly pro-
tected, should say to the world in a dignified way that we are going
to pay our former International President a salary during the period of
the war to protect our interests.
It is needless for me to debate that question in this convention; the
results already obtained speak for themselves. Here you have miners on
each side of the hall that two years ago, or before the country declared
war, had but very little representation in this convention. I refer espe-
cially to the miners from eastern Kentucky and Tennessee. But due to
the activity of our ex-International President, acting as adviser to the
Fuel Administrator, we have succeeded in securing substantial recognition
for the coal miners of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee. Two years ago
the coal miners of Alabama were but sparsely represented in this conven-
tion. Today they have a splendid delegation here, and I am told that but
one week ago, due to the activities of our ex-International President, we
succeeded in securing substantial recognition of the organization in Ala-
bama.
Those things are well worth your consideration ; they speak for them-
selves, and this great international convention should say to the people of
our nation and to the people of the world that it proposes to continue
in an advisory capacity ex-International President White during the
period of the war for the purpose of protecting the interests of the coal
miners of America.
Vice-President Lewis : The chair wants to recognize on this question
a man who, more than any other delegate in this convention, can speak
of the services of ex-President White in the districts mentioned by the
chairman of the committee. Delegate Bittner, of Tennessee, was on his
feet preceding Chairman Murray, and he gave way in order to let the
position of the committee be known.
Delegate Bittner: Speaking for every delegate from southeastern
Kentucky and Tennessee, speaking for the miners there and for their
wives and little children, I can fully support the report of the committee
and recommend it for a unanimous vote on this occasion. The argument
of my friend who opposed the committee's report was so ridiculous it
needs no answer. The precedent that has been established, if it can only
be continued, not as a war measure, but for all time in the coal mining
558
indastry of this country, will be well worth the trouble and the money
pended by the United Mine Workers of America. When a great strike
of 25,000 coal miners was on in southeastern Kentucky and Tennessee the
coal operators there, backed up by the powerful steel corporation and
railroad corporations, were determined never to recognize the Mine
Workers' organization ; but because of the fact that International Presi-
dent White was a member of the Fuel Administration as an adviser to
Dr. Garfield we were able to get a conference with those operators and a
final settlement that meant the g^reatest victory for the Mine Workers'
organization in any non-union coal field in this country for many years.
If nothing else had been accomplished than that it was more than worth
the few thousand dollars expended in salary.
Yes, we are willing to pay men who work in our interests for the
government of the country. If they would appoint our ex-President to
serve as President of the United States or as United States Senator the
Mine Workers' organization, the intelligent members of our union, would
be willing to pay his salary. What was the motive, so far as some of
the great captains of industry of this country were concerned, when they
decided that the advisers should be paid only one dollar per year? It was
because they felt that representatives of labor did not have the money
to take those positions at one dollar a year and keep themselves and
their families. They thought that by paying one dollar a year salary
they would keep every representative of labor in this country off of the
advisory boards that are part of our government during this war. That
was the purpose, and the man or men who will stand up in this conven-
tion and say we are establishing a dangerous precedent and should not
pay this salary and these expenses of our International President are
merely playing into the hands of men who do not want representatives
of organized labor on those different government boards.
There is no man hero who ean deny the fact that as adviser to Dr.
GarfieM our ex- International President has probably done more for the
coal minors in the unorjranizod fields of this country than could have been
done in ten years without his assistance. I hope, therefore, that this con-
vention will, in n dignified way. in a way that will show its bigness in-
stead of its smallness, approve of the notion of the International Execu-
tive Board and say to ex-President White: "God speed you on your way
\
Ir
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659
in tlie great and noble work you are performing as labor adviser to Dr.
Garfield.''
President Hayes: I think we are all agreed that we should have
representation in the Federal Fuel Administration; and I believe we
are also agreed that there is no man better qualified to represent this
union than former President White, because of the great experience he
has had in these matters during the past several years. There seems to
be an impression abroad in the land that ex-President White is receiving
a salary from this union and also from the government. That is not
true. He receives no salary from the government of the United States
and he is not able financially to remain in Washington unless he was
paid by someone. I want to make that point clear. I need not say that
be has assisted us materially and defended our interests on numerous
occasions since he has been in Washington. It was decided when the
International Board passed upon this matter that if the gpvernment paid
him a salary we would not pay him. That is right and just, and I think
it has met the approval of the great rank and file of our organization.
I don't think this needs any extended debate, but I wanted to bring
that home to our delegates so they would know why our organization was
paying the salary.
A number of delegates asked that debate be closed.
Vice-President Lewis: Is there a sufficient number who wish de-
bate closed?
A number of delegates arose.
Vice-President Lewis: The chair is of the opinion that debate has
not been closed.
Delegate Sivil, District 14: I desire to protest against that report.
I don't think for a minute that John P. White is any better than one of
the boys who puts a rifie on his shoulder and goes across the water. I
don't believe he should get $5,000 a year and the one who goes to fight the
battle get $80 a month. If he would get a salary like ours I would not
object. You know as well as I do that it is a good thing to have John P.
White work for the government, but I don't believe in paying $5,000 to
some man while we get about $500 a year for our work. I object to that
660
*
salary of $5,000 a year. Are you going to pay the man who takes a rifle
on his shoulder and goes across the water $5,000 a year? No, you an
not going to do that. If you are going to pay John P. White anything,
pay him on the basis we are paid for our labor. For God's sake cut out
some of this expense.
Delef^atc Halls (H.)> District 12: I rise at this time to oppose the
payment of this salary to former President White. I believe if he had
romaincfl in office and allowed the Vice-President to handle his work it
would be proper for him to remain on the pay-roll. If the position he
holds is so important to the government he should be paid by the govern-
ment. There is no man in this meeting who has any more respect for
former President White than I have, but I am not in favor of creating a
new office at this time. One section of the report asks for more per
rn pi til tax and the next one recommends a donation of $5,000 a year.
That docs not .look consistent to me, and I oppose it. We have many
oMUmm'h in the various states that represent labor. I have an appoint-
nifiit to represent labor on the Council of Defense. I would have as much
right to resign the job I have, allow another man to be put in my place
to draw tho wages, then go ahead with the other work and still expect
to draw my pay. If you take this step for President White I have the
Hiiino right to do it in Illinois. I do the miners' work and then work
nightN as much as I can to help the government win this war. There-
Ton* 1 am g«»ing on record opposing the payment of this salary to former
ProsidiM\t Whito.
Dolognto Mi'Vcy. District 12: I believe I have a right to be heard a
little bit. for 1 havo boon in the organization since its inception. Under
the oonditions existing tinlay it is necessary for every activity and every
industry to havo a person in the government to look after its interests.
There is no industry in this country that is more essential to carrying on
the work of the gtnernment than coal mining, and no men are more a
factor than the miners. This gvn'crnment is made up of the people and
we .sre part of the jr\»vernmoni. We don't want to get the idea into our-
heads that the government is anything else. We are the government and
we want a reiMosentativo there. No man is more qualified to represent
us thai\ ^o\\\\ r. White. A n^.an is the servant of the interest that pays
him. tU'hn P. White is our servant and he ^^ill look after our interests in
561
t
'■■■
^ the government. In my opinion that should be the highest office in the
I.
l^ organization and we should pay the man who holds it.
r
I Delegate Arscott, District 12: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Dele-
gates— ^The chairman of the committee made the remark that our Inter-
national President has been conscripted. Well, if he has been con-
scripted I am not going to oppose the adoption of the committee's report.
I believe he should get a salary. I realize the valuable man we have lost
in John P. White, if he has been conscripted to look after the affairs of
oar organization, and I would be willing to continue his salary. How-
ever, I don't know that that statement is correct. I understand it is vol-
untary on his part. I also understand that it is a procedure in the
United Mine Workers that when a raise is given by the contract all our
officials from the doorkeeper up shall have automatic raises. I notice that
our International Executive Board has taken that course and that very
little objection is offered to it.
Now we are going to pay another salary to an official that is not
functioning direct in the work of the organization he was elected for.
We are asking for a raise in the per capita tax. When you go back home
and tell the men the International President's salary will be $10,000, id be
divided between Frank Hayes and Mr. White, there will be objections
raised. We had no objection to the Executive Board raising the salary,
bat if the, convention will do this it will be wrong. I believe if Mr.
White is going to get this $5,000 a year it should be submitted back home
to the rank and file to vote on. I know it is said the joint contract is to
be ratified by this convention and I had my instructions how to vote, but
I have no instructions as to how I am to vote on this salary of $5,000 a
year to. Mr. White.
Delegate Burke, District 13: I don't know what kind of logic the
delegates use when they will oppose a proposition of this kind. The op-
erators' associations are paying Rembrandt Peale to represent them, and
they will continue to pay him. If John P. White doesn't serve in the
capacity of labor advisor to the Federal Fuel Administrator some one
else will. If he does not serve, who will? This does not cost you men
mach more than a cent each for the year. Already district presidents
from all over the country have appealed to John P. White to use his in-
1
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562
fluence to get them assistance in makins: their contracts. We cunct
afford to have any other man than John P. White in that position.
I don*t think we should take up any more time discussing this ques-
tion. Certainly your constituents want you to come here and do the
best you can for them. Do you want to take our former president out of
the position he now holds and allow Dr. Garfield to put another man in
there? If he does that Dr. Garfield will have to select a man who can
afford to work without salary from the government. The man who serves
will have to get his pay from some source, and I would rather have oitr
International organization pay the salary of the labor advisor of tiw
Fuel Administrator than have him paid by any other interest. i
»
Delegate Harston: I was not instructed directly by my local nnioB 1
what to do when I left home, but was told to do what I thought best when j
I came here. I don't think there is a man in oar organization more d^ \
serving of a salary of $5,000 a year to work in our interests than Jdm
P. White. I am willing to pay the $5,000. and if the proportionate in-
crease the other R.<itional officers have received will apply to that, I sm.
willing to have that paid also. I don't think we have a man who wqii]<^
do this organization ar.y more good in a national way than John
White.
Deloeate Jones iJ. T.>. District 12: I happen to be one
those fellows who have beer, conscripted by the government and I
entitled :o as nvjch cor.siueraticr. as oi:r former president. I maintaii
that the previous speakers who have ^Tapped themselves in OW Glor^^^
for the pas: two days seem :o have lost sight of the fact that thc^
Service F*.a£: was har.irir.c over :heir heads. Ar« not the men repTesented
rv these stars as r.v-ch er.: :::«>: to cor.sideration as John P- White or
m
ar.y other ir.err.ber of the crcar.iraticr.T I have wrapped myself in OW
G'.ory ;us: as rat riot: caV.y as ar.y other rr.an in this country, altiiottgh
a: ore t:r:e a 5-^:e:t of a r.:or.ar:h:ca' co-rtry in Europe. Four of ray
Vrrthers have s;\.*r.~.vol ther lives or the European battlelleld. I cen-
ter .i t h i > :r at t er s h : u * .: r ot r-e .^e jiieo. r y the delegates to this convention.
The rars a-.i re sh :-*.'. v.-te or this rrcj-csition. If we are gmn^ to
ray 'o-.r P \Vh::e S ".•>.■.*• a year, every r.-.ar who gve* to Europe — and
r.- i.^ur: ^.-h try rv.i.tary e\r<r'erj^ of f.ve years I will be one of
663
e victims — is just as much entitled to consideration as John P. White
any other official or organizer of the International organization.
Delegate Flyzik, District 10: Mr. Chairman and Delegates — I do
»t want to needlessly consume the time of this convention by discussing
e question before you at great length; but I feel it devolves upon
e.to correct what I believe is an erroneous impression that was sought
be created by some of the former speakers. They have inferred that
e are endeavoring to establish a very dangerous precedent by pasring
te salary of a man to represent the coal mine workers of this country
i a political capacity. Let me call the attention of these delegates to
le fact that John P, White is not representing the organization in a
olitical capacity, but in an industrial capacity; he is serving in a depart-
ment created by the government to administer the affairs of the coal
^ers and coal operators of this nation.
As has been pointed out by previous speakers, if you vote down the
port of the committee the coal operators or some of the politicians
li put a man in there and willingly pay his salary to do their bidding.
^ me cite to you a little experience we had in the State of Wash-
'^n. When the increase granted to the mine workers of that State
* xmder discussion Fuel Administrator Garfield designated a man to
^Yvise the coal industry of our State. This man, who I understand
political ambitions, immediately began to play politics with the
r^^s and conditions of the miners of District 10. After you had your
"^ase conceded in the Eastern States we met our operators and agreed
^ satisfactory contract. When we appeared before our State fuel
^inistrator we were given to understand that he was clothed with
'hority to wipe out the wide differential that existed between Wash-
r^<Hi, Illinois, Ohio and the Eastern States. He also told the repre-
^tatives of our organization that the increase would not go into effect
^tll the first of this year. What were we to do? Some one perhaps
^\ suggest that we ought to strike. If we had pursued that course
nd remained on strike two or three weeks the mine workers would
ave lost thousands of dollars in wages, so we took an entirely different
ourse.
We found out that President White was representing us in Wash-
igton as labor advisor to Dr. Garfield and we served notice on our
564
State fuel administrator that the increase would li^o into effect at a
designated time set by the mine workers; and if it did not we would
challenge his authority to hold it up. We telegraphed to President White
and explaine<l the situation to him. What occurred? The Waahingtim
State fuel administrator got his instructions from Dr. Garfield to laj
off the miners increases, that he had no power to make that the issue
in our State. When he found he could not deny us the increase— stiU
playing politics — he created a commission to hold an extensive inve^-
gation to determine whether the coal operators of our State were
entitled to an increase in the price of coal to meet the increases granted
the mine workers, ^ven to this date he has not handed down a definite
decision. The operators of our State have been paying the increase and
hoping they will be able to realize the amount the same as other operaton
have through the increase allowed them by the Federal Fuel Adminis-
trator. So I say that John P. White has already earned his salary, not
for one but for two or three years, by the stand he took for the Wash-
ington mine workers when we had this dispute with the state fuel
administrator.
If this was a political position I would oppose it myself; but it is
not a political position, it is a position created to protect the industrial
welfare of the United Mine Workers. If you vote against the report of
the committee you will not be taking a slam at John P. White. He is
willing to surrender the position if you say so, but one year from now
you will miss him from Washington and you will be kicking yourselves
for voting the proposition down. So far as holding up the war mask is
concerned, I have no desire to do that or to appeal to your patriotism
on this subject. This is a business proposition. Mr. White is not ^n
Washington to offer advice to the politicail or military departments; he
i? there to protect your interests so the politicians and the unscrupulous
coal operators will not take advantage of you. So I say it is to your
advantage to keep a man in Washington to serve in that capacity and
to protect j'our interests during these abnormal times.
Delegate Sv/ecney, District 9: Mr. Chairman, I am somewhat sur-
prised at the position some of the delegates takQ in regard to the report
of the committee. Wc ought to have a man in the important position
Air. White now fills. If we do not have some one to look after our
interests wc will pay a corporation attorney thousands of dollars. Look
565
over the reports of the national officers and see the thousands of dollars
that have been paid to attorneys. Then you object to giving John P.
White a salary of $5,000 to serve as your representative in the Federal
fuel administration. You have paid ten times as much to cheap attorneys
who gave you bad advice and set you on the wrong road.
The men who say John P. White should not get this salary, even
though we have to increase the per capita tax to do it, are not fit to
represent their locals in this convention. You have the Red Cross and
other organizations at the collieries and the coal companies' officials
will come to the miners and ask for money for these institutions. Any-
thing the superintendent of a colliery asks for you will come across
with, but you are split here on the question of paying our former Inter-
national President a salary of $5,000 a year to look after our interests.
■
You ought to be glad to pay $5,000 a year to have a representative like
John P. White in such a position to look after your interests.
Delegate McGuinn, District 12: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Dele-
gates— I sat here all last week and listened very attentively to the
debate. This morning I am somewhat surprised to see the different front
presented by some of the delegates who spoke on the question of ratify-
ing the Washington Agreement. Last week, as I remember, our govern-
ment was lauded to the skies: you were told of all the concessions the
United Mine Workers had received at the hands of our government, and
this morning some of the speakers have told you that if we do not pay
John P. White a salary of $5,000 a year we are not going to get any
concessions from our government. Now, how do you suppose the records
of this convention will appear to the rank and file? What will they
think when they read the records and see that their delegates were told
the government had granted all the concessions we asked for, and then
on Monday morning of the second week of our convention the govern-
ment is condemned and we are told unless we pay John P. White $5,000
salary we cannot get any concessions? That may sound good to some
of the delegates and tickle their ears, but it doesn't sound good to me.
If it was logical last week to advise the delegates to have faith in our
present governmental administration I believe it is just as wise on this
Monday morning to give us the same advice and continue our faith in
our government.
566
r, for one, am opposed to paying John P. White a salary of $5,000
a year. As some of the previous speakers have said, it will cost only
a little over a penny a day. If you will take the report of the Credentials
Committee you will perceive that numerous delegates have had to appear
before that committee — for what? To make a faithful promise to tiis
Credentials Committee and to Secretary Green that they will use their
influence when they return home tc gret their respective local unions to
pay up their per capita tax. That does not speak very well for tlis
miners, and, as my friend Sweeney over here stated a few minutes ago,
back in the East if the operators and superintendents and pit bosses
tell you to contribute a dollar a month this month to the Red Cross and
another dollar next month their word goes and you come across. A
few minutes previous to that the statement was made that the delegates
who were opposing the payment of this salary were not fit to be in tldi
convention. Now, if I am to be any judge and if I am to take Sweeney^
remarks for anything, I think the place he had reference to and the
men condemned by him are not worthy of membership in our organiiar
tion. I would hate to get up here and speak as a representative of ^
local union and tell in one breath of the great losralty of the membeirA
as union men, and then in the next breath tell us that the superintende*^^
controls the organization in that part of tl^e field. That is no cre^*^^
to the members Delegate Sweeney represents.
I am opposed to paying John P. White a salary of $5,000 to act
labor advisor to the Fuel Administrator, because of the fact that
have been led to believe that all the mine workers had to do was
ask for concessions from the government to receive them. If that
logical last week it is logical now. If we could get these concessions
week we can get them in the future without paying John P. White
salary. If we cannot get these concessions it is time for the delegat^^
to know whether the statements contained in the records of last
are true or not. I believe the rank and file of this organization hai
intelligence enough to say by their votes whether John P. White si
receive a salary of $5,000 a year or not, and until they have a vote
the question I am certainly going to enter my protest against the
being paid him at the hands of this delegation.
Delegate Pressly, District 10: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Delegate-
— I want to speak to you for just a few minutes and appeal to the com-
567
mon sense and reasoning faculties of this delegation. If any of you
delegates were being prosecuted in a civil court and you were not guilty,
or even though you were guilty, would you be willing to sit before the
Judge and have one side of the case argued and nobody represented on
the other side?
It has been stated by several speakers that this proposition should
he Bubmittted to the rank and file for a vote. I think if it were sub-
■Mtted fairly and squarely to the rank and file the members would
^numimously support the report of the committee. If the question were
to be asked the rank and file of this organization by the delegates ^en
ft«y go home to their respective local unions, "Are you willing, when
y^ have cases to come before the govecnment, to have Mr. Rembrandt
iWe act solely in an advisory capacity for the coal operators and have
W> one on our side to argue our case?" Are you willing to have Mr.
■ Bembrandt Peale act altogether in an advisory capacity for the opera-
w* and have some man whose convictions you know nothing of act for
y**o? Certainly you are not. You should be heartily in favor of having
• i^resentative for our side inasmuch as the operators have a man to
w>k after their interests. We ought to have a man on our side whose
^nvictions we know are sound and who is loyal to our organization.
No doubt Mr. Rembrandt Peale receives a salary from the coal
opeir^tors or from some other source; we know he is not serving for
^^* dollar a year. I believe we need a man on our side who is capable
^ Pxx>ducing facts concerning labor organizations and the mine workers'
^^nization. Who is more qualified to fill that position than John P.
^^, who has worked in the mines as a trapper, and has from that
*^^^© built himself up to the position he now holds? I am heartily in
*^^l* of the committee's report.
Bdegate Dobbins (Ed.), District 12: I am not surprised at the
^Position nor the place from which it comes. Ex-President White has
this same opposition at every stage of the game on every question
has advocated in this union. It is identically the same opposition.
not going to bring anybody here from the trenches to help me out
*tiy argumoit; I have been hollering for the boys in the trenches ever
^^5B anybody has been in the trenches, and I hollered for them last fall
<a«w all the mines in my district were on strike, when the men refused
568
to work to help the boys in the trenches, and I never got any auppoit
from those who are now talking about the boys in the trenches.
I am at a loss sometimes to know what the miners really wim.
Some time last summer the president of the United States appointed a
rate-fixing board. Op that board was Mr. Frank Peabody and a lot of
other men who were condemned from one part of the country to the
other. Immediately a howl went up, resolutions were passed and sent
to the international and district offices asking the president of the
United States to put a representative of the miners* union on that com-
mittee. One fellow, who just got through talking, said that in one hreath 1
we say one thing and in the next breath we say another thing*. I have
not heard anyone who spoke of paying ex-President White a salary that
contradicts anything that was said here last week. Last week the
speakers said the government treated us right. Nobody has disputed
that today. The government has treated us right in giving us what we
asked for when we had the proper people there to ask for something.
Who will you have there to ask for what is right if you don't have our
ex-president? Does any of you want to go there and do it without pay?
Can anyone here serve without pay? We may have some who would
do it — we had men in our convention last year who offered to take the
president's job for less than he was working for.
I say to you the same opposition that has always been here and
always will be here — and I hope to God they always will be here so we
can say something to them — are opposed to paying John P. White a
salary because they are opposed to him personally. They opposed a
raise in his salary when he was working directly for us. Talk about
the boys in the trenches! I have been their friend all the tirae» and I
would get them all $5,000 a year if I could. I wish to God we could do
it! Those people who will tell you they want to give them $5,000 a
year wouldn't do it if they could. They stood in opposition, first to the
government, and then they stood in opposition to the draft. After the
men were drafted into the sen'ice they did no better. Our constitution
provides that when a man is killed or dies from any cause his dependents
are entitled to $250. After a lot of our men were drafted into the
service and many others had enlisted our executive board in District 12
passed a motion that if any man entered the service his dues would be
exempt and if he died his dependents would be paid the $250. Gentle-
569
men, the aame men, the same people identically, who are how opposing:
paying John P. White a salary opposed us in Illinois agreeing to pay the
: dependents of the men in the trenches $250. Then they talk about
patriotiBm! It is just a matter of being against John P. White, and
that is all there is to it.
«
I tell you frankly I am opposed t© paying John P. White $5,000 a
year. I think it ought to be $10,000 or $15,000. I don't think there is
any need of taking up much time on this question. I don't ^are whether
it is John P. White or who it is that occupies the position, it is a shame
to oppose the payment of this salary. John P. White is only getting
fit)]n Bome people in this organization what other labor leaders in the
past got from a good many of our members. John Siney was dead forty
years before the miners of this country ever knew he was a good man.
Forty years after he died in the poorhouse they built a monument to
John Siney. Throw bouquets at the leaders who have been true to you
while they are living; don't wait until they are dead forty years to
recognize them.
A large number of delegates asked that debate cease. The chairman
asked for a rising vote to determine whether a majority of the delegates
wished to close debate. A large majority of the delegates signified a
desire to have debate close.
The motion to adopt the recommendation of the committee was
adopted by a rising vote, a very large majority of the delegates voting
in the affirmative.
The following delegates desired to be recorded in opposition to the
recommendation of the committee:
Delegate Linhart, Local 552, District 6; Delegate McCollum, Local
2154, District 6; Delegate McDonald, Local 768, District 14; Delegate
Burnett, Local 329, District 12; Delegate Moyer, Local 1418, District 6;
Delegate Riser, Local 2459, District 6; Delegate Stoneman, Local 283,
District 14; Delegate Moore, Local 533, District 14; Delegate Mezel,
Local 1896, District 14; Delegate Short, Local 1821, District 14; Delegate
Butch, Local 1131, District 21; Delegate Orel, Local 2386, District 6;
Delegate Munyas, Local 2159; Delegate Croppi, Local 1609, District 6;
Delegate Rodgers, Local 1748, District 6; Delegate Bender, Local 2449,
570
District 6; Delegate Galbraith, Locals 746 and 2097; Delegate Hnrlow,
Local 3097» District 11; Delegrate Dougherty, Local 573; Delegate Heind*
ley, Local 553, District 13; Delegate Schniedeke, Local 2686, District 26;
Delegate Rogers, Local 7GG, District 12; Delegate Russell, Local 1916,
District 12; Delegate Simmers, Local 839, District 6; Delegate Cou]bobi«
Local 2650, District 12; Delegate James, Local 553, District 13; Delegate ]
Kennedy, Local 794, District 12; 'Delegate Johnson, Local 1910, District |
12; Delegate Vaughn, Local 798, District 12; Delegate Reed, Local 798,
District 12; Delegate Gilgrass, Local 1063, District 13.
Delegate Barter, Local 553, District 11, and Delegate Shepaid, Local
1702, District 11, desired to be recorded as opposing the motion, not
because they objected to paying the salary to former President White,
but because the question had not been referred to a referendum vote.
Secretary O'Neil continued the report of the committee as follows:
HOME FOR AGED MINE WORKERS.
The committee concurs in this section of the President's report and
refers the matter to the special committee appointed by the International
President for them to make a complete report to this convention.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
OUR POSITION IN THE WAR.
The committee heartily concurs in the views expressed by the Presi-
dent on this important matter, but, inasmuch as there are a great many
resolutions concerning the war in the hands of the Committee on Reso-
lutions, we refer this part of the President's report to this committee to
bring in a resolution for adoption by the convention stating our position
in the war.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
NATURALIZATION OF MEMBERS.
The committee concurs in the recommendation of the President that
the manual be amended by incorporating in the order of business the
following: ''Are there any members present who desire to become citixens
571
of the United States?" We also recommend that the International
officers issue a circular letter to the local unions calling their attention
to this action and request each local union to appoint a committee on
naturalization to attend to this work.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
CONCLUSION.
In conclusion we commend the President for the able report he has
given us and commend the official staff of our union for the splendid
progress made since our last meeting as shown by the report.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
President Hayes in the chair.
REPORT OF VICE-PRESIDENT LEWIS.
The beginning of the Vice-President's report deals with his recent
appointment to the position of Vice-President and a brief statement of
the duties engaging his attention while serving in that capacity. The
Vke-President briefly reviews the activities of the organization in in-
cxeasing wages since the last convention. The committee concurs in this
part of the Vice President's report and commends him for the able
assistance rendered our organization in our wage negotiations.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
ORGANIZATION OF NON-UNION FIELDS.
This section of the Vice-President*s report dealing with the cam-
paign in the non-union fields has been covered in action taken by the
Ckmiinittee on the President's Report. The committee, however, heartily
concars in this part of the Vice-President's report.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
STATISTICAL REPORT.
The statistical report submitted by Vice-President Lewis is a credit
to our organization and contains much valuable information for our
niembership. The statistical tabulations are prepared in a manner that
572
can be read and understood by anyone. The committee heartily com-
mends our Statistician for this report, recommending that the delegates
to this convention tile a copy with their local unions calling the members*
attention to the important information it contains.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
REPORT OF JOHN L. LEWIS, MANAGER OF UNITED MINE
WORKERS' JOURNAL.
The report of the Business Manager of the Journal and the Secre-
tary-Treasurer of our organization indicates clearly that the experiment
authorized by the convention in 1914 of changing the form of our Jour-
nal from a newspaper published in one language to a magazine published
in three languages has not been a financial success. In fact, the deficits
of our official organ have increased with each successive audit since the
change, except during the four and one-half months commencing July
15, 1917, to November 30, 1917. The Committee on Officers' Reports
have endeavored to conduct an impartial investigation into the afFairs
of the Journal by hearing the views of the editors and Business Man-
ager, but are convinced that the time they have to devote to investigat-
ing the proposition involving all of the complex problems and details of
publishing a newspaper is too limited to reach a definite conclusion.
Therefore, we would recommend that the International Executive Board
be directed to conduct an exhaustive investigation into the affairs of the
Journal, being given authority by this convention to make such changes
in the form, the time of issuance and such other changes in the mechan-
ical make-up of the paper as their investigation may lead them to deter-
mine. We further recommend the continuation and publication of the
three languages as at present until the next International convention,
when the International Executive Board shall submit a complete report
of their fmdings on all matters pertaining to the financial possibilities
of the Journal, as well as its value as an educational force in our move-
ment.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
REPORT OF SECRETARY-TREASURER WILLIAM GREEN.
The introduction of the report by Secretary Green deals with sta-
titstical information concerning the membership of our organization for
678
the years 1915, 1916 and 1917; also with the membership by years since
1890 to the close of business for the last fiscal year. The information
eontained in this feature of the Secretary's report indicates the splendid
position of our union and the paid-up membership for November, 1917,
of 410,600 is one of which, under the circumstances, we may be proud. He
also calls attention to local unions not paying tax on their full member-
i' . ship. The committee concurs in this part of the Secretary's report, and
recommends that the laws of the union be strictly enforced on all local
unions for failure to pay tax on their full membership.
i
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation* of
the committee.
Delegate Foster, District 6: I would like to ask Secretary Green
a question. In his report for the last half of 1916 there is an item of ''$500
aztra expenses paid for John P. White during New York conference."
The members I represent want to know why that extra expense was in-
curred when the constitution sets forth that he shall be paid a salary
and all ^penses.
Secretary Green: I will have to ask for just a little time to get
the data for you. Sometime during the proceedings of this convention
I will procure the data and give you that information. I cannot give
it offhand now.
The motion to adopt the report of the committee was carried.
AID.
The conmiittee concurs in the report of the Secretary in the aid ren-
dered 4o the different districts.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
LOANS.
The committee concurs in this part of the Secretary's report and
commends the International Union for the creditable showing made in
their efforts to liquidate the National organization's debt to the different
districts, and recommends that districts that have not paid their full
amount due for this purpose be required to do so.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
574
AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION.
The recommendations contained in this part of the Secretary's re-
port to amend the constitution are concurred in and are referred to the \
Committee on Constitution.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
COLLECTION OF BACK ASSESSMENT.
This section of the Secretary's report is concurred in and recom-
mend that local unions that have not yet made settlement for their back
assessment be required to do so.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
TRAVELING AUDITORS.
We concur in the report of the Secretary concerning the Traveling
Auditors and commend the standardization of the local union books and
method of auditing.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
FINANCES.
The statement made by the Secretary on the finances of the union
is a powerful argument, showing the absolute necessity of increasing
the revenue sufficiently to meet such situations. However, this matter
has been acted upon by the Committee on Officers' Reports in the Presi-
dent's report. We concur in this part of the Secretary's report and also
refer it to the Committee on Constitution.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
MONEY IN COLORADO BANKS.
We concur in the Secretary's report on this matter and recommend
that the attorneys in these cases be retained and the suits pressed to a
conclusion.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
576
JOURNAL.
We concur in this part of the Secretary's report, but inasmuch as
the Committee on Officers' Reports has acted upon this matter in the
BuBiness Manager's report, no further action is necessary.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
COURT DECISIONS.
In view of the fact that President Hayes dealt extensively in his
report on this matter and recommended that a special committee be cre-
ated to formulate a policy to meet the issues presented in these cases,
the committee on Officers' Reports recognizing the great injustice done
our cause in these decisions, concurs in the report of Secretary Green
and refers this part of his report to this special committee.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the report of the com-
mittee.
Delegate Lawson, District 15: I want to say, Mr. Chairman, that I
am in favor of this recommendation of the committee, but I believe this
convention should give some expression as to the way you feel concerning
this matter. I understand there is some sentiment and some expression
along the line of not putting up a bond in the Fort Smith case. I want
to draw the attention of this convention in a very brief way to the
danger our organization is facing in that case.
In the event we fail to put up the proper appeal bond of about
f800,000, and this appeal is permitted to go by default, notwithstanding
the fact that we can still appeal, there is danger that at the expiration
of the time given our organization to appeal we will find a deputy sherifY
at the door of every bank in this country where we have funds ready to
put a blanket on the funds of our organization. They will either collect
the amount of damages awarded in the Bache-Denman case or they will
pot an injunction on our funds, and if there isn't sufficient money in the
banks to satisfy this judgment, I anticipate the same people will go out
and put a blanket on the homes of our members. If there is sufficient
money in the banks to satisfy this judgment and it is collected by the
Bache-Denman people, by the time you are ready to appeal and meet
them in the higher courts they will not have the money to pay back the
576
damages they have collected, because they are not a responsible com- ^
pany. I
I point this out so the committee will have something: to grnide them
in their deliberations. The committee should not overlook the fact that i
i
we must take care of these cases. It might be a good plan to ignore
the federal courts of this country and say we will pay no attention to-
what they say and do; but there are only two ways in which to combat
this action, which is brought with the full intent and purpose of destroy- .
ing this organization. One way is through political action in Congress
and the other is to fi<rht it through the courts of our country. If we -
do that, let us do it in the proper way. If we put up an appeal bond
and the company succeeds in collecting this amount of damages, and
the court should refuse to hasten this case, but let it drag along for two
or three years, there is only one way the organization can force the
hands of the federal court and that is by a general strike. We might
as well be plain in the matter. I don't believe there is anyone in our
organization today, especially after what we heard last week of the need
of our people furnishing coal, that would favor a general strike to force
the hand of the federal court; I don't believe anyone is going to favor
a general strike at this time as a method to get a fair and square deal
for our union. Wo can put up an appeal bond in the right way and go
into ihp courts in the right way. In the end we will not only win our
case, but our organization will be vindicated and we will have demon-
strated to the people of our country that the United Mine Workers is
not the kind of organization the plaintiffs in this case seek to show it is.
I am in favor of the report of the committee, but I want to say that in
my judgment the only thing this convention ought to do is to provide
for an appeal bond so that we can go into court in this case on its
merits.
The motion to adopt the report of the committee was carried.
(Concluded in Volume II.)
IIBRABY CF F.CC::Vi.ia KSSSittSi
117 hlBRiaX
STENOGRAPHIC REPORT
By
MARY BURKE EAST
PROCEEDINGS
of the
TWENTY-SIXTH CONSECUTIVE AND
THIRD BIENNIAL CONVENTION
of the
United Mine Workers
of America
held in the
City of Indianapolis, Indiana
January 15 to 26, 1918
INCLUSIVE
^^^SSM^^^N^
n,'VT<i»^«hK-i'j:Ma
13
VOLUME II
'■ ¥
^
1918
BOOKW ALTER BALL PRINTING CO.
INDIANAPOLIS
f»-
PROCEEDINGS
of the
TWENTY-SIXTH CONSECUTIVE AND
THIRD BIENNIAL CONVENTION
oftht
United Mine Workers
of AMERICA
held in the
City of Indianapolis, Indiana
JANUARY 15, 1918
President Hayes : ' The chair desires to state that a special commit-
will be appointed to consider the matter of litigation, and when that
committee reports the question will be discussed thoroughly.
President Hayes announced the following appointment:
SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER COURT DECISIONS.
Delegates John Moore, District 6; Frank Farrington, District 12;
Philip Murray, District 5; John Wilkinson, District 21; Edward Stew-
art, District 11; C. F. Keeney, District 17; John Brophy, District 2;
Thomas Kennedy, District 7; Martin Flyzik, District 10.
SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT OF SECRETARY-TREASURER.
Chairman Murray: Secretary Green called attention to the fact
the other day that he had omitted in his printed report the question of
bonding local anions. The Committee on Officers' Reports has acted on
the supplemental report he presented last week. The committee rec-
ommenda that the supplemental report of Secretary Green in reference
580
to the bonding of local officers be referred to the Committee on Con-
stitution.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
CONCLUSION.
The committee heartily concurs in the views expressed on the war
by our Secretary and recommends that this pUrt of his report be referred
to the Committee on Resolutions for their consideration in the prepara-
tion of a resolution stating the position of the United Mine Workers of
America in the war. We would also commend the Secretary-Treasurer
for the splendid and complete report he has presented to this convention.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
«
Secretary O'Neil: This completes the report of our committee.
■
which is respectfully submitted and signed.
PHILIP MURRAY, Chairman,
CHARLES O'NEIL, Secretary,
J. C. LEWIS,
JAMES DOYLE,
JOSEPH RICHAJRDS,
MARTIN FLYZIK,
C. F. KEENEY,
ARCHIE FORBES,
JAMES J. M'ANDREWS,
Committee on Officers' Reports.
The report of the committee as a whole was adopted.
At 12 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 1:30 p. m. of the
same day.
681
SIXTH DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION
»The convention was called to order at 1:30 p. m., January 21, Presi-
dent Hayes in the chair.
Secretary Green read the following communications:
"William Green, Secretary-Treasurer, United Mine Workers, Indian-
apolis, Ind.:
"To my g^eat disappointment and regret my work in connection
with the food situation renders it impossible for me to be present at
convention. I take this means of conveying to officers and delegates
my earnest good wishes and my hope that our great organization may
contlniie its progress and that the time is not far distant when all mine
workers of our country shall be enrolled in its membership.
"JOHN MITCHELL."
To the Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Gentlemen: The officers of the Slovenska Narodna Podpoma Jed-
nota (Slovenic National Benefit Society) of Chicago, 111., wish you
success in your endeavor and interest for the benefit of the working
class of people.
Our organization consists of approximately 20,000 members, of which
the majority belong to the U. M. W. of A. We, therefore, as well as
our daily newspaper "Prosveta" (who daily write for the benefit and
interest of all organized labor) wish and hope for your success.
Respectfully and fraternally yours,
JOHN VERDERBAR,
Supreme Secretary Slovenska Narodna Podpoma Jednota.
ADDRESS OF CHARLES KRUSE, PRESIDENT MIGRATORY
WORKERS.
Mr. President, Delegates and Citizens of Indianapolis — I want to
take this opportunity to introduce to you a class of people we know but
very little of, or have up to within a very few years felt much concern
about, the Mig^ratory Workers, also known as the casual workers, the
seasonal workers, and best known as the hoboes. There are three mil-
582
lion of this vast army of men that are employed under the present con-
ditions to do the seasonal and emergency work of our country, and they
are not organized. I dare say not more than three per cent, of them are
in organizations. They are the men that maintain and reconstruct your
lailroads, do seasonal work, such as harvesting, building dykes, building
levies and doing the kind of work that will save lives and property.
It will interest yop. if I say that during the y^ar 1916 this vast
army of migratory workers in our count r>' were allowed to work twenty-
one weeks; they were paid the lowest wages; they were housed and
kept under the most deplorable conditions. While they were allowed
to do this twenty-one weeks' work we required of them they lived the
balance of that year somehow. You don't know how they lived, but they
existed, for they are here; they are still alive. You supported them
when they were idle; you helped maintain their existence during the
time they were unemployed.
It is the purpose of the organization of which I have the honor to be
president — and I am proud of being its president — to organize these
men; to fight for better conditions for them; to abolish three of the
inost glaring abuses in connection with keeping those men unorganized
and keeping them submerged; first, to abolish the privately conducteil
emplo>'ment bureaus in our countiy: second, that they shall be furnished
transportation to and from the job; third, that the vagrancy laws that
are applied today to this vast army of men shall be amended. More
than 7.000 of them were arrested last year, many of them after they
were coaxed into a locality on the promise of work. They were arrested
and made to do community work, where it was to be done, to the injury
of the citizens of the community. In some instances the men were
lieated worse than the peons of Mexico, worse than the former slaves
in our southern country.
The federal government is nuw taking some interest in us, and four
years ago we were able through the organized labor movement to estab-
lish what is known as the Federal Emploxnnent Bureau. The Federal
Employment Bureau, however, does not go far enough. We have the
word of our good Secretary of Labor only recently that under the unfor-
tunate conditions we are facing at the present time it is his aim and
].urpos3 to establish an employment bureau controlled and regulated by
583
the federal Department of I^ibor in every United States postoffice. It
would be an information bureau where men and women could learn
where to secure work without any charge or fee. Seven million dollars
was taken out of the pockets of the migratory workers in 1916 for infor-
mation as to where they might find work.
I know you have very important affairs to deliberate upon that con-
cern your orgfanization; but this is your problem also and we need your
support. The last convention of the American Federation of Labor
endorsed ^he proposition and instructed the presidents of the various
State Federations of Labor to send out an ultimatum through their
respective states that the organized forces go to the legislative halls
and work to abolish privately conducted employment bureaus. Do this
whoi you go back to your homes, add your help in this direction, and
when you are helping me and my class you are helping yourselves.
On the 29th day of this month we are going to hold our thirteenth
annual convention in Indianapolis, and I invite you people and the citi-
zens of this city to come and listen to the claims and demands of men
who have no standing and no protection.
Secretary Green : While the convention has endorsed the Washington
Agreement, to be enforced during the period of the war or not to exceed
two years, it will be unnecessary for the convention to take action on
resolutions dealing with scale. That matter has been disposed of by
the action of the convention. A number of resolutions which we term mis-
cellaneous have not been referred to any committee, but they have been
printed and will be distributed later and made a matter of record. They
refer to scale matters.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS.
Chairman Harlin: The committee has a resolution from Maryland,
submitted to the secretary and by him referred to our committee, which
was not printed in the pamphlet containing the resolutions. He informs
118 that this resolution came in time to be included with the other reso-
lutions. The committee will read the subject matter of the resolution:
584
RESOLUTION NO. 205
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The mine workers employed by the Maryland division of
the Consolidation Coal Company have appealed to the State's attorney
to institute proceedings against the Consolidation Coal Company for
robbery at the weigh scales where the miners' coal is weighed and re-
corded; and ^
Whereas. J. Philip Roman. State's attorney for Allegany county,
Maryland, took cognizance of the appeal of the mine workers and secured
the services of two experts from the federal bureau of standards from
m
Washington. D. C. to examine the scales and report to the grand jury
their findings thereon; and
Whereas. The examination conducted by the experts from the federal
government showed that the scales were so arranged that the mine
workers were systematically robbed of over six hundred pounds per
oar; and
Whereas, The grand jury handed down indictments against the Con-
solidation Coal Company on three different counts for inaccurate weigh-
ing of the miners* coal, lo which the coal company pleaded guilty when
the cases were calleil in court and paid a tine of nine hundred dollars
»nd costs; and
Whereas. Under the laws of the State of Maryland the Conaolida-
tion Ci^l Company can bo forced to make restitution to the mine worken
for all coal stolen from them as far back as any record can be produced;
and
Whereas. We havo in v»ur possession sufficient evidence to
i-ase agair.s: the Cor. sol idat ion Coal Company, and force restitation to
the nrir.e workers of wages :!(>'s:emaiicaily withheld for years by Jere
WheeiwriiTht's l*oa' Company by short weighing the miners' output;
then:fose. be it .
Resolvevi. That we. the o:Vicers and delegates of the Twenty-sixth
Conset-utive ar.c Third Bitr.r.ial Con ^-en: ion of the U. M. W\ of A. as-
sembie\l in Ir.dianapolis in regular session beginning January 15, 1918,
4
685
hereby authorize and instruct the International Executive Board to
investigate the prospects of restoring the unpaid wages of the miners
employed by the Consolidation Coal Company, which wages were pur-
posely withheld by reason of the short weighing methods practiced by
the aforesaid company, and take such legal steps through the courts or
otherwise that will enable the mine workers, members of our organiza-
tion, to get restitution of wages and justice from the Consolidation Coal
Company. WM. DIAMOND,
President District 16.
F. L. THOMAS,
Vice-President.
WILLIAM J. TRICKETT,
Secretary-Treasurer District 16.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
Delegate Diamond, Acting President, District 16: I think it might
be well to inform the delegates why this resolution has been presented.
For the last two or three months I have been located in Washington,
D. C, representing to the extent otmy ability the United Mine Workers
of America. One of the coal companies that had its representatives
there endeavoring to have a hearing by the agencies of our government
was the Consolidation Coal Company. It was their proud boast that
they had invested five million dollars in Liberty Loan bonds. That state-
ment was made- while I was in Washing^ton. I immediately made the
statement to the officers of our federal government that those Liberty
Bonds bought by the Consolidation Coal Company were bought with
money stolen from men at the weigh scales. Two experts were sent
down from Washington to make an examination of the scales and they
found that in every instance those scales were so manipulated that as
high as six and seven hundred pounds was taken out of every car. The
two experts reported to the grand jury in Allegany county, Maryland.
The grand jury immediately indicted the Consolidation Coal Company.
We helped collect the evidence for the purpose of prosecuting them, and
when we took the matter up in court the Consolidation Coal Company's
attorneys pleaded guilty in order to prevent us from giving the evidence
we had in our possession. Under the laws of the State of Maryland
586
we can make the Consolidation Coal Company pay for every pound of
coal they have stolen from their employes.
We have several cases that» according to the advice of the attorneys
we have consulted, we can bring into court and make the company come
across with unpaid wages. The miners of my State are willing: to let
the entire expense be taken out of the unpaid wages when they are
collected. The reason we want the International to get behind this is
because every time the miners there assume any responsibility they are
victimized. We have a good strong organization down there but we
have not as yet effected an agreement. Our case is now before the
Federal Fuel Administrator. For that reason we would like to bring as
much pressure to bear upon the Consolidation Coal Company as possible
HO that our case before the fuel administrator will^eet with success.
I know every dele(::ate here is willing to help the miners of George Creek
^ot Justice from the coal companies. I think after you understand our
purpose you will adopt the resolution.
The motion to adopt the recommendation of the committee was car-
riod unanimously.
RESOLUTION NO. 33.
Eldorado, 111., December 27, 1917.
To the i>ttioor9 and l>ele>;ates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Hiennial t'onvontion of the U. M. W. of A,:
Koi^olvcd. That a State endowment fund be created to take care of
the widows and orphans in disasters similar to the one which happened
nt iMiristopher, III. ONIE DEAN, President,
J. H. GOSS, Rec. Secy,
JAMES BAIRD, Fin. Sec*y,
Local Union No. 1865.
The commit too rotH>mmonded that Resolution 33 be referred to the
xnrious district or^.inizations. The recommendation of the committee
wns ooncurro*! in.
587
RESOLUTION NO. 35.
Spring Valley, 111., December 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The wages of a workingman are not adequate for his
livelihood and therefore not sufficient to allow him to save for his old
aspe, and as most of the countries of Europe have decided that a man
"who has spent the best part of his life doing useful labor ought to
receive a pension at the age of sixty when he is no longer fit for useful
work, we, the members of Local Union No. 43, Spring .Valley, 111., have,
after careful consideration,
Resolved, That such a man at the age of sixty, or a man who has
been crippled or otherwise disabled by his work, has performed just as
useful labor to his country as our soldiers and therefore is entitled to a
pension; and, be it further
Resolved, That the above resolution shall not only be taken up at
OUT National convention, but that its delegates to the A. F. of L.
shall also be instructed to sustain the resolution and demand legislation
to that effect WILLIAM CRAIG, President.
THEODORE DESERF, Rec. Sec'y.
LUCIAN DART, Fin. Sec'y.
The committee recommended concurrence in Resolution 35. The
recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
RESOLUTION NO. 4L
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Brother J. P. White having resigned and being no longer
in our employ; therefore, be it
Resolved, That Local Union No. 1149 is not in favor of paying him
any salary or g^iving him any donation from the time he left our em-
ploy. C. E. STERLING,
EARL TYGART,
RALPH SHEAD,
Resolutions Committee.
Local Union No. 1149, Gross, Kan.
I'.
p
588
The committee reported that the subject matter of Resolution 41
had been disposed of by the action of the convention during the morning
session.
RESOLUTION NO. 47.
Sublet, Wyo., December 10, 1917.
To the Officers and Dele^tes of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
At our regular meeting held on Thursday. December 6, 1917, the
following resolution was adopted.
We. as members of Local Union No. 2752, k>cated at Sublet, Wye,
Resolved, That the foreign section of the Journal be continued for
another term and also try and add other nationalities so as to increase
the subscription of the foreign section.
E. WARD,
JOHN B. SMITH, President,
JAS. ROBERTSON,
Resolutions Conunittee.
The committee recommended non-concurrence in Resolution 47. The
recommendation of the committee was adopted.
RESOLUTION NO. 59.
Ojo, Colo., December 18, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas. We believing that each district shall employ one scale
mine inspector for the benefit of the miners.
Disputes between miners and operators have grown up every day.
The coal companies always bring their own inspector for their benefit,
or if they do call for State Mine Inspector he never does anything for
us because they play political schemes. Be it
589
Resolved, That brother delegates be requested to consider this reso-
lution, as it is necessary for us to do something by this time.
STERGE MAVRODIS.
L. U. 8018, Ojo, Colo., District 15, U. M. W. of A.
The committee recommended non-concurrence. The recommenda-
tion of the committee was adopted.
RESOLUTION NO. 60.
Ojo, Colo., December 18, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, It is necessary that this assembly consider the matter up
today when all delegates represent their local unions. It has been dis-
puted too much in regard to the local officers' salary. Be it
Resolved, That brother delegates be requested to consider this reso-
lution, which will be of benefit to all of us.
STERGE MAVRODIS.
Ojo L. U. 8018, District 16, U. M. W. of A.
The committee recommended non-concurrence ,in Resolution No. 60.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
RESOLUTION NO. 61.
Ojo, Colo., December 18, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, The United Mine Workers Journal ought to be published
in Greek and Spanish languages, as thousands of the miners in the West
cannot speak English. Be it
Resolved, That all brother delegates be requested to take this into
consideration, as it is necessary. STERGE MAVRODIS.
Ojo L. U. 3018, District 15, U. M. W. of A.
590
The committee reported that the subject matter of Reaolution No.
HI had been acted upon by the Committee on OIBeers* Reports and no
further action was necessary. The report of the committee was con-
curred in.
RESOLUTION NO. 62.
Ojo, Colo., December 18, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Kiennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, We believing that the Greek miners are entitled to repre-
nontation in the International organization, as great number of them
who are working in the western coal mines are not English speakers, they
Hhould have representation. Be it
Resolved, That this biennial convention of our union be requested to
tMknsider this resolution. STERGE MAVRODIS.
Ojo U IT. 8018, District 15, U. M. W. of A.
SiHTotury Smith: The committee has taken no action on this reso-
lution. The Crooks are entitled to representation the same as members
of any other nationality.
RESOLUTION NO. 63.
Waverly, Ky., December 16, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Hienninl Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We dtvlaro to this world our objects are to enforce laws that exist
and to enact and enforce la^^'s that do not exist; therefore be it
KosoIviHl. That the inspector inspect the mines as provided by the
state law.s and make a reiHirt. and that such report be strictly enforced
anil adhered to. a» providoti by the state laws. And be it further
Ke5olved, That the handling of powder and explosives in and around
the mines Ih» strictly enforcini and adhered to. Be it
591
Resolved, That the operators furnish bath rooms for their employes
properly heated and ventilated. Be it
Resolved, That men loading after machines work single and be al-
lowed two (2) rooms, unless he desires to work double and it is agree-
able to the operator, then he shall have three (3) rooms. Be it
Resolved, That we admit no pro-German into our union while the
present state of war exists, or any nationality of the German allies or
any nationality that may be hereafter engaged in war with the United
States, unless supplied with naturalization papers. Be it
Resolved, That operators handling powder, tools or any miners' sup-
plies receive a fair but limited profit, affixed by this convention ; and be it
further
Resolved, That all mine workers get their coal at the maximum cost
of mining same. JOE PIKE,
JAS. WEBB,
JOHN WOODS,
CHAS. BARNABY,
L. U. No. 1091.
The committee recommends the entire subject matter of Resolution
63 to the district organizations, with the exception of the fifth resolve,
-which is referred to the Committee on Constitution.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
Resolutions Nos. 65, 73, 85 and 106 were referred by the Committee
on Resolutions to the Committee on Constitution.
RESOLUTION NO. 71.
Ellsworth, Pa., December 18, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Ex-President John P. White, in his report published in
the Journal of issue of November 15, 1917, where it contains definite
adverse criticisms of the foreign sections, Slovak and Italian; be it
692
Resolved » That the delegrates to . this convention take mction ani
instruct the Executive Board to publish the Miners' Joomaly not only
in Slovak and Italian languages, but to publish in Hungarian^ Lith-
vinicu, Horvat, Polish and Russian languagres, because only throui^
the foreign sections will we be enabled to instruct and naturalize the
foreign brothers of our union and keep them well posted about our
unionism. Yours truly,
ROBERT NISBET, President
JOHN MAYER, Secretary.
Local Union No. 1190, U. M. W. of A.
Secretary Smith: This matter has been acted upon by the Com-
mi t too on Officers* Reports and disposed of. No further action is neces-
sary.
RESOLUTION NO. 74.
Croeby, Wyo., December 20, 1917.
ro tho Ottioors and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Hionnial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Ke5olv(\i. That all company men in and around the mine be paid
(in\o AUii a half for overtime and double time for Sundays, and while it
19 not our intention to cause any hardship on the operators at the pres-
ent t:nu\ \^v a»k that if this resolution is adopted in our convention that
)t skhaV, v,ot ^^ into etTect until after the war. But we do not think that
*.t *.!& r:fht whor. our feP.ow workmen coming back from the battlefields
A^ti \xe a:v >\orK:nir ooub> lime to make a good livinsT and they are snf-
:Vnvi: ^:v:v. st«r\«t« or. for the want of employment. And while we see no
other \x*y 'o s^vp the operators from asking company men to work ever-
ts jv.«\ wv t>.:v,"K th*; \i tV.5 T>«so^ut:on is adopted it will cut out all un-
luvossAvx o\vrtv*»o A'-'o, w". f:\"e emplojrment to thousands of our fellow
Kos, \,v.. VJ:*: i>«' .vr tract* :r al! the districts in the United States
O.* ,;;: ii; iK,^ sA-r .Utf. A5 we do r.ot beliere that it is right, if
.-.o S:au" c.x^s o;:; . • >:• sf. t>.At the aeifrhboring states work double
; ^v.«- t.- -••>,' v,. ^^^ ^,. ; j^y .. .y^. ^^y^ :^j^^ ^jj^ 5^^^ where our fellow
«v.!K!ve *-. ,;.: o: ,<.: s. LOCAL UNION 2700.
593
Secretary Smith: As this matter deals with the question of scale
no action has been taken by the committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 76.
Bridg^eport, Ohio, December 11, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
«
At the meeting of Local Union No. 2592, held in December, 1917,
the question of the United Mine Workers Journal was taken up by the
members of our Local Union in detail. We found that in a report of our
International Secretary-Treasurer the income for one year for the Jour-
nal, from June 1 to December 1, 1916, was $15,236.03; from December 1,
1916, to June 1, 1917, the income was $21,088.37, making a total of $36,-
324.40. The expenses for one year of the Journal, from June 1, 1916, to
December 1, 1916, were $48,517.42; from December 1, 1916, to June 1,
1917, $49,819.15 ; making a total of $97,836.57.
The International Secretary-Treasurer refunded to the Journal $61,-
512.17.
Resolved, That the United Mine Workers Journal will be printed in
one language, or more than one language, but every language will be
printed separately. And the Journal will be $1 for a year's subscrip-
tion in any one language; and those desiring the Journal in three lan-
guages will have to pay $3 for the three separate subscriptions to the
Joomal.
Signed by the committee for Local Union No. 2592.
FRED SINGERMAN, President.
PETER SMITH, Secretary.
CHARLEY CHADWELL.
JOE ANGELO.
Secretary Smith: This subject matter has been dealt with by the
Committee on Officers' Reports and disposed of. No further action is
necessary.
RESOLUnOX XO. «-
2L 1917.
To the OSttn a&d D^js^xjba sf ;ae T««j-sr:k Giwwnirin aaJTte*
CoaT*rii6t of tbe U. 3L W. of A.:
B«9o:T€fi. Til**. w» drCAr.i Tae U=r»i SCoe Workers Jaanal be
prinu^i in :be ftase crder Af '.er th£ ccr.'^caZMe. ms it «ms before the cob-
T«it:or- L. U. 688-
STEVE BASTOSH. Seezettry.
FRED GEXXOTT.
J AS. ZAIC.
C. SERGHETTL
GEO. PATICA.
Secretary Smith : This subjev: maiter hms been dealt with by the
Committee on Officers' Reports ar.>i disposed of. No further ■ction is
RESOLUTION NO. 82.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecative and Thii^
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Never in the history of the trade union movement h«8 >
penalty clause for stoppage of work ever been established; and
Whereas, The penalty clause in the agreement made between the
coal operatives and the officials of the U. M. W. of A. was never »nc-
tioned by the rank and file of the organization; and
Whereas, The existence of such an obnoxious clause destroys all 1<^
autonomy and centralizes the whole power of the organization into the
hands of a few officials, thereby destroying whatever democracy the rank
and file held within the organization ; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we, the members of the U. M. W. of A., in convention
assembled, while we recognize the exigency of the war situation and thtt
the present contract would be altered with its elimination, at the 8an»
time we go <>n record in condemning our officials for inserting such »
596
^, and we urge that they use every power to remove said clause from
I'ture agreements that may be made after the war.
LOCAL UNION NO. 376.
Secretary Smith: This matter was settled by the action of the con-
on in ratifying the Washington agreement. No further action is
&sary.
RESOLUTION NO. 95.
This resolution was withdrawn at the request of the delegate who
>duced it, and the committee took no further action.
RESOLUTION NO. 96.
Rock Springs, Wyo., December 29, 1917.
he Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The agreement reached by miners' representatives and
ators in the Washington conference, setting forth a scale of wages
he central competitive field, which was meant for a basis upon which
?ases should be granted throughout the jurisdiction, and approved
^r. Garfield subject to President Wilson, granting the operators suf-
it increases on the selling prices at the mine to cover the increases
ed upon by the miners and operators; and
Whereas, We believe that the feeling among the rank and file was,
is now, that to enable the toilers to meet the increased cost of living
lasses of labor, whether day labor or piecework, should receive an in-
se of at least $1.40 per day; and
Whereas, The diggers and loaders have received no such increase or
ing in comparison thereto, it having developed that under our wage
stment that an average loader must load 20 tons per day to receive
icrease of $1.40 on his day's work, a thing impossible; and
Whereas, The confused and jumbled manner in which the agreement
been submitted to the employes through various methods, the latest
leaving the loader to presume that he must pay out of his increased
» sufficient to guarantee $1.40 per day increase to other classes of
396
ftiHir Mtni 'ia^ 'u tti with Uitf production of coaL when be himaeif b bsc
r-tH«'i\ iiij; thai >i it) :H*r <iuy incrvade: dierefore, be it
UvoiM'ti. Thui ipoii thi* •|Ui«stiun of ratification, wbicb ooums up ib
n\\ H \t v-iiitvrritiiin. thut Lovai Union 2282, U. M. W. of A^ nqneics
tiui I H::ti«- v«'mmitU'e '»%* appoinCifd in the convention to readjust tbe
^riiv .ittii> I -K'^t '>v. rnaki* t'urther recommendations for increases that
tu' .kicrt«^-im>iu rnay v:Ar*'y viuc. as t'ar as possible, tbe wishes and ezpeeti-
Miti> n tH> -nniv imi iii'. 4S weil as conform with preTailin^ conditkns
ti it^ vAi •\>u^ t!!^i***ci^. Xriii rhac we request odier locals in our juris-
lUMvit '\< u> INVMTTMP. P. S. JURANOVICH, President
FRA>fK GATES, Secretary.
'\vv\Mtu^Mt \.* >«> v\-»£f tor 4ited upon by the committee as it detit
•?Ki>OLl.*TlON NO. 102.
Crowebonp, SlSs.. December IT. 1917.
'■ .1, *i?K»i-^ \u: \'n'>:«tc?6 ji '-he Twenty^ixth ConsecntiTe and Third
■;•,•■»•:* ■ •:•« v:t'. 'Oil >. ,Mv V M. W. of A.:
n-v, .*^^ '"V \M;*ti OjinptfCitive Field has been the basing point
.,...' .^ *i -^ii* -^ i *-^ •■'«*» \w>rs:nj(r sronditions for the U. M. W. of A.;
^t -v, *,, .. "•♦x: .\it.--t ^\impvc:t;ve Field has hinder coal and pricti-
. V ,.«^ <«• x t '%: t'lf'-r-rtt'. ^xi mi! tioos than some of the Other fields
^\ i. ,..^ \\ >,t V '» -Y.:* rrscT'cc I No. 14» horsebacks, faults* rash.
» -. . ♦* * •»• r* -rv v'^t: .vttl. Therefore be it
\' ^ ■ . ' •*., **t ivs-m AT :n^*u»t:ce for any district or groop ot
^ * . '., A i.i-*v'-^tvm cat vjr any other tield outside of th*if
B. F. GISH.
E. HODGE.
•JOE MYEKS.
Committee.
V' .^x.. •. \. >i.v, 7itfcr-cc X*s. 14.
697
Resolution No. 102 was not acted upon by the committee as it dealt
with scale matters.
RESOLUTION NO. 107.
Neffs, Ohio, December 18, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We, the undersigned members of Local Union 193, U. M. W. of A.,
take this opportunity to protest against the system of soliciting sub-
scriptions for the Miners' Journal.
Whereas, As we find a few chosen members of our organization are
appointed as agents to solicit subscriptions for the Journal at the various
mines, and said agents receive one-half of subscription money for their
labor, which we think is too much; and
Whereas, We think the system is not satisfactory for the reason
that the agent goes to each mine just once a year, which does not increase
the circulation of the Journal enough ; therefore be it
Resolved, That Journal agencies be given to the various locals and
a percentage which will be determined by the convention go into the
treasury of locals for doing the work ; and be it further
Resolved, Said percentage should not exceed 25 per cent.
WM. HENSLEY,
IRA KIMES,
CHAS. PERUNKO,
ROBT. EMERY, Secretary.
J. B. GRANDON, President Local 3662.
ANT. VARAK,
JOHN PASTRNAK.
The subject matter of Resolution No. 107 was disposed of in the
report of the Committee on Officers' Reports and no further action was
necessary.
598
RESOLUTION NO. 108.
Neff s, Ohio, JanoAry 2, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolutions adopted by Locals Nos. 3562 and 193, U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, The United Mine Workers Journal, by its Slovak and Ital-
ian parts, has done and is doing a noble and beneficial work of education
and propaganda for the united action in attainment of better working
and living conditions of our members who are not able to speak and read
the English part of our paper; and
Whereas, This work shall rather be encouraged and continued in-
stead of suppressed, be it
Resolved, That we, members of the Locals Nos. 3562 and 198, U. M.
W. of A., energetically protest against the statement of our past presi-
dent. Brother John P. White, and against his recommendation that the
Journal should be edited in the English language only. And be it further
Resolved, That we recommend rather to open the pages of our Jour-
nal to other nationalities when our members desire it, as it was the wish
of our brother Slovaks and Italians. Under all circumstances we want
the Slovak and Italian part in our official Journal continued, as we hope
it will be, for the advancement of our labor cause.
PETE VALOCIK, Secretary.
J. B. GRANDON, President L. U. 8662.
JOSEPH KOLODZICJ, President L. U. 198.
ROBT. EMERY, SecreUry.
Secretary Smith: Resolution No. 108 deals with the Mine Workers
Journal. This question has already been acted upon.
RESOLUTION NO. 111. .
Eldorado, 111., December 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, It has been called to our attention, through the Mine
Workers' Journal, that the International Executive Board has been
699
pascing Ex-President White his salary from the International treasury
since he has been adviser to Dr. Garfield without the consent of the
rank and file; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the International Executive Board be demanded,
by this convention, to replace said money at once or stand expelled
from the organization at once.
ONNIE DEAN, President
JAMES BAIRD, Financial Secretary.
J. H. GOSS, Recording Secretary.
From Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Secretary Smith: Resolution No. Ill deals with the Mine Workers
Journal. This question has already been acted upon.
RESOLUTION NO. 114.
Byesville, Ohio, December 29, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, It has come to the attention of the miners of Ideal Local
No. 1758, located at Byesville, District 6, that the National Executive
Board, through no constitutional right, has voted to pay ex-Presi-
dent White a salary of $4,000 per annum for services rendered as an
advisor to Fuel Administrator Dr. Garfield; and
Whereas, We believe the National Board should have consulted
the different locals, through circular letters, of their action, and get
at least the feeling of a majority of the membership's consent; there-
fore, be it
Resolved, That we, the members of Ideal Local 1758, located at
Byesville, State of Ohio, District No. 6, protest such action of the
International Executive Board.
WM. CLUGER, President,
G. W. EUBANKS, Secretary,
Local Union No. 1763, Byesville, Ohio.
600
Secretary Smith: Resolution No. 114 deals with a question that,haa
already been acted upon by the convention. No further action is neces-
sary.
RESOLUTION NO. 115.
Byesville, Ohio, January 2, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Let us get ready and prepare for peace in time of war, ^whoi our
boys return from the trenches.
Whereas, There is reason to believe that the nation's war expe-
rience will effect a revolution in the attitude of the American coal
mining industry, the entire question devolves upon our success in solv-
ing the labor problem. The eyes of the world vrill be focussed tipon
the coal miners of America when reconstruction begins.
1. I believe we should demand a decent living wage contract,
based on a reasonable wage with a minimum and sliding scale.
2. It would eliminate all dreaded strikes, which are a waste of
energy and should be avoided. It would be necessary to have com-
missioners, those three commissioners, with one chairman, to work in
conjunction in order to solve the different problems and put the whole
scheme in working order.
3. Commission of the employer.
4. Commission of the employe.
5. Commission of the commonwealth.
I suggest it would be the business of the commissioners to regu-
late production or the market would go to pieces. Also to market the
coal. The real problem is to eliminate the pirate and the poacher,
neither a member of the employers nor the laboring class. He is a
regular menace to the coal mining industry.
WM. CHUGER', President of Local 1753
G. W. EUBANKS, Secretary.
JOHN KERR, Delegate.
601
Secretary Smith: No action has been taken by the committee upon
this document, for the reason that it is not a resolution.
RESOLUTION NO. 116.
Shoring, Pa., December 30, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We, the officers and members of Local Union No. 718, U. M. W.
of A., of Shoring, Pa., in special session assembled, present to your
earnest consideration the following resolutions:
Whereas, the United Mine Workere' Journal, through its addi-
tional pages in the Italian and Slovak languages, has proved a most
efficient means of education to our foreign brother of these national i-
tiea and has rendered invaluable service, service which cannot be esti-
mated in centa and dollars, to the U. M. W. of A., its officers and its
members; and
Whereas, There are still a great percentage of our brethren who
can read only the Hungarian, the Polish and the Russian, and who
desire that at least official circulars and other very important data of
our organization be printed in our Journal in their own langruage; and
Whereas, Heretofore the United Mine Workers' Journal has al-
ways caused a financial burden to our organization through a great
lack of 8upp6rt, many inefficient agents and, much so now, when the
price of printing and of paper has gone high up; be it
Resolved, That owing to the wonderful and necessary service the
Italian and the Slovak parts of our Journal have already rendered,
that these parts be by no means eliminated; and, be it further.
Resolved, That all official circulars and every other important data
of our organization, together with editorials thereon, be printed on a
aeparate leaf in our Journal in the Hungarian, the Polish and the Rus-
sian; and, be it farther
Resolved, That the International Secretary-Treasurer and the In-
ternational Executive Board appoint competent agents, 60 per cent of
602
whom shall speak and write thoroughly, besides the English, at least
one or the other of the above mentioned languages; also appoint ^a
capable administrator who, in conjunction with the editors and the
International Secretary-Treasurer, shall form a board of management
and censorship, and that the price of the Journal be cfaang^ from |1.00
per year to the following rates: To non-members, $8.00 per year, or
10 cents per single copy, and that each member of our organization
be compelled to receive the Journal at the rate 'of 10 cents per month,
to be collected in the same manner as per capita tax.
Given under our hand and seal, this 30th day of December, A. D.
1917. VANAR FLIPP,
ANDY COLLEGE, Record Secretary.
ANDY BOPEXE, Financial Secretary.
Secretary Smith: Resolution No. 116 deals with the Mine Workers
Journal. This question has already been acted upon.
RESOLUTION NO. 123.
Staunton, IlL, January 2, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Because of the nature and difficulties of the position of the Mine
Examiners, being compelled to work at night and entirely alone, sub-
ject to any and all possible events, and deprived of the proper and nat-
ural time for rest; be it
Resolved, That the Mine Examiners or Fire Bosses be placed on
an equality with other monthly men belongring to our organisation, such
as hoisting engineers, or in case an hourly rate is ag^reed upon that it
be equal to the shot-firers'.
FRANK W. SCHAEFER, President.
A. C. SCHNEIDER, Financial Secretary.
FRANK PASKE, Recording Secretary.
Local Union No. 7^.
Secretary Smith: As this is a scale matter no action has been taken
by the committee.
608
RESOLUTION NO. 155.
Willisville, 111., January 1, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegfates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, According to the financial report of the International Sec-
retary-Treasurer the deficit for the United Mine Workers' Journal was
more than $49,822.78 (at the last International convention). So it is
about time to put the Journal on a different paying proposition ; and
Whereas, The present method of soliciting subscribers for our Jour-
nal does not place the Journal in the hands of our members ; and
Whereas, Under the present method only about 50 per cent, of the
money collected gets to the Journal office; therefore, be it
Resolved, That all State agents, or agents getting a commission of
50 per cent., be discontinued at once, and that local agents be placed in
each local instead to solicit subscribers for our Journal at a commission
of 26 per cent. JOHN TRUCANO,
MARSAN WRIGHT,
CHAS. BRADLEY,
Local Union No. 165, U. M. W. of A.
Resolution No. 155 deals "with the Mine Workers Journal. Action
has already been taken upon the matter.
RESOLUTION NO. 156.
Lansing, Ohio, December 26, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
At a meeting of Local Union No. 1609 in December, 1917, the ques-
tion of the United Mine Workers' Journal wa? taken' up in detail. We
found that in a report of our International Secretary-Treasurer the in-
eome for one year for the Journal from June 1, 1916, to June 1, 1917,
totalled $86,824.40. The expenses for one year of the Journal, from
June 1, 1916» to June 1, 1917, amounted to $97,836.57. The International
Secretary-Treasurer refunded to the Journal $61,512.17.
604
We. the Committee on Resolation for Local Union No. 1609, Lans-
ing, Ohio, begr leave to submit the foUowingr reaolotion and we sinoerdy
hope that the International Resolutions Committee .will give it full eon-
sideration and have it come before the International convention:
Resolved, That the United Mine Workers' Joamal should be printed
in one langruagre or more than one language, but every language should
be printed separately, and the subscription for the Journal in any one
language should be $1.00 a year and those desiring the Journal In three
languages should have to pay $3.00 for the three separate subecriptions
to tht Journal. JOHN A. LENNEE,
ANDY CRAPPI,
LUIGI BETA,
STEPHEN HENINK,
Committee on Resolutions for Local Union No. 1609.
Secretary Smith: Resolution No. l.>6 deals with the Mine Workers'
Journal. .\ot:on has already been taken upon the matter.
RESOLUTION NO. 163.
Saginaw. Mich^ January 4, 1918.
Tj the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennia! Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas. The cv>nt:nual distress of our brothers, who reeeiTe acci-
dents in :ho coa! mines, on account of insuflicient pay proTided for in
many of our workmen's compensation laws, compelling many of our
members and families to appeal to charity for subsistenoet and many
victims are Nein^: subterfusred by court decisions imuiiing exptomt to
the brothers, ard in some instance:? the operators ending payment en-
tirely, and that there seems to be so relief in sight from the potitieal
field: therefore, Sf it
Rcso'.ved. That the Unitec 3lline Workers^ in XatioBal CoBToitioo
asscr-.V^ed. co or revvrvi advcvatins: a reasonable eompcsaation scale of
L\ivr:er.t fro en the n::r.e oper:&:ors for oar injured infmhrrs and rea-
605
sonable damages to the widows and orphans of our members who re-
ceive fatal accidents.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES FINDLAY,
Local Union No. 2822, Banner Mine, Saginaw, Mich.
The committee recommended nonconcurrence in Resolution No. 163.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
Delegate Findley, District 24: It seems to me this is a question of
importance. We have gone before the legislature in the state of Michi-
fCan and tried to secure amendments to the compensation law of that
state. We have a law providing for compensation for three weeks and
medical assistance to an injured employe. The maximum is ten dollars
per week to the employe, and not less than four dollars per week. Men
in this progressive age are not able to exist on four dollars a week.
Unless the organizations will awake to the conditions and put their
economic strength behind this question there seems to be no relief in the
legislative field. If we had the support of the labor movement behind
us this law that the operators oppose would be amended. The Michigan
State Federation of Labor, in the last session of the legislature, pleaded
for an amendment to the state law. This is the argument the Commis-
sioner of Labor put forth on Senate Bill No. 90:
''James V. Cunningham, State Labor Commissioner, and Walter
Nelson, Detroit attorney, who at one time was enlployed by the Michigan
Workmen*^ Compensation Mutual Insurance Company, spoke in rebuttal.
Mr. Cunningham, in his talk, made a strong plea for the workers of the
state. He, having made a study of the subject, was able to present his
views in a very forceful manner, shattering the arguments of the oppo-
nents. His talk will be lon^ remembered by those present, coming as it
did from a public state official. Shortly after his hearing, an article
appeared in the Detroit News stating that Commissioner Cunningham
might be removed from oflice on account of his unfair attitude on the
compensation amendments. One of his strongest statements in his talk
was that the employers set the wages they will pay the workers who
produce the products for the market ; they then set the price the product
606
will be sold at, and now they insist on having all to do with setting the
price they will pay their injured workmen."
It is evident that these insurance companies will never take actkm
to conserve human life. This is a progressive movement, and we should
keep pace with this sort of legislation. Many of you men, before twehre
months from now, may be victims of accidents and will be in need of
compensation. Many of our members have been lying on their badu
for a year, paralyzed as a result of accident. I would like to recommend
that you go on record advocating this principle in the cause of humanity,
and in our next scale convention, if the war is over — ^and I hope it will
be — we can take the matter up.
Chairman Harlin: This convention has, time and again, gone on
record favoring compensation for injured workmen in industry. In iw*^
of the coal mining states we have compensation laws, and the principle
recognized generally is that the industry shall bear the burden and P^7
the costs of these compensation laws. We understand that such a l^^
exists in Michigan, and the committee, so far as it could understand ^^
intention of the mtroducer of this resolution, believed it was his int^^'
tion through the resolution to have the organization endeavor to ha*^^
scale of compensation agreed to between the miners and operators,
agree with everything he has said with regard to the desirability of ^
members receiving adequate compensation, and we feel that in the v^^
best of the laws that have been enacted adequate compensation has
been provided; but the reason why we nonconcur in this resolutiof^^
because, in the opinion of the committee, it is not practical to endea-- —
to negotiate this question in our wage agreement. In my judgment
only action the convention can take, if you desire to act in a construci
way, is to adopt the recommendation we have made, with the unc^^^^
standing given by the committee.
Delegate Crutchfield, District 24: I don't see how Brother Find --^^^'
has the authority to introduce that resolution. I was in his local un^ ^^"
0
the night the matter was up for debate and his constituents told h»^^
plainly this was no place for him to introduce such a resolution. ^
understood it was killed almost unanimously because this convention fi^
no authority to deal with the laws of the state of Michigan. If he wonW
get busy in his political campaign and take a little action to elect man-
607
ivs favorable to the working men instead of the members he has sup-
>rted that gave us no consideration in enacting laws for the benefit of
le state he would get something.
I had the pleasure of serving on a committee in the state legislature
advocate an amendment of the mining laws. We went there and the
presentative from Michigan was on the labor committee and he never
ive us two minutes of his time. Now, Delegate Findley is supporting
is man at the present time. If he will use agitation to get men in the
gislative chamber who are favorable to labor legislation, instead of
king up the time of this great convention with matters we have no
ithority to handle, I think Delegate Findley would be doing something
r the benefit of his constituents
Delegate Findley: President Crutch field states I have no right to
ing the resolution here. I deny his assertion; it is false. My local
lion has never had the opportunity of having the resolution presented,
icause President Crutchfield was there to oppose anything any of the
embers of the organization would introduce for the benefit of its
embers.
Secretary Smith: As Chairman Harlin has already stated, this
^solution is impractical, and it would be an absurdity for this convention
I go on record concurring in it. I don't think it needs further debate;
le delegation here can see how impractical the resolution is, and I have
3 doubt the recommendation of the committee will be sustained.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
RESOLUTION NO. 165.
Benton, 111., January 7, 1918.
0 the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, In our district it is generally practiced that drivers take
leir mules in before starting time therefore they are forced to be be-
m at least 20 minutes before other employes start to work, therefore
le drivers are forced to work 51 hours in the week to get 48, we, as
18 Resolution Committee, recommend that the company place all mules
608
on partings and remove same after the day*s work is over, therefore it
will not work a hardship on the driver by being encumbered wiUi his
mule before starting time and after quitting time, therefore they will
have an equal chance with all other employes, such as day men, who
have regular places of employment and no responsibility;
Whereas, The driver is responsible for his mule at all times and
must remain with his mule at all times, whether before starting time
or after quitting time, therefore should anything occur to his mule he
can be held responsible and discharged for same; and
Whereas, Mr. Garfield, Fuel Administrator, wishes the mines to
work steady, we, as miners, in consideration of the great world conflict,
wish to give our best service to our country, and as the conditions at the
mines are poor; therefore, be it
Resolved, That this convention take this in consideration and rem-
edy it any way in which they see fit, as the drivers feel that they are
entitled to full remuneration for their work and that this condition works
a hardship on the drivers, therefore we, the Resolutions Committee, en-
dorse this resolution. (Signed) ROBERT WILKEY,
Local Union No. 1959.
Secretary Smith: This is a matter that can be handled only by
District 12 and the committee has taken no action.
RESOLUTION NO. 167.
Liberal, Mo., January 7, 1918.
I'o the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The International Board members have voted a donation
of $5,000 annually to John P. White, ex-International President of the
United Mine Workers of America; and
Whereas, We, believing John P. White, in a measure, if not al-
together, responsible for the infamous and uncalled for automatic pen-
alty clause which is not being imposed on any other class of workers
in the United States, therefore branding the United Mine Workers as
609
ilng 80 disloyal and unpatriotic to their country that it was necessary
use compulsory methods to have them produce one of the most neces-
ry commodities for the successful prosecution of the war; thereforf:,
I it
Resolved, That we condemn the International Board members for
eir action, and furthermore, as John P. White has not made the leiast
*otest against the great injustice done one of the most loyal and patri-
ic class of workers (the United Mine Workers of America) by forcing
em to accept the infamous automatic penalty clause; be it further
Resolved, That we condemn him for the stand he has taken against
e mine workers, and we demand that all salary and donation to him
I discontinued at the reading and adoption of this or similar reso-
tions. (Signed) W. M. LAUGHERY,
WALTER MILLER,
BERT ROUSE,
W. V. BR ADEN, ^
WERDEN COWLES,
M. M. DAVIS,
Committee on Resolutions.
Adopted by Locals No. 3064 and 3322, District 14, Liberal, Mo.
Secretary Smith: The subject matter of Resolution 167 has already
en acted upon by the convention. No further action is necessary.
RESOLUTION NO. 177.
IMeflfs, Ohio, December 18, 1917.
Sub-District 5 of 6, U. M. W. of A.
) the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We, the undersigned members of Local No. 193, take this oppor-
inity to protest against this continual way the operators are trying
I throw the coal shortage onto the miner for his non-attention to
ork, and where, as we know, that the mines are not working half time,
id at this mine the men turn out every day to work, just to be turned
ick home without anything; therefore, be it
20— M. Pro.
610
Resolved, That the CQitl commissioner send out investigators through
the various coal fields to find out and put the blame to the place it should
belong. (Signed) WM. HENSLEY,
IRA KIMES,
CHARLES PERUNKO,
ROBT. EMERY, Sec'y,
J. B. GRANDON, President,
ANT. VORIK,
JOHN PASTRNAK,
Local No. 3562.
Secretary Smith: The subject matter of Resolution No. 177 was
acted upon in the report of the committee on Resolution No. 110. No
further action is necessary.
RESOLUTION NO. 183.
Lehigh, Mont., December 24, 1917.
United Mine Workers of America, Local Union No. 703, District 27.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Resolution No. 1. Owing to the shortage of work in the past few
yyicaefi and the small demand for men we are of the opinion that less
hours to work will glvo every man a chance to work; so be it
Resolved, That the intemati<Maal officers of the U. M. W. of A. try
and get either a six-hour day or eight hour, bank to bank.
(Signed) SAM COCKAYNE,
ANDY MESSAGE,
JOHN LAIRD,
HUGH MOONEY, President, DAN MISCOVIC,
SAM COCKAYNE, Rec. Sec'y. Resolution Committee.
Secretary Smith: This is a scale matter and has been acted upon
in ratification of the Washington Agreement. No further actionals
necessary.
611
> RESOLUTION NO. 194.
» the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, We have many old and disabled members of our organi-
tion who have helped to build our organization to its present financial
ndition; and
Whereas, As many of them are unable to work any longer in the
ncs and are not able to earn their living any longer by their labor;
erefore, be it
Resolved, That the delegates to this convention do everything in
eir power to create a pension or an Old Folks' Home, so that we will
able to care for our aged and crippled members.
J. EMORY,
•:lix sandy,
M. MAYER,
Local Union No. 1356.
ilCHIE PHILLIPS,
)HN SWISHER,
Local Union No. 948.
iAS. BISHOP,
0. McNEER,
Local Union No. 41.
)HN SHAFFER,
lANK THOMAS,
EVANS.
Local Union No. 1103.
THOS. PITCHFORD,
AUGUST HUDOCK,
JOHN JACOBS,
Local Union No. 508.
CHAS. WONDERLAND,
Local Union No. 2676.
ANDREW STEVENS,
J. M. ADAMSON,
E. C. FARRELL,
Local Union No. 1944.
C. M. KOONTZ,
Local Union 3222.
Secretary Smith: This subject matter will be covered by the report
a special committee. Therefore the Committee on Resolutions has
ken no action.
Resolution No. 195 was referred to the Committee on Constitution
' the Committee on Resolutions.
Delegate Wilkinson, District 21, obtained unanimous consent to the
troduction of a resolution and submitted the following:
612
Indianapolis, Indiana, January 21, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, There is now pending before the United States congress
a bill known as H. R. No. 195, and
Whereas, A clause in this bill gives the State of Oklahoma the
preferential right of purchase of coal deposit on certain lands adjoining
the Oklahoma State penitentiary and located on the segregated lands
belonging to the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians, and that it is the
known purpose of the governor of the State of Oklahoma to operate
aforesaid coal deposits by convict labor.
Whereas, This bill is now before the senate and immediate action
is necessary; therefore be it
Resolved. That we, the officers and delegates of the United Mine
Workers of America, in convention here assembled, hereby authorize
our International officers to immediately wire our avowed disapproval
of convict labor in mines and request senators, congressmen and others
to vigorously oppose Section 5 of the bill known as H. R. No. 196 and
also Senator Owens* amendment of same.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN WILKINSON, President,
Dist 21, U. M. W. of A.
E. F. ROSS, Secretary-Treasurer,
Dist. 21, U. M. W. of A.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the resolution submitted
by Delegate Wilkinson.
Delegate Wilkinson: The reason for my request is that the bill
referred to has already passed Congress and is now before the Senate.
It is in reference to convict labor in the mines. I would like to explain
to you the attitude of the American Federation of Labor. I sent a com-
mittee composed of ex-President Stewart of District 21 and one of the
attorneys that represented us in the Bache-Denman suit. When they
went to Washincrton they found the Senate committee had a telegram
from President Samuel Gompers, which read: "American Federation vi
Labor favors employment of convict labor by the state, for the state, the
613
product of such work not to go into competition with other labor and
not to be sold for profit or commercial purposes and to be used only for
state agencies and institutionF."
I would like to state that the original bill has been in Congress for
about two years, but it was not brought up until this time when they
included a section giving them the right to coal deposits to be operated
by convict labor to the extent of 960 acres of four-foot coal, amounting
to 3,840,000 tons, which would mean a loss to labor of approximately
$10,000,000. In the Southwest, as you know, by reason of the Bache-
Denman suit, there has been determined opposition to organized labor,
and this is another attempt to defeat the aims and objects of organized
labor in the Southwest. Senator Owens has introduced this amend-
ment: "And, provided further, that such coal deposits under said land
shall not be mined by convict labor for the purpose of sale to any private
ag^ency, individual, person or corporation, or be sold for profit or com-
mercial purposes.''
I took this matter up with our attorneys, and this is the general
opinion they grive, provided this section should pass: "But under the
law Congress has no power to enact a law that will interfere with the
state right to mine coal. Congress cannot enact a law that will prevent
the state from conducting its business and internal affairs as it sees fit,
for, just as soon as the state becomes the owner of the property, the
United States will have no more control over it and it will be subject to
the state laws alone." If that bill goes through it will establish a prece-
dent in Congress, and once it is referred back to the various states they
can operate their mines by convict labor in every state. We contend
there is sufficient work for convicts on the public highways to make
better roads, which are of more military importance than the mining of
coal, and we contend that convicts should not be used in mines, not only
because we believe it is a severe penalty, but it is out of accord with the
'penalty that should be imposed upon convicts, because they will accept
risks that are not connected with their usual occupations.
The motion to adopt the resolution introduced by Delegate Wilkinson
was carried unanimously.
614
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTION.
Delegate Farrington, Chairman of the Committee: In making our
report to you the committee has decided that we will give you the number
of the resolutions relating to any particular section of the constitution
under discussion and inform you of the action of the committee on the
respective resolution. The resolutions will not be read unless the authors
or the convention should ask that they be read.
The committee recommended no changes in the Preamble.
Chairman Farrington: No resolutions have been introduced relating
to this section of our constitution. I assume that under the usual pro-
cedure of our previous International conventions, when no resolutions
have been offered and the committee has no recommendation to make
the chair will declare the old section re-enacted without the necessity of
offering the motion to adopt.
The Preamble was declared adopted.
Ddegate Wieck (E.), District 12: . Can a delegate amend the con-
stitution from the floor?
President Hayes: No, the resolutions must be in the office ten days
prior to the convening of the convention.
Delegate Wieck: Is the committee empowered to bring in amend-
ments when no resolutions have been presented?
President Hayes: Yes, the committee has that power.
Delegate Wieck: Is that ruling in conformity with Section 17, of
Article XII of our constitution?
President Hayes: Yes,
IVlegate Wieck: What I want to bring cot is wKether the com-
mittee has power t<> present ameiMfanents that have not been brought
in in c^xnformity with that section of the constitiitioii.
IVcs.idcnt Ha>'>e>s: The Committee oc Constitiitioii has always had
that powvT in previous cvjr.rcjitSor** and they have that power now. The
ohair SK> decid«4K
615
Article I and Article II ^ere readopted, no resolutions having been
submitted and no changes recommended by the committee.
Sections 1 and 2 of Article III were adopted, no resolutions having
been submitted and no changes recommended by the committee.
Section 3, Article III. The chairman stated that Resolutions 34,
42, 51 and 94 related to this section; that the committee nonconcurred
in each of these resolutions and recommended that the section be re-
adopted as it now reads.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
Delegate Frampton, District 25, called for a reading of Resolution
No. 34. The secretary of the committee . read the following:
RESOLUTION NO. 84.
Waverly, Mo., December 7, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, The International officials and the officials and representa-
tives of the Central Competitive Field have assumed the authority to
meet and negrotiate contracts for the Central Comi>etitive Field and set
the basis for negotiating and outline a policy to govern the outlined dis-
tricts without them having the right to participate or without being
called in consultation and being given a voice and vote on any policy that
the'outlined districts are expected to comply with; therefore, be it
Resolved, That Article 3 of the International Constitution be amend-
ed by inserting the following, to be known as Section 4 of Article 3 :
''No International official or no district or gn^oup of districts under
the jurisdiction of the United Mine Workers will have the authority to
meet and make a basic agreement and formulate a policy to govern any
other district without all districts being given an opportunity to be rep-
resented and have a voice and vote on any question affecting wages or
conditions or any policy that any other district will be expected to comply
616
with. Any International or district official found grailty of violating thii
section shall be removed from office/'
Submitted by Local Union No. 1089, located at Waverly, Mo
Similar resolution submitted by :
Local Union No. 171, Lexington, Mo.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 493. Nokomis, 111.
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 2709, Norris City, 111.
Local Union No. 649, Peru, 111.
Local Union No. 956, Ardmore, Mo.
Local Union No. 286, Higgrinsville, Mo.
Local Union No. 2855, Kirksville, Mo.
-Local Union No. 1226, Novinger, Mo.
Local Union No. 380, Missouri City, Mo.
Local Union No. 2143, Marccline, Mo.
Local Union No. 258, Bucklin, Mo.
Local Union No. 919, Bavier, Mo.
Local Union No. 1135. Huntsville, Mo.
Local Union No. 2686, Kirksville, Mo.
Local Union No. 298, Richmond, Mo.
Local Union No. 1032, Macon, Mo.
Local Union No. 2862, Waterloo, Mo.
Local Union No. 1611. Leavenworth. Mo.
Local Union No. 743, Lebanon. 111.
Local Union No. 673, Soldier, Pa.
Local- Union No. 1053. Ellis^^lle, 111.
Local Union No. 2619, Beckemyer, 111.
34.
Chairman Farringrton: The committee nonconcurs in Resolution No.
Delegate Frampton. Oistnct 25: We have reached the place in the
deliberations of this convention, where, in my opinion, we want to cor-
loot the evils you have all been complaining of so long, and you can do
so by adopting this resolution and enforcing it. If it is not enforced
th#» adoption of it. of .x^urse. will not avail very mudi. I was speakinK
^o a member of the Constitution Committee, who informed me the com-
''•ittee was going to nonconcur in this resolution, for the reason that
W'lia.'t is contemplated by it is already in the law. Is that the position
°^ tHe committee?
Chairman Farrington: No; it is not the position of one member
^^ t-txe committee. -I have no authority to speak for the other members.
1 Hsi^e heard no member of the committee say the matter is already
<^^^e«d by the law.
Delegate Frampton: Then if it is not a law, is it not time we made
^ law? Is it not time, when a policy is being fixed to govern this
^^'^anization and every district is expected to comply with that policy,
*^^y should have a voice and vote in formulating that policy? Can the
^^^mittee or anyone else assign any reason why I, as a representative
^^ one district, should be deprived of having a right to a voice and vote
^^ a policy this organization expects me and my district to put into
Execution? If not, then this convention should not hesitate to adopt this
^'^olution and let it become a law.
There is no reason why this resolution should be defeated on
account of our country being at war. Surely, it will not have any effect
On increasing or decreasing the production of coal in this country to
enact and put into our constitution a law that allows every district to
have something to say on any policy that district has to comply with.
So, surely, we will not have the flag waved at us in this instance. It
may be said the penalty provided for in this resolution is too severe —
to remove the oflicials who do make such attempts from office — but if it
is, it will be veiy inconsistent upon the part of some who are members
of this convention to recommend that this be not adopted because of the
penalty clause. They took a position that the members of our organ-
ization, the humble members, should be penalized and the penalty
assessed before they had a hearing. Surely, they cannot tell this con-
vention, and be consistent, that they don*t believe they should be penal-
ized if they should usurp authority and try to dictate to this organization
in a few districts what the entire organization should do.
It is stated by the chairman of the committee that this is not already
a law; so we will discuss that no farther. But the chairman of the
committee, in debating a question no later than Saturday, took occasion
618
to state to this convention that one of the representatives of the outlying
districts was late in makinflr his complaint; that he should have butted
mto the joint conference in Washington between the operators and
miners of the four states in the Central Competitive Field and taken a
position acamst the penalty clause. Now, I was present, and in defend-
ing this resolution I want to let this delegration know the embarrassing
position an outlyin^r district officer is placed in under those circumstances.
I took it for granted that the outlying? districts were only privileged to
hsten to the deliberations of that conference, and if they had any ques-
tion to take up. it could not be taken up in the joint conference, but they
could consult with other members who were formulating the policy
HCvvrdinic to prv\>Kient and try to get them to frame it in such a way
it w\»u'.d :tot alfe^'t their districts. In New York the first supplementary
AKrevRuv^t w:is made. As one district we were not notified that con-
fvr«««\v ^a« V>^ing to be held, much less invited to attend. We were
c»^v*» sv iJMvioi stand that we were expected to comply with what was
o,xv>^^ ih^»»v i.»v the Central Competitive Field — and I know something
j%N*y'i 5^%' ertfsx't it had in my district. However, that was a voluntary
^t»^»vv«xv <tH»iC«^l in the New York conference, and, coming as a voluntary
>^•^^^^«xv^ without waiving any rights, I now look at it as different from
«N^ wvA'^ut >i«ipplfmentary contract that was negotiated in Washington,
tu who «v\v)ut supplementary contract we waived our right to take up
^u\ luitfiiial matters or to adjust any of the things we were looking
i\i.i\\«4u( to get. When that policy was being discussed I think every
,ii'4kw^i should have been called in and consulted. Each district should
(t4\c- halt .something to say as to what should be done under such circum-
Viioi to that meeting in Washington, the three resident officers of
ui^ Uiutiut. knowing the effect the first supplemental agreement had
,i(t iiiii iiii'iniu'i'Hhip in Missouri and the misunderstanding our members
^^^l «*( ii. iktivv HetMng in the press that there was a conference to beheld
m lutliaua|iiihh, wirtnl to the president of this organization, John P*
\\Uitv'- "l)iulei-:«tand by press reports there will be a meeting of the
,v|iti*ii*<ia ami iiiintM's of Central Competitive Field, September 6th, for
ih^i (Mii|<>''>i' tif uHkiiig increase in wages. We earnestly request that
\\\i \iS' iii^titiit It'll to participate in conference or at least be called in con-
619
Bultation and have something to say about any policy our district will
be required to comply with."
That telegram was signed by myself and the other two resident
officers, and was sent prior to the Indianapolis meeting that preceded the
Washington conference. We thought if there was any contract to be
made that would invade our right to take up anything we wished to take
up and adjust in the future we wanted something to say about it. I
received the following telegram from ex-President White, sent from
Des Moines, Iowa, August 30th, and addressed to myself: ''Message
received. There is no way I can arrange to have you participate in con-
ference." That was the first conference that was held in Indianapolis,
September 6th. I came over to Indianapolis and the presidents of other
outlying districts came. I took the matter up with President White, and
he informed me he was confident there would be no objection to' my sit-
ting in the conference. I took up the question of a consultation among
the different districts as to what the policy would be. President White
informed me that he would give the matter consideration. It developed
at the conference that action was deferred. Later the Washington con-
ference was arranged. Before leaving Indianapolis I requested Presi-
dent White to inform me when the Washington conference would be held
and received this telegram, signed by President White and addressed to
myself: "Interstate Joint Conference Central Competitive Field will be
held Raleigh Hotel, Washington, Tuesday, September 25th."
The representatives of all the outlying districts were in Washington.
At the time the miners were in conference among themselves, with no
operators present, to determine the policy they would pursue, how much
they would demand, and what was the next step to be taken when they
met the operators, we were present. At that meeting I asked the privi-
lege of the floor to explain to the conference a few things that might
affect our district if they pursued certain policies. One thing was the
differential between the thick and thin veins of Missouri. I was given
the floor. When I asked for the privilege of the floor, President White
asked the conference if there was any objection to giving it to me. We
did not vote, but were permitted to mak^ suggestions. In that confer-
ence I explained my position.
After the joint conference convened the miners' representatives pre-
620
xi'fited their demands, which were submitted to a sub-committee. We
wuitrd around Washington for the sub-committee to report. When the
»iuli-ronimitiee reported it was not to the miners, but to the joint god-
fercnco of operators and miners. We were in that joint conference with
I)i4) operators and miners of the Central Competitive Field listening to a
(Usbate of what they would do. We had no voice in that conference.
That is the conference where the chairman of the constitution committee
Naid Saturday that President Howat should have made his protest in
r«Kttrd to the penalty clause. If you had been there and had been
familiar with the past policy of conferences of the Central Competitive
Kiffld, would you have attempted to break into a joint conference of
minerH and operators of districts other than your own and tell them
what to do? I don't think any of you would have that much nerve.
If you had, and it was proper to do that at that time, surely, you will
hnvo to Htand up here and vote for a law that (rives you the right to do
It next time.
If you will permit the defeat of this resolution in this convention
IhrouKh argument or any kind of manipulation you should not have any
complain ts to make in the future, and when you come back you will be
confronted with the same thing you were the other day — the Central
Competitive Field, the chosen few, who will formulate a policy, lay
down a law you are compelled to follow and abide by, and put you in a
puMition of either going before the public, whether there is a war on or
not, and repudiate the contract. If you don't want to be placed in that
position you should arise to the occasion now and not be influenced to
(If feat this resolution, but make a law that will give you a voice and
xote on any question that affects your districts.
You have heard from the rostrum ever since this convention con-
\cned, "our country is at war/' but this contract you are working under
tiM-niinatcs with that war. It may be that if this war is prolonged and
Ihn m^rh cost of living;.- is not controlled the mine workers of the country
will again become restless and clamor for another advance in wages.
Stuiulii that 1 1 mo come and they meet in joint conference with the opera-
lui.N to consider that question, is there any representative from an out-
l.\iu^- di.sliict that will rise here und say, "I don't want to be represented
III ihat lunfcrenoe?" If you do, you have the opportunity; you can
loiuur in the report of the committee.
621
If the war terminates tomorrow, or six months hence, and your
contract terminates with it, who will outline the new policy? Will the
Central Competitive Field do it, or will every district under the juris-
diction of the United Mine Workers have a voice and vote in saying what
the next ~ step will be that this organization will take? If you want to
be represented there, have the courage today to meet the issue and votfi
for this resolution; if you haven't the courage, don't come here in the
future and complain about what the Central Competitive and the inter-
national officials have done to you.
I have another request to make. In taking the initiative in this
fight for what I believe to be right, I don't know what argument may
be made or what misrepresentations will be used; but before the vote
IB taken, if I desire, or if anyone else who is misrepresented by a speaker
desires to reply, I hope the chair will not close debate until I have replied
or someone else has replied to some misrepresentation or attack. I
wanted to reply the other day, but debate was closed. I have no com-
plaint to make of that now, but I trust this convention will give me or
anyone else that much fair play and give me a right to reply, inasmuch
as I have taken the initiative in the fight and I don't know what argu-
ment will be presented.
If you vote to concur in the committee's report and turn, down this
resolution, when you go back home and tell your people, "I voted to put
in the hands of the Central Competitive Field and the international offi-
cers the responsibility of outlining the policies of the organization,"
stick to that, and don't come to future conventions and complain
about what may be handed to you if you take that ridiculous position in
this convention and place the stamp of your approval upon that kind
of policy.
Delegate Farrington, Chairman of the Committee: I want to preface
what remarks I have to make on this question by assuring Delegate
Frampton that, so far as the chairman of the Constitutional Committee
ib concerned — and I think I may say in so far as my associates on the
committee are concerned — he need have no fear that we are going to
resort to a distortion of facts in order to force the recommendation of
the committee through the convention. I have known Delegate Framp-
ton a long time, and I have never found it necessary to do anything of
622
the kind when I debate with him anything that may concern the policy
of the organization. I i esent the insinuation on the part of any delegate
that this committee is here trying to force through the convention some-
thing which should not be adopted by the convention. When the time
comes that I have to resort to that sort of reflection upon any committee
I will feel I am losing my standing with the delegation. The committee
has nothing to conceal in this matter, and, so far as I am concerned,
Delegate Frampton may speak again and again and again on the ques-
tion. The committee has no objection to his doing so whatever.
The committee nonconcurred in the resolution because to have con-
curred in it would have meant that this organization was adopting a
procedure which would have destroyed a long>established precedent and
one which has proved to be of inestimable benefit to the members of the
organization. Delegate Frampton would have you believe that none of
the members of our organization have any part in adopting the basic
wage agreement except the miners living in the territory making up the
Central Competitive Field. When he attempts to convey that impression
to your minds he attempts to do something that is not true and will not
be borne out by the actual facts in connection with the procedure that
has been recognized by the organization ever since we have had an
organization.
Those of you who have attended international conventions in times
gone by will no doubt have a distinct recollection that in every interna-
tional convention, just previous to the scale conference period, a scale
committee is selected by the convention. On that scale committee there
are representatives from every district under the jurisdiction of the
United Mine Workers of America, and that scale committee drafts a
program for the guidance of the organization in so far as the negotia-
tion of the wage agreement is concerned. And that policy is, without
fail, presented to the convention for the purpose of ratification or rejec-
tion. Practically every scale that has been negotiated for the members
of this organization has had its basic program outlined by an interna-
tional convention.
Delegate Frampton, in his resolution, proposes that no officer, inter-
national or district, shall have the right to sign a wage agreement if
that agreement is to have any effect or relation to any other district
623
making up the organization. In other words, the districts composing the
Central Competitive Field, viz., Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, Indiana and
Illinois, are to be denied the right to go into joint conference and nego-
tiate a wage agreement for their constituencies unless they call in Dele*
gate Frampton, Delegate Howat and representatives of other districts
and submit their work to them for approval. And if the progn^m is
adopted a similar procedure must be followed by the miners in the South-
west. They will be denied the right to negotiate a wage agreement
unless they call the officers from Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, Indiana
and Illinois into conference and submit their work to us for our approvaL
The same condition will prevail wherever wage agreements are nego-
tiated; no one will have the authority to enter into a wage agreement
unless all the officers of all the other districts in the organization arc
called into the conference for the purpose of approving the agreement.
Now, let us see what that sort of procedure means. So far as the
miners are concerned it might be all right, but we must not lose sight
of the fact that in joint conferences there are operators there partici-
pating in the conference, and I want to ask you if the operators from
Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, Indiana and Illinois are going to enter into
negotiations with the officers representing those districts with the under-
standing that anything done in the conference must have the approval
of the officers representing the other districts in the organization? In
other words, do you believe the operators from those four districts are
going to negotiate with the officials from all the other districts under
the jurisdiction of our organization? If the miners want the right to
participate in these joint conferences, even though they may not be a
part of the territory that is to be covered by the agreement negotiated,
then we must also concede the right to the operators, and the inevitable
result will be that we will not have any interstate conference at all, but
the miners and operators will be meeting in one general conference for
the purpose of negotiating a wage agreement.
If you believe the adoption of this resolution will bring about that
sort of proposition, then you ought to vote for it; but I am inclined to
believe that when the officers representing the Central Competitive Field
attempt to induce the operators of that territory to meet them in joint
conference and then tell them nothing can be agreed to unless the officers
of every other district under the jurisdiction of the miners' union approves
624
•
of the agreement, yon will have sume difRculty in inducing them to par-
ticipate in a joint conference. When you do that you will not have
accomplished anything other than has already been recognized by the
organization in times gone by. 1 repeat that every international con-
vention outlines the program for the guidance of the officers so far as
the negotiation of wage agreements is concerned.
I don*t know of any condition that has been fastened upon tl^
miners outside the Central Competitive Field by reason of the action of
those making up the Central Competitive Field that has proved injurious
to the men in other districts. I think almost everyone will agree that the
organization in the Central Competitive Field is in a position to secure
about as good a joint agreement as it is possible to be secured. I don't
know of any section that has ever been written into the Interstate
Agreement specifying that that shall be the basis for the negotiation of
other agreements. It is true the organization itself has recognized that
principle and has said to the membership everywhere that the agree-
ment negotiated for the Central Competitive Field will be applicable to
the outlying districts. That has been the policy, but we have not always
been able to enforce it, because many of the districts have not been able
to secure the same improvements in their agreements the miners of the
Central Competitive Field have secured.
The organization, in order to meet an extraordinary situation, has
been compelled to accept for the miners in the outlying districts condi-
tions that were not as advantageous as the conditions secured for the
men in the Central Competitive Field. I assume that is a condition that
will always prevail as long as we have an organization. Districts to
which wage agreements are applied are usually embraced in a certain
zone because of the competitive relations that exist between the various
units making up that zone. Freight rates, mining rates, mining condi-
tions and everything that enters into competition in the sale of coal is
given consideration, and those territories where the conditions are
nearly similar are placed in one zone when it is possible to do so, and
a wage agreement is negotiated for that particular zone.
At the present time, and for several years, the miners in the North-
west and West, Washington, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado, have
been attempting to establish what they would call the Rocky Mountain
625
oint Movement. Up to the present time they have not been able
5(1, the operators in that territory have refused to meet with the
)n that basis; but if the time should come that that sort of
nent is established in that territory, if this resolution is adopted,
•itory will be prevented from negotiating a wage scale if there
e embraced in it anything that would be likely to affect any of
^'ing districts. There is hardly a contract negotiated that has
2 section that affects outlying districts.
«
committee holds that the policy of the organization in the past
1 successful. The men in the Central Competitive Field have
e to get the very best that could be had, and if they had to
hose conditions, no matter what they might be, in the Central
:ive Field, that organization should not be called upon to finance
lent calculated to secure improvements for the men outside that
that wore superior. to the improvements secured for the men
Central Competitive Field.
gate Fram.pton says that perhaps the penalty provided for in
lution is too drastic — implying, I presume, that he felt that some
Ticers of the organization were opposed to the adoption of this
because it might create a condition that would result in their
eir official positions. As far as I am concerned that is not the
it influenced my action on this committee. We believe the pro-
ovidefl for by the resolution is a bad one; we believe that if
by this convention it will destroy every element of a policy that
ght success to the United Mine Workers of America for many
ne by. We believe that v*'ith that policy in effect the organiza-
still be able to bring to our membership every improvement in
conditions it is possible for them to secure. To adopt the pro-
jvided for in the resolution simply means chaos and disturbance
oint negotiations and relations with the mine owners of the
cannot expect to have the operators from the Central Competi-
d meet in joint conference, not only with the officers of the
mion in that territory, but also with the officers from the South-
every other district under the jurisdiction of our organization,
isfied they will not agree to any such one-sided arrangement. If
626
all the miners of the country are goin^ to be represented in sudi a eon-
ference, then certainly the operators of Illinois, Ohio, Western Pennsyl-
vania and Indiana will not be present unless all the operators from the
outlying districts are represented. I am convinced that the best inte^
ests of this organization would be conserved if the convention ratifies
the recommendation of the committee.
Delegate Wilkinson, District 21: I discussed this proposition with
President Fran^pton some time ago, and it was brought to our district
convention that has recently adjourned. The intent of Frampton's reso-
lution was discussed there. It is not the purpose of the outlying districti
to break into any conference with the operators, but I believe the tine
has come when this national organization should set out some well
defined policy whereby the Central Competitive Field and no other terri-
tory will have the power to settle the destinies of outlying districts. I
have "" been a staunch advocate and supporter of the national adninit-
t ration, but this is one time when I must insist that some well defined
policy should be set forth to govern future proceedings.
It is true the Pittsburgh Policy Committee ratified the contract of
the last convention. That was in 1916. In the New York conference the
policy was set forth in such a way that it was impossible for any other dis-
trict without mutual consent to change that agreement. That is the tlun^
I am getting to now. I believe this organization should expand, as it i^
embracing more territory in unorganized fields. I believe the time b*^
come when we should adopt a policy that will give the outlying district^
and the fields that have been organized recently a voice and vote intb^
policy of the organization. What is the interest of one should be the ini
of all districts. I don't believe we should take part in any discossio:
with the operators of the Central Competitive Field conference, but I d
believe that before any wage scale is negotiated, before suiy amendiBflL ^
is made to it. or before any supplemental contract is made, the president^
of all the outlying districts should be called together for consulUitioo^
I appreciate the fact that in the negotiation of the last increase ve
were calletl to Washington. We went there, but we had no vmce or vote.
There was no policy committee there, and I believe only five of the
outlying districts were represented. There may have been more, hot I
did not know it. As far as I am concerned I am going to attend any such
627
conference. I want to benefit by the arguments advanced to secure the
increase. I believe the representatives of every district should be present
at such negotiations. Before those contracts are negotiated there should
be a consultation with all the districts.
Delegate Mitch, District 11: This resolution was considered by the
committee at great length. This resolution represents what has been
the policy of the organization, or at least the first part of the resolution
does. Under normal conditions it has always been the policy, as stated
by Chairman Farrington, to outline our policies in an international con-
vention. This resolution has, no doubt, grown out of the discontent and
dissatisfaction felt by some in regard to the Washington Agreement.
Delegate Frampton stated that some member of the committee agreed
with the spirit of the resolution. I don't know what member of the
committee he had reference to, but I do remenlber talking to him about
it, and I don't want the impression that the committee's report is not as
has been stated. I said to Delegate Frampton that the committee non-
concurred in this resolution because it was the recognized policy of the
organization under normal conditions. I believe that is the way the
committee looked at it. That is the policy as far as our side of the
house is concerned; but the operators of the Central Competitive Field,
no doubt, would refuse to meet and negotiate a scale with the operators
of the outlying districts. The international organization, through long
years of experience, found that the best policy has been that followed
by the Central Competitive Field, which has be"fen the governing power
for the outlying districts.
•
At New York, where the first supplemental agreement was nego-
tiated, because of the fact that we had signed a contract that did not
expire until April, 1918, we looked upon the increase as a voluntary one.
There was nothing any of us could do but endeavor to induce the opera-
tors to give us that increase. The Washington conference took on a dif-
ferent aspect. The low coal proposition was mentioned by Delegate
Frampton there. He wanted to protect his membership by having a
word in the conference. That was one of the demands in the Washing-
ton conference, and all along the line there was argument in regard to
what we could get to benefit the outlying districts as well as the Central
Competitive Field. President Farrington had this proposition to deal
with in his own district, and on the sub-committee we did everything in
628
our power to get something over 10 cents a ton for low coal, but we had
to agree unanimously that it was impossible to get it. That question wt3
not overlooked. In all of our negotiations we have always taken into
consideration the outlying districts.
The committee, in considering this proposition, felt that to put such
a law into our constitution would tie the hands of the international
officials in such a way that they would have to get the consent of opera-
tors of outlying districts to agree to a conference. If that had been th:
law we would have been unable to make the progress we have made in
the last two conferences. The great rank and file elected the intena-
tional officials, and if they did not do what, in your opinion, is conserving
the interests of the organization in general, it is your duty to cast yovr
vote accordingly when the proper time comes. I myself have disagreed
with international and district officials in joint conferences because 1
could not subscribe to some particular policy that affected my district,
but at no time have I said they were not trying to conserve the interests
of this great organization in general. To tie the hands of the intena-
tional and district officials so they cannot use their best judgment, and,
having a knowledge of general conditions before them, go and serve the
membership in the way they are elected to serve, you are doing some-
thing that will mean destruction to your organization. The officials, no
doubt, will tell you this policy has been one of the fundamentals that
has built up the organization and has benefited the outlying districts.
I think the report of the committee should be adopted.
Delegate White (J. P.), District 13: Mr. Chairman and Delegates--
I rise to support the report of the committee and oppose the adoption of
the resolution. The committee's report is not only logical, but it follows
closely all the precedents that have been established for the guidance
of this organization. I listened very ?*ttentively to what President
Frampton of Missouri said about the aims and purposes he had in mind.
President Frampton is endcavoririg to deal with the conduct of confer-
ences, and in his desire to throw around them what he considers safe-
guards against impositions he has lost sight of the fact that the great
responsibilities devolving upon those officers is wrapped up in wage nego-
tiations. If he had been an attendant at these conventions many years
ago, when thii^ hall echoed with the voices of men pleading eloquently for
629
:ter conditions in the outlying districts, I think he would better under-
.nd the situation.
The little district I represent, season in and season out has pleaded
* recognition in the councils of the Central Competitive Field. We are
directly competitive that we feel it is necessary to be a part of that
erstate conference. All those efforts were unavailing, and times with-
b number we were disappointed and sent away; but we kept the faith
eays and never lagged in our efforts to secure for that little district
i same progress that was made by the districts that are members of the
ntral Competitive Field. In 1906, when this great wage conference
s dissolved and we had to resort to sectional settlements, the demoral-
.tion that set in by reason of having this great conference abandoned
8 felt in the outlying districts as well as in the Central Competitive
>ld. We went on for several years without having the Central Com-
;itive states in a conference. Then we had what was called the three-
.te conference, and the proceedings will bear testimony to the fact that
n pleaded for a rehabilitation of the old Central Competitive Field
iference.
In 1912 we were again able to negotiate a four-state agreement
ich granted a wage increase and other conditions. In 1914, in Chicago,
it wage conference was dissolved because we could not agree and
re compelled to go out and negotiate sectional settlements. We
lewed the Central Competitive Field conference and in 1916 secured
>ther increase in wages and the universal mine-run. There was some
agrreement in that conference; there were some parts of the Central
mpetitive Field that did not want to subscribe to the terms and pro-
ions of that agreement. We regretted that we were compelled to dis-
ree with the representatives of the mine workers of Indiana, but we
I take a stand, and now our good friends in Indiana will admit that it
>ught beneficial results. Our movement is together; our universal
ne-run has been established, and these things were secured first by
J Central Competitive Field.
Delegates have complained here that a mistake was made in not
ling into consultation our Friend Frampton and others from the out-
ng districts. It may be true that we made a mistake in not consulting
) outlying districts, but if you will examine the records of the confer-
630
ences where we secured the last two increases in New York and Wash-
ington, you will find that we had very little time to do anything but get
busy and secure the wage increases in order' to allay the unrest in oar
fields. Some of the men were demanding bonuses and were willing to
take them without a contract. We had to act quickly.
There has been a larger latitude allowed in the conferences, of the
Central Competitive Field conferences in late years than was practiced
in the earlier years. All the representatives of the outlying fields are
welcome to sit in those conferences. When we formulate our demands in
convention, all the districts, including the anthracite region, are repre-
sented on the Scale Committee, and when the scale committee of the
Central Competitive Field goes out to meet the operators they ate
instructed to submit their report to a policy committee representing all
the districts in the country. That policy committee decrees whether or
not the scale committee's report shall be submitted for ratification to a
reconvened convention of all the mine workers or to a referendum vote
of the rank and file.
Had we been negotiating an agreement in the usual manner. Brother
Frampton and no other delegate could have come here today offering
complaints. The fact of the matter is that Brother Frampton had some
local inequalities in his district that he himself admitted were not placed
in the district agreement by any act of the international organization or
its officials. These inequalities had crept in there, and during the nego-
tiations for these voluntary increases in wages they were not able to
correct them. I presume these inequalities do affect seriously the men
in the thin seams, but that is no fault of our great organization. Even
in the Central Competitive Field, where they have such strong, cohesive
organizations, the mine workers have inequalities they hope to correct in
due time, but they can see, as sensible men should, the larger tilings in
this agreement; they take intu consideration the circumstances surround-
ing these negotiations and they appreciate the achievements attained.
The rights of our people are amply safeguarded in the established policies
that will govern you when you come again at the end of the war, or at
the expiration of two years if the war should continue, every safeguard
that has been yours in the past. If some of you have made concessions^
as some of you seem to think you have — ^in agreeing to the penalty
681
clause, you will be amply protected when you come back to your normal
basis of negotiations.
If it were possible to enlarge the scope of these negotiations I am
sure the mine workers would not object to it; but I find to carry out the
principle propounded by Brother Frampton, you might just as well say —
and with equal force — that the district organizations in the Southwest,
before they go to negotiate, should call in the local unions and take
advice and counsel from them. But they do not do that in the Southwest,
as Brother Frampton knows very well. They negotiated an agreement
in the Southwest, and when they failed to achieve what they thought
was right, they did not even ask the rank and file about it, but proceeded
to order a strike in all the distncts in the Southwest. They did not even
consult the international officials before doing it.
The thing I want to dispel from the minds of the delegates is the
suggestion contained in this resolution. I had heard that this thought
'was very thoroughly drilled into the minds of the men when they were
convened in the district conventions of the Southwest District. That
seemed to be the place where some of the leaders of the Southwest found
a crumb of comfort for their failure to carry out their specific ideas of
what they should have in their contracts. In accepting the larger gains —
which was wisdom on their part to do— they took comfort in the fact that
had it not been for the international officials and the Central Competitive
Field they would have been able to breathe into the negotiations of the
Southwest a larger degree of benefit to the men.
I shall regret, of course, if my act iii negotiating the scales I have
referred to here has been the means of preventing any district in the
country from realizing the maximum of their desires. But we can all
understand that we cannot enlarge these negotiations, because we have
to consult with the other side in a wage conference. For years we tried
to get the coal opeititors of the Central Competitive Field to enlarge their
conferences, but they would not do so; and to adopt this resolution means,
in my judgement, serious trouble for the mine workers. It provides a
penalty if officers do not adhere to policies contemplated in the resolu-
tion. It has the implied suggestion that something was wrong and that
grave harm came to the men of this country, particularly in the South-
682
west, by reason of this proposed policy not having been carried out it
the time of our recent negotiations.
Guard well your basic wage conference, that conference that hu
been a beacon light to the less fortunate districts of the country. It
has been the aim and hope of the miners in the non-union fields; it is
the ideal that has been held up to them; it is the torch they hope some
day will light them to the heights reached by other districts. You will
remember the chaos that existed in our organization when the interstate
joint conference was dissolved. We pleaded and begged and fought to
rehabilitate that movement. We succeeded, and we have it today.
No good can come from the adoption of the resolution at this time.
The convention has already ratified the Washington Agreement. The
officers of this organization are responsible to the rank and file; they
speak, not only for the men of the Central Competitive Field, but for
the men of the Southwest, the men of the anthracite coal field* and the
men of the mountain districts of the far Northwest. What Brother
Frampton seeks to obtain by this resolution will come back to you with
normal conditions. The Washington Agreement was neg^otiated under
most extraordinary conditions. There is absolutely no need to leave the
impression in this convention that the officers of the International organ-
ization are not giving heed to the needs and paying attention to the
conditions that exist in the outlying districts. I hope for the sake of this
great organization of ours that nothing will be done that will have for
its object the dissolution of the basic wage agreements, or that will so
handicap your international officials that their power to extend the scope
and influence of this organization will be lessened.
I cannot agree with Brother Frampton in all he sajrs has transpired
by reason of his not having been made a part of the Washington confer-
ence. It is true he wired me, but I had no authority to say to Brother
Frampton, either through the advice of the Central Competitive Field
representatives or from any law that was in effect in our constitution or
our agreement, that I was going to do the thing he required of me to do.
And even though 1 had done so, the fact would still remain that I was
going to negotiate that agreement with the operators of the Central
Competitive Field and the representatives of the mine workers of that
tield.
There is no need of this resolution unless it is in the minds and
hearts of the men of this convention that the officers have usurped their
authority; that it was not necessary for us to take the course we did in
order to secure these increases in wages, and when you reach the end of
the expiration of this agreement, whether it is one month or six months
or two years, the former policy of the Aiine workers will be again put
into effect and when the negotiations are completed they will be put
before you for endorsement or rejection. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I
favor the adoption of the committee's report.
Delegate Howat, District 14: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Delegates —
Our country today is at war fighting for the democracy of all the people
of the world. The United Mine Workers of America stand for the prin-
ciples of democracy, and therefore before I proceed with my remarks in
connection with the question now before the house, for fear I may not
be able to get the floor again — and I tried it yesterday three or four
times — I desire to ask the chairman of the convention if I will be given
an opportunity tomorrow morning to reply to the personal attacks made
on me yesterday by former President White and to correct some of the
misstatements he made to the delegates of this convention. His remarks
reflect on my honesty and integrity. I want to make this request before
I proceed to discuss this question, because it is so difficult to get the floor
in this convention.
President Hayes: The chair has always tried to recognize the dele-
gates in their turn and has no desire to take the floor away from Dele-
l^te Howat. You will have the opportunity at any time to arise on a
question of personal privilege if you wish to do so. It is now time for
adjournment and you will not have time to' make an extended argument.
I will recognize you immediately after convening in the morning when
this question is taken up.
At 6 o'clock the convention was adjourned to reconvene at 9 o'clock
a. m., Tuesday, January 22.
634
SEVENTH DAY-MORNINS SESSION
Indianapolis, Indiana, January 22, 1918.
The convention was called to order at 9 o'clock a. m., Tuesday, Jan-
uary 22, President Hayes in the chair.
President Hayes: We have with us this morning a woman from
the West as a fraternal delegate from the International Mine, Mill and
Smelter Workers' Union, formerly the Western Federation of Miners.
It is an unusual honor for a woman to act in the capacity of delegate
from our sister union. Mrs. Langdon has long been active in the service
of the International Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers and has taken an
active part in many of the strikes waged by our sister union. She is a
member of the Denver Typogrraphical Union, an honorary member of
the Western Federation of Miners and an honorary member of District
16 of our organization.
ADDRESS OF MRS. EMMA F. LANGDON, FRATERNAL DELE-
GATE FROM INTERNATIONAL UNION OF MINE, MILL
AND SMELTER WORKERS.
Mrs. Langdon : Brother Chairman and Brothers of the United Mine
Workers — I have listened to some addresses in this convention that I
consider gems, jewels of speech that will live in history, speeches that
are masterpieces. And I have arrived at the conclusion that I would
almost rather make a contract with this organization to meet the kaiaer
single-handed and alone and accept an "automatic penalty clause" that
would banish me to the land of goats if I failed than to attempt to talk
to this convention after all the brilliant addresses that have been made,
but I never have ran away in the past and I will not be a slacker now.
While I feel that this is one time when silence would indeed be
golden, yet I fully realize at the same time that perhaps some of the
forty or fifty thousand men whom I represent here would not understand
if I do not say a few words, but if they could hear me or happen to
read what I say they will be absolutely certain I should have remained
silent,
I will be the sole representative of your sister organization in this
convention, as I have been informed that Mr. Powell of Arizona, the
other fraternal delegate, will not be here and that he is no longer in the
mining industry. While I have never met Mr. Powell personally, yet I
regret that he cannot be present. He was a candidate for president of
our International Union in the last election and should at least be a big
man to aspire to that position. I am sorry he is not here to bear his
share of responsibility in representing the organization in the capacity
he was chosen to fill.
The President of our International, Brother Charles H. Moyer, has
all along expressed the hope of being with you in this convention, but on
account of serious developments in Arizona and some other parts of our
jurisdiction it was necessary to call an Executive Board meeting, and
the Executive Board is now in session in Denver, which makes it impos-
sible for him to be present. It would have given him much pleasure to
be here. So it is left to me, in my very humble way — and I never felt
more himible — to bring to you the fraternal gnreetings, the friendship,
the brotherly love and good wishes of the officers and members of the In-
ternational Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, formerly the
Western Federation of Miners.
Brothers, we have been told by some great man that some are bom
great, that some achieve greatness and some have g^reatness thrust upon
them, or words to that effect. I feel that the biennial convention of the
Western Federation of Miners, now the International Union of Mine,
Mill and Smelter Workers, held in Great Falls, Mont., July, 1916, placed
a real laurel wreath upon my brow when they entrusted to me the honor
of representing them in this convention. It is an honor that could come
to very few men and only one woman at this time, as I am the only
woman honorary member, the only woman representing the organization
officially in the field, and therefore the only woman eligible under the
present constitution to be elected delegrate. It is certainly a privilege
never to be forgotten to represent the International Union of Mine, Mill
and Smelter Workers in this, one of the most important, if not indeed
the most historic convention of the greatest organization in North Amer-
ica, if not in the world.
I was not in the convention when elected, but was sweltering in the
heat of Oklahoma trying to win a strike of zinc smeltermen with great
odds against them, and when I read the wire from Great Falls notifying
636
me I had been elected I said: "1918! I will be dead and forgotten hy
then I" But time rolled on and I have been kept so busy that January,
1918, came before I was ready and contests with wage-workers and the
corporations have not ended yet, for I was trying to win a contest be-
tween a ten-million-dollar corporation and 141 smeltermen when I came
here, and can report that I believe it has been settled successfully.
I have no speech to make to this convention and I shall not tell yoo
I am not an orator — you all know that who have heard me talk, and the
rest of you will And it out in a few minutes if you remain. I belieye
there comes a time in the lives of all of us when we would be glad to be
able to mold our thoughts and opinions into expression in beauteous lan-
guage. This is the time in my life when I would like to be able to do it
I am reminded of an old colored lady, who had a neighbor whose hus-
band was sick. The neighbor saw the doctor's carriage at her neigh-
bor's house and became inquisitive.
"Liza, who am ailing over to your'all's house? I see dat doctor's
new-fangled contrapshun standing over dar every day."
"Mirandy, somethings been ailing Rastus er long time; don't zactl5
know what 'tis. He sleeps well ; he shure does eat well, but he just se^^
on de veranda all de time and can't do no work 'tall."
Miranda replies: "Hump! Look 'er here, Liza. Dat ain't no disea^^
dat man ov your'n is got. Dat am a gif."
And. brothers, I consider it a divine g^ift to be able to express ou:
HolvoH in eloquent lanjruafre, but it is a gift I do not possess. I spe^^
one language, understand one other and am beginning to speak a secoik^-^
h\nK:uH>;o. 1 speak Arkansas English, understand Missourian, and if I cor^ '
tinuo in charge of the organization of the zinc smelters in the South -^
am afraid 1 will learn the profane language, but will try not to do ac^ '
Rut to bo serious. Pope said. "Truth needs no flowers of speech," and ^
will confine my remarks to the truth.
In the International from which I bring greetings are able men.'^
competent mon and some orators that could have taken their places her^
with Homo of your best so far as ability is concerned, and they have mad^
n iiu:«tnKc \n scitvting mo. but. howover incompetent I may be so far a^
tnlKtng i> concornod. I boliove 1 am as well acquainted with the UnitM?
637
ine Workers as an organization, as familiar with your policy for many
ars, have been as near in perfect accord with it and as well acquainted
th as many of the individuals in the rank and file that make up your
mderful membership as any one man in our International, and I shall
t except one.
Since 1904 I have had occasion many times to visit district conven-
)ns and local unions of this organization, first in the interest of my
K>k*on the Colorado Labor Struggles and later on many times, too many
lies, when the metalliferous miners needed both your moral and finan-
al support I was sent for reinforcements, and when the choice of terri-
ry was left to me I came to you, for it was results I wanted and I soon
arned where to go to get them. And you never failed. I think I know
^ery poorly constructed stairway and every interurban stop that leads
I a union hall in Kansas, Illinois and some other territory.
I visited locals during the lock-out in South Dakota and during the
feat copper strike. Sometimes we had to come to you for help when
3u yourselves were in a life-and-death battle with the corporate might
this country. During your great fight in Colorado the metalliferous
iners were fighting for their very existence in Michigan, and after all
eir financial resources had failed, knowing that you would not see them
► down in defeat so long as you had one penny, we were compelled to
me to you, even though your load was heavy, and I for one can truth-
lly say I never visited one local during the winter of 1913-14 that did
't give every dollar in its treasury to our International in answer to my
>peal to help feed the women and babies in the great copper camps of
ichigan.
I merely mention these matters to show you that I, as well as any
an in our International, know the great hearts that beat in the breasts
• the men that dig the coal of this country. I went through the great
ght in Colorado in 1903-04, in District 15, and was made an honorary
members at the Pueblo convention in September, 1904. Again I was in
^lorado when you fought the great battle in 1913-14; I know something
>t the hopes, ambitions, dreams and noble aspirations of the coal miners
and I did not read it in the daily papers of this country. I learned by
Koing: to you to ask that you send bread to others in distress, and you
never failed. I know your history, and it is a creditable one.
688
Pardon me for being reminiscent for a few moments. About twelve
years have passed since I visited a convention of your International I
attended the special convention in April, 1906 — a joint convention of the
miners and operators. Many changes have taken place since that time-
really epoch-making events, too. The U. M. W. of A. have more than
doubled their membership, you have fought some wonderful battles and
have never been absolutely defeated in any of them. Your President,
Mr. Frank Hayes, whom I have had the honor of claiming for a friend
for at least twelve years, had not cast many ballots then. He was Secre-
tary-Treasurer of Sub-District 6 of District 12, and it has been a great
pleasure to see Frank climb to the top of the ladder and yet not become
inoculated with that terrible disease commonly called ''swell-head." Many
people can stand failure and survive, but few indeed can reach the high-
est pinnacle of success and keep their poise.
I consider an officer of this organization at this time one of the most
important personages in the United States. An officer of your union
has always held an important position, but now, with half the world de-
pendent upon you to keep the wheels of industry turning, certainly a
great responsibility rests upon the man at the helm in either the Inter-
national or any local of this organization. I know you will all be equal
to the great task. I ask your President to forgive the personal refer-
ence.
The Hon. W. B. Wilson was then Secretary-Treasurer of your Inter-
national. He is now in the President's Cabinet. He was extremely kind
to me when I was decidedly a "tenderfoot" from the West. There are
others that we met here in 1906 that have steadily and rapidly progressed
since then to positions of honor and trust. The last words I said to the
1906 convention were:
"I hold out my hands to you both" (speaking at that time of the
Mine Workers and the Western Federation of miners).
The W. F. M. was not at that time affiliated with the A. F. of L I
was an active member of the Typographical Union then, as I am today.
I was an honorary member of the U. M. W. of A. affiliated with the A.
F. of L., and an honorary member of the W. F. M., not affiliated with
the A. F. of L. I was a close friend of some of the officials and many of
the rank and file and a great admirer of the organization, for I live^i in
639
ctor, Colo., during the Cripple Creek war and admired the dauntless
irit displayed. Lwas here in the interest of books I had written on the
38tern troubles and was invited to make your convention a talk. -
There were two factions at that time quite active among the dele-
tes, some for and some against the policy of the A. F. of L., and at-
npts were made to get me to interfere where I had no business. I de-
.red, "I hold out my hands to both miners' organizations," and each
.8 able to handle its policies without my interference. I am glad that
len I come again to visit you our organization is affiliated with the
nerican Federation of Labor and glad you send fraternal delegates to
:;h convention. Naught but good can come of sending fraternal dele-
tes to every organization that comes in close relationship with yours,
is not enough to talk solidarity, but we should adopt the means to
hieve it.
The last time we attended either a district or national convention we
me as representatives of the Western Federation of Miners. For sev-
al years past the organization has considered changing the name, but
definite action was taken until 1916. Long ago our organization had
tended beyond the name it bore, for the jurisdiction reached to On-
rio. New Jersey, and one of the fiercest battles ever fought for the
;ht of men to organize was waged in the northern peninsula of Michi-
.n. I have three 100 per cent, organizations of zinc smeltermen in the
ate of Arkansas, so our territory extends as far east as the Atlantic,
>rth to the Great Lakes and south into Arkansas and Tennessee; it
eluded all of Canada, all of the United States, including Arkansas, you
e, and therefore the word "Western" was not any longer suitable. As
e organization accepted every man that worked in or around a mine,
ill or smelter, whether he was a practical miner, engineer, chargred a
.mace or did common labor, he was eligible for membership, so, there-
re, the "miners" without mention of the other classes of labor in-
iided in the membership was erroneous and misleading and the title
lould have been changed years ago.
The matter was discussed by the membership for some time. Official
:tion was taken in 1916 at the Great Falls convention, submitted to a ref-
«ndum and the new name "International Union of Mine, Mill and
nelter Workers," became effective October 17, 1916. I want to say here
640
and now that the name of the organization was not changed because the
officers or members are ashamed of the history of the old Western Fed-
eration of ' Miners. Those of us that love the organization most know
that mistakes were made in the early policy. To err is human, and as
our organization is composed of human beings, it has made mistakes.
Speaking of mistakes of others is a dangerous subject, but at the
risk of being loudly denounced by some revolutionist of the "Jaw of the
West," or some other section, I shall mention that perhaps the two most
serious mistakes, in my personal opinion, were opposition to wage agree-
ments, contracts, with the employers, and remaining for a number of
years aloof from the labor movement of the United States. But when
you are fully acquainted with the beginning of the history of this organi-
zation you will not find it passing strange that they did not feel they had
any special desire to put their feet under the same banquet table witii
• the mine owners of the West ; for their first introduction to the operators
of Idaho was confinement in bull pens or jails, and the mine owners did
not show any great desire either to fall into the arms of the miners'
unions that were being launched back in the '90's. And so when the or-
ganization met in Butte in May, 1893, with their hearts still sore and
feelings outraged as a result of the tragric struggle in the Cceur d'Alene
in '92, the convention that founded the old Western Federation, that was
to have such a historic career, hurled into the faces of the men they be-
lieved to be their oppressors the sweeping declaration, "We recognize no
identity of interest between the employing and working classes," and
adopted the battle cry: "An injury to one is the concern of all."
Brothers, our International remained aloof from the labor move-
ment not because the organization had any quarrel with the organized
movement of the country, but because they had a large membership that
believed in the industrial plan of organization, and they were so imboed
with the determination not to be divided into crafts and trades that they
preferred attempting to stand alone rather than become a part of what
they believed was a craft international. They attempted a number of
times to form internationals that would measure up to their ideals, but
never succeeded in launching one that realized all their dreams.
If you will be patient a few minutes I wish to mention a few matters
that you may not have considered before. In 1902 Charles H. Moyer was
641
scted president of the International. The same convention adopted a
solution declaring in favor of independent political action, and l^is
solution did not assist in lessening the hatred borne the metal organ!-
tion of the West. In 1903 the great Cripple Creek war came on and
ntinued ferociously until 1905. The president of the organization
«n£ very few weeks at headquarters, but was dragged from one bull-
in to another, and at the close of 1905 was taken to Idaho. Later he
Eis exonerated from all trumped-up charges, but not until 1908 can we
aly say he began his real term of office, and as soon as he was at the
!hn he submitted to the membership what he considered was the wisest
dicy to pursue. After some delay steps were taken to become affiliated
ith the American Federation of Labor and the organization, after more
ilay, was granted a charter with the same autonomy in the metal min-
g industry that you hold in the coal mining industry.
The Victor convention, held in 1912, amended the constitution, strik-
g out the clause prohibiting wage agreements and substituted a section
oviding for agreements with the mine owners and the check-off, then
successful operation in your organization.
We may have chased some butterflies in the past; we may have en-
rtained advanced theories and dreamed of class consciousness, unity
id solidarity; but if the organization was wrong then it must be right
tw, for they have adopted exactly the same system and plan of org^ni-
tion you have today, and their foremost policy, until the world is safe
om imperialism, will be backing the Government of the United States.
The path of the Western Federation was not strewn with roses. The
ganization is but twenty-five years of age. They have been years of
orm, stress and struggle. They won the title of being a fighting or-
inization. They have won no meeds of praise from the world, these
en who clambered down the mountain trails and wandered down the
drld's highways to lift all who toil level with earth's proudest and rich-
t; but in doing this they won the love of the workers and the hatred
' the oppressors everywhere. And I say to you here and now with all
le strength and energy I have, we have no apologies to offer for the
story made by this organization when all the facts are considered.
Before the organization of the Western Federation of Miners the
21-Pro. M.
6i2
men of the mines worked from twelve to sixteen hours a day under the
most miserable conditions. No attention was paid to timbering. Men
were cheaper than timber, cheaper than change-rooms, cheaper thn
bath houses or ventilation machinery. Eight-hour laws have been pot
upon the statute books of every State where we have strong organiiation,
California, Utah, Montana, Colorado, South Dakota, Michigan, Missoori
and British Columbia among the list.
We are told by some that we have lost strikes, that we lost the Michi-
gan strike, that we lost the Bingham Canyon (Utah) strike. We no
more lost the Michigan strike than you did the Colorado strike. While
we may have lost what we most desired in those strikes, recognition of
our organization, carrying with it an agreement with the mining com-
panies there, we did not lose everything in these or any other strike, for
there is not a man digging copper or treating copper in Michigan or in
Utah today that is not being paid a big increase as a result of the greit
battle waged for the right to organise there. Sanitary rules have beeo
adopted and enforced that were never considered before, and for the firrt
time in the history of Michigan the eight-hour law is being rigidly a-
forced. The pity of it all is that the strike4>reakers, the traitors to our
movement, that have remained there are enjoying the benefits that the
organized workers paid for with their dimes and dollars and sacrifice!.
We have not only had the money power of this country to fight, bat
we have had the misfortune — or shall I say we have been cursed — to have
more than our share of I. W. W.*8 turned loose in cor territory. We hive
had a great number that worked in the Western mining camps that iriiile
they cried "Solidarity/* were continually busy disrupting tibe metaIlife^
ous miners' International. As fast as we built up the orgmniaation in one
section, they disrupted it in another.
They never rt^ted until Butte No. 1. our largest local, was ovei^
thr\>wn. and have done all in their po¥rer to disrupt Ariaona. I do not
believe I will exaggerate the conditions that wc have had or the cone
the I. W. W. have be^n to the bona fide labor moveoient if I should state
that they have been a greater factor in retarding the progress of organi-
tativ^n in the metal mining industry than the miiie owners of the West
.\fter the president of our organization advocmtcd the *^Vf<ting of the
Federation with the A. F. of L. they turned their especial vitrol awl
643
venom upon him. We notice that while they howled "Solidarity" they
were busy dividing the workers. If they had given their time to the or-
ganization of the unorganised I ^ould have no quarrel with them, but
they did not do that. They gave all their energy to disruption, and while
they have shouted for years for revolution, we find them slackers, draft
resisters, and some of them are in jail, where they would probably pre-
fer to be rather than in the trenches fighting for real freedom.
Our organization has fought battles that proved the dauntless cour-
age of the men of the mines. They have been deported, imprisoned, had
the power of the injunction and the state militia used against them, and
yet in spite of all the demons that have been turned loose upon the organi-
zation they have set up a standard upon the very crest of the continent
that all the storms of military despotism has not been able to overthrow.
We have.no great strikes on at this time and the membership is as large
perhaps as at any time in the past and practically no internal dissension
within the organization.
In the face of all this you must admit that your sister organization
has been greatly handicapped. Indeed, it is marvelous that we have the
organization upon the splendid basis it is today. Consider for a moment
the hardships endured by President Moyer. I am like Mother Jones, so
far as eulog^izing individuals is concerned, but facts, indisputable facts,
can never harm anyone. What battles have raged around this quiet,
determined man, a man that is wholly adverse to the limelight, unassum-
ingy extremely conservative, yet considered radical. He never flinched
when imprisoned upon trumped-up charges; never went about the country
telling of his martyrdom; never shirked a duty and never turned aside
because life or liberty was in jeopardy. Very few voices are raised in
behalf of those who direct labor's conflicts; too often they are vilified
and misrepresented. No man to my knowledge has been more misunder-
stood or less appreciated or given more to the cause of labor than the
president of our organization. Capitalism has directed some of its
fiercest attacks against him; he has been imprisoned falsely, put in
boll pens; he is broken in health as a result of the treatment accorded
him. He was assaulted, shot and deported from Michigan. These are
just some of the experiences, just part of the price he has paid because
of his position as president of an unpopular organization and because
of hir devotion to the cause of labor; and when he advocated the affilia-
644
tion of the organization with the American Federation of Labor he
brought the hatred of every I. W. W. upon him. He has not had the
entire co-operation of his own organization. He is in absolute accord
with the present policy of the A. F. of L. and with the government (which
I should have put first) , and is using his influence every day to assist in
every way possible. We of the West, who know this man as he really is,
and not what the tyrant and disrupter represents him to be, admire him
for the enemies he has made. And I mean by that for his unswermf^
loyalty in spite of the most terrible trials.
So again I say to you, and I think you will agree with me, when yoo
consider all the handicaps we have had, the location of metal mines,
difficult and expensive transportation, shortage of funds and the many
other obstacles, that it is remarkable we have made even the progress
we have. We really feel we have bright prospects for making wonderful
headway in organization work this year.
FRATERNAL DELEGATE'S POSITION ON WAR.
Brothers of the United Mine Workers of America — No more impor-
tant convention ever assembled in the United States than this conven-
tion, representing as it does about four hundred thousand fuel producers,
when the world is involved in war for the establishment of democracy.
There are those among us that strongly believed in international peace
and advocated it at every opportunity until the United States was forced
into war. I feel on the subject of war as I do on the subject of strikes—
I believe in exhausting every effort to adjust, and if all fails, if it finally
resolves itself into a strike or giving up every constitutional right of the
organized workers, if it is a strike or absolute serfdom, then I say strike*
but never until all else fails. After all, a strike of the wage-workers is
only a war, a small war, involving the employes a(nd the employer; in
fact, a strike is exactly what Sherman said of war — and you recall what
that was.
I believe the great majority of the organized workers of the land
wanted peace; they also believe that the great man at the head of this
nation wanted peace, and the workers fully realize that he did everything
possible to keep the United States out of the war; but we feel it was a
case of war or sacrifice every principle for which our forefathers fooght,
645
and therefore we have war. Some of us that advocated peace so strongly
before this country became involved were not only thinking of the brave
men that would have to shoulder arms and march away to the inspiring
tune of "Dixie" or "The Star-Spangled Banner," but we thought of the
mangled forms carried away on stretchers, or left to fill unmarked graves,
or brought back to their loved ones, blind, crippled or maimed. But it is
too la to now, we are in the war; it was forced upon us and we must win.
I think not only of the heroes there on the battlefield, but also of the
bereaved, gray-haired mother at home, with her heart crushed, of the
vacant chair, the orphans, the desolate home, the rivers of blood and
tears, the loved ones at home waiting for news from the front. All that
speak pay tribute to the brave men that have enlisted or have been
drafted and marched away in reply to the call of duty.
I would not take one word of praise from our country's defenders,
but I wish to speak a word in behalf of the women of this nation. In
every great conflict, in every struggle, in every strike, women have their
part to play. During a strike they must manage the home on a very
small income, stretch a five-dollar bill to do the work of twenty, perhaps,
and, if worthy wives and mothers, encourage father, husband, brother
or sweetheart to remain loyal. Do not forget that the women of this
country are giving up husbands, brothers, sons and sweethearts to the
nation in this great cause; that the women are mothers of the soldiers
and the sailors; that they are nursing the sick and dying. Do not forget
that every inch of red in Old Glory has been drenched with a mother's
tears, and that every star represents a mother's heart that gave her boy
to fight for justice and right.
I say to you men of this land here and now, that the woman that is
worthy the precious name of mother, that is fit to be the mother of men,
will be found at her post of duty in her limited sphere. This nation will
have the backing of the true womanhood and we will flght until the soil
of every state in the United States is soaked with the blood of those we
love and until the blue of the ocean turns to red to abolish imperialism,
Czarism and Kaiserism. We will show the world that we are worthy of
our ancestors, that patriotism is not dead and that we are not cowards.
There is only one human I hate worse than a coward and that is a traitor.
The labor movement stands for justice, we are organized to help the
weak, the meek and lowly, and the United States in this war is flghting
646
for the very principles for which our movement stands. We of the labor
movement know the war is hot for money, for markets or because we
wish to be pirates of the sea. We know It is to defend democracy, to
forever bury tyranny and overthrow monarchy. We are right, the labor
movement is right, and the United States is right.
FUEL, METAL AND WAR.
More than 19,000 members of this organization have joined the
colors, but that is not all you are contributing to this war. Being the
largest organization, of course, you have contributed a great amount of
money to the Red Cross and in many other ways given the government
great support. But I was thinking today before I began to speak of the
great importance of the two internationals — ^the United Mine Workers of
America, the producers of fuel, and the International Union of Mine,
Mill and Smelter Workers, the producers of metals. You were always
of vital importance, but never before has the important place that yon
must hold in winning this war been so strikingly apparent to the public.
Fuel and Metal! What a combination just now!
Brothers, the international organization from whom I bring greet-
ings, is composed of the men that delve into the bowels of the earth, (^eo
the grranite hills and bring out gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc and other
metals for the world's enrichment and use. Their product finds its way
into the mills and smelters, where the virgin metal is transformed into
copper sheets, wire, cannon, machine guns, machinery and engines of tH
kinds and descriptions. It is the product of the metal mining industry
that makes up a part of the wealth of the world, but what good would
any of it be without you, the fuel producers of the world? Without coal
we could not even operate the metal mines or smelters. We certainly
could not fight the Kaiser. We could not operate railroads; our ships
could not ply between the continents carrying rich cargoes of food to
the starving Belgians; we could not transport soldiers to France; we
could not send the product of mines, mills and factories, and we could not
get a substitute at this time with which to produce light, heat and power.
Without coal our entire industrial fabric would crumble. These are
some of the reasons that I say the product of your labors, coal, and the
product of the metal miners are the most essential results, next to food,
647
f all the work that the human race is doing at this time. Coal, metal
nd transportation are enormous factors.
*
Since those fateful days in the late summer of 1914 when the Kaiser
nleashed his war dogs upon a world unprepared, it is the coal miners,
ael producers, who, next to the soldiers of France, have the important
ole in saving the world from the evil designs of this war-crazed monarch,
nd if you should stop your labors for even a short time it is easy to see
bat this tyrant could enslave the world. The coal miners are vitally
eeded for the successful conduct of the war, and I know every man
ttending this convention will make a firm resolution that you will allow
o one the right to stop the processes of your labors until this war is
ver. I know you will be true to the confidence and trust the nation has
laced in you.
Our international is composed of metal workers, metal miners and
tneltermen, and while they may have chased some beautiful butterflies
nd possibly made some mistakes in policy in their early history, they
ill have but one policy until this war is over, and thi^t will be to back
le government of the United States. When the awful carnage is over
e vnll firmly face the future and work to the end that capital and labor
ill have a better understanding of each other. The toilers never have
died in the past to do their duty and they will not now. Our forefathers
ft ploughs standing in the field and waded in blood to their knees in
6 to free this country from king rule, and again they or their sons or
randsons unsheathed the rusty old swords to strike the shackles from
le black slave; and whether we wanted war or not, we have it, and the
reat mass upon whose shoulders rests the stability of this nation will
^in do their full duty.
ORGANIZATION.
Brothers, in conclusion, I want to say that never before in history
ive we been in so powerful a position as at this time; never before
immanded more respect, because never before have we been so well
"ganized or stood so loyally together. Never before in the history of
le United States has a president of this nation left the capitol to go to
lother city and appear before a labor convention; and we can truthfully
id proudly say we acknowledge him as the greatest president since the
648
great emancipator, and even Lincoln did not have the great combinations
of capital to contend with and manage that President Wilson has been
confronted with. Abraham Lincoln foresaw just such a situation. The
labor organizations of this country will stand as a unit behind this great
man at the head of the government that deigned to bare his head before
the men that keep the wheels of industry revolving. I heard one man
say — speaking of the president's visit to the convention of the American
Federation of Labor — that it was undignified. If it was I wish our
Supreme Court and more men in high office could be undignified in the
same manner — recognizing the right of labor to organize.
PAYS TRIBUTE TO MR. GOMPERS.
JVhile paying tribute as one very humble citizen of this country to
the chief executive of this land, I shall not overlook the part the man at
the head of the labor movement, with headquarters also in Washington,
has had in bringing the chief executive of this nation and the labor
movement in such close touch with each other, in being able in his mas-
terly way, to bring to organized labor the recognition the movement so
richly deserves. It has required tact, diplomacy, and a -master hand,
and no one less than a statesman could have done it. I do not care who
condemns me for saying it, I say here and now you have to hand it to
Mr. Gompers for his share in it, and, to use a slang phrase, I take off
my hat to the president of the American Federation of Labor and his
colleagues for their splendid, diplomatic and creditable work. No one
ever did it before; let us give credit where credit is due. Organization is
the measure of social progress; organization is the measure of what
freedom we enjoy today — we know over what a rough road the worker*
have borne humanity — their path has not been strewn with flowers.
The pioneers of this great movement have been persecuted, prosecuted,
vilified and misrepresented, the injunction used against them, deported;
there have been Ludlow disasters and Michigan fire disasters; but in
spite of injunctions, unfair judges, some unfair courts, and all the com-
bined efforts of the opponents and oppressors, the organized movement
of this country stands stronger and greater and commands a greater
respect than ever before in history.
Organized labor is the product of conditions. This is an age of
organization, combination, specialization and centralization. In every
649
Id and phase of human life men have combined in groups and work as
unit. Capital is organized, business is organized, the professions are
^anized. Labor must organize and remain organized or go down into
rfdom. The combination of dollars has compelled the combination of
sn — you have had nothing handed to you on a silver platter (except
iunctions); all that you have you have won through your organization,
d helps those that help themselves, and 4t is absolutely impossible to
anything for the man that doesn't care to do anything for himself.
e only way to help yourself is to unite with your fellows.
All the bitter struggles that your history records in Pennsylvania,
est Virginia, Colorado, Alabama, Illinois, or in any other section, and
3 great struggles of the organization that sent me here, Coeur d'Alenc,
adville, Cripple Creek, South Dakota and Michigan, were efforts to
ikc the future rise fair and bright and unstained by blood and tears;
d if right shall ever rule in this land it will be largely because of the
crifice these two organizations have made in fighting the battles of the
pressed.
There is not an eight-hour law upon the statute books, a law limiting
3 hours of labor for men or women, a law prohibiting child labor, or
y other law protecting the workers in mines, mills or factories,
nbering, ventilation, outward swinging doors, or any kind of protec-
>n to health or life that was not put there by the dimes and dollars and
crifices of the members of organized labor. And while the organized
)or movement of this country made the contributions and fought the
ttles the benefits radiate to all the workers. So it will be seen that
! not only bear our own burdens, but we must carry the load of millions
others that take what we pay for and fight for, but do not lift their
are.
The labor problem is a world problem, as wide as the universe, and
ucation, which can only come through organization, is the solution.
le organized movement has a great task, to organize and educate the
organized, or the unorganized will disorganize the organized. As
werful as the United Mine Workers are today, so long as any part of
est Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, or any other territory is not one
ndred per cent, organized this great organization is in jeopardy.
The labor movement is here to stay. Industry has knit the bonds
650
of a world brotherhood that knows not the boundary line of nations.
You do the world's work. You erect the skyscrapers; you span the
mountains with steel; you have made the desert to flower in harvest;
you have pushed back the frontier to the Pacific ocean, reared a golden
empire in the West; you have dug the gold from the granite moantains;
you have harnessed the Niagara and poured into the channds of com-
merce the golden streams that turn the wheels of a world's industry.
You have built the palace and spread the banquet table and you are learn-
ing to keep a ticket of admission for yourselves. Now you are con-
fronted with the solemn duty of upsetting a throne, of banishing forever
from the face of God's earth imperialism, czarism, militarism, and estab*
lishing a world democracy. And you can do that, too! For there will
be no slackers found in our ranks — in the ranks of these two inter-
nationals. All that prophet has foretold, or poet dreamed of; all that
Schubert played into his "Serenade," all that Kubelik and Mischa
Elman echoed of Shubert's dream upon their violins awaits the coming
of labor into its own. The world's constructive thought is in the ranks
of labor, the light of dateless futures driving them on.
To make their dreams come true is the mission of the labor move
ment of the world. Our task is great, but our courage is equal to it
Labor is coming into its own, for
There is a moving of men like the sea in its might,
'Tis the grand and resistless uprising of Labor;
The banner it carries is justice and right!
It aims not the musket, it draws not the sabre;
Yet the sound of its tread over the graves of the dead
Shall fill despots with dread, for it is sworn
That the land of our fathers shall be.
The home of the brave and the land of the free.
And I say unto you that that day is fast approaching. The labor move-
ment shall and must win because it is right; and the United States most
win this war for the same reason, because they are fighting for the same
principle that the labor movement is fighting for — Justice and Right, and
right must win.
651
There is a glory in being right and a splendor in being true,
That nothing else in all this world can give to you,
For right is right and God is God, and right the day must win,
And we WILL WIN.
I thank you for your patience and endurance.
President Hayes: I know I express the sentiment of this conven-
tion when I say we deeply appreciate the fraternal greetings of the
Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers' organization. We want Mrs. Langdon
to carry back to her constituents our pledge and assurance of support.
In any way we can support our sister union we will do so, to the end
that all the men working around the metalliferous mines, mills and
smelters of this country might become members of our sister union.
Delegate Baker, District 23, International Board member, asked
the privilegre of the floor to make a statement concerning conditions in
his field, and said: "You are all well aware of the fact that
there have been several attempts to extend our great organization into
the non-union sections of Western Kentucky. We made an attempt last
year to organize the men in that section of our country, but that attempt*
I am sorry to say, was not successful. Not because of the shortcomings
of our representatives, but because we did not have the proper material
to work upon. After prosecuting an extended campaign into the territory
I have mentioned we put forth every effort in our power to educate
our people. That section of the United States is, in my opinion, the
darkest spot on the North American continent. The sitvation there
seems to be one of the most deplorable that has ever existed any place
in this country. Our people are clubbed, arrested on false charges and
cast into the dungeons of that section. Everything in that section is
dominated by the most vicious corporations and officials. This includes
the municipal and county officers as a rule. In order to put this mattejr
before the public one of the representatives that went through this
campaign, who suffered many hardships and injustices, has prepared an
account of the exact situation in that section of the country. I refer to
Brother W. O. Smith, who is here on the floor of the convention this
morning with the magazine he has prepared picturing as best he could
the horrible conditions that prevailed in that section of the country. I
believe it would be of interest to the movement to read this magazine and
652
see exactly what the conditions are in that part of our State. The time
is rapidly approaching when the searchlight of investigation will be
turned on those dark spots of America and the conditions there will not
long endure. I do not believe the American people would permit the mine
workers of this country to suffer as the miners of western Kentucky are
suffering on account of the serious situation existing there. I think it
would be beneficial to our organization if Mr. Smith would be permitted
to address the convention for a few minutes. He can give you some val-
uable information with reference to the manner in which our people have
been arrested and imprisoned. Some of them are now in filthy jails in
western Kentucky because they are unable to furnish bonds. They are
unable to secure fair and impartial trials before the courts of that State.
I feel sure you will be more than pleased with what Mr. Smith will have
to say."
Arrangements were made for W. O. Smith to address the convention
later.
President Hayes: Some time ago I invited Mr. Gompers, president
of the American Federation of Labor, to address the convention. He
has accepted the invitation and will be in the city tomorrow. I will ap-
point John H. Walker and Paul J. Smith to meet President Gompers and
escort him to the hall.
~^The chairman stated that discussion would be resumed upon the
question pending at the close of the previous session, the report of the
Committee on Constitution, which non-concurred in Resolution No. 34,
offered as an amendment to Article 3 of the Constitution.
Delegate Howat. District 14: Mr. Chairman and Driegates — I am
opposed to the report of the committee. I brieve the rank and file of the
miners of the Central Competitive Field are opposed to iL The officials
of the miners* orfFsniiation in this convention have been preadiin^ democ-
racy here day after day fn>m the time we con^^ened until yesterday even-
ing« If the resolution now before the house stands for anything in our
organiiation it stands for deunvracv. :t stands for justice and a square
deal fv>r the coal miners in the ouTlying districts of this country. I want
U^ nNnd a porti\^n of the res^>hi:h>n. It says: ''Xo international official
or n\^ district or if:n>up of distr^rts ussier the jurisdiction of the United
Workers of Amer>ra will have the authority to meet and make a
653
basic agreement and formulate a policy to govern any other district
without all districts being given an opportunity to be represented and
have a voice and vote on any question affecting wages or conditions or
any policy that any other district will be expected to comply with."
I don't see why any official of this organization should be opposed to
the resolution. I want to ask if the coal miners of thi^ country do not
believe that is fair? If any district or group of districts are going to
meet to outline a policy to govern the mine workers of this country, don't
you think it is fair that all of you should have a voice and vote in saying
how you will be regulated? For many years the officials of the Central
Ck)mpetitive Field have been meeting with the coal operators in their re-
spective districts and agreeing on wages and conditions of employment.
The miners from the outlying districts have had absolutely no voice or
vote on these questions. I say it is high time the coal miners of this
country in the outlying districts were beginning to stand up and assert
their rights as United Mine Workers of America and say that in the fu-
ture they expect to have a voice and vote, or that they expect the officials
of their respective districts to have a voice and vote on any policy and
scale of wages that is going to be agreed to if they expect to be regu-
lated and governed by the ag^'eement that is made.
If the officials of the Southwest, met before the officials of the Cen-
tral Competitive Field and made an agreement with the coal operators in
Kansas City, and the miners of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Pennsylvania
had to be regulated and governed by the wages and conditions of em-
plo3nnent we would agree to, I believe they would object and would have
a right to stand up and say they did not propose to be governed by an
agreement made in the Southwest, in the making of which their officials
had no voice or vote. I believe the coal miners here from the Central
Competitive Field should be willing — and I think they are willing — to
stand up and say the officials of the outlying districts will have a voice
and vote in future on any policy that is to be outlined by the United
Mine Workers of America governing wages and conditions. *
We have been meeting our operators in Kansas City every two years,
and the first thing we run up against is the ag^reement in the Central
Competitive Field. The last agreement provided that there could be no
change in any contract unless it was mutually satisfactory to both sides.
654
That means that when your officials meet with your coal operators md
the operators say when a certain provision in the contract is readied:
"That clause is satisfactory to us, we will not chaiige it," that dauae has
to stay there. If the operators say, "No, it stays in there," that setUes
it. That is what we ran up against in Kansas City two years ago, and
we have run up against it for many years. After we received an in-
crease of 3 cents a ton and 5 per cent, on the day wage scale no odier
conditions were to be imposed that would increase the cost of produc-
tion to the coal operators. Any change that you get in your contract
that is not going to increase the cost of production to the coal operators
isn't going to be worth much to the coal miners of this country.
That is the kind of fight we have been up against in the Southwest
for several years, and I hope the miners in this convention will realise
the injustice of a condition of that kind being imposed upon the minen
in the outlying districts. I hope you will stand up here today and be
counted and regristered in favor of the adoption of this resolution and
against the report of the conmiittee. I am at a loss to know why any
official of this organization that preaches democracy to the coal nainen
should be opposed to a resolution of this kind. I maintain if it stands
for anything it stands for democracy. We have worked under the eon-
ditions I have described for many years, and we hope the delegates here
will say that in the future the men in the outlying districts will have an
opportunity to be represented in any conference where an agreement
they are expected to live up to is negotiated. I have no fault to find with
the officials pursuing the policy they have in the past, because it it part
of their duty. The constitution did not make any provision for what we
are asking today, consequently there could be no blame attached to the
officials for what they did.
We had no voice or vote in the making of the Washington Afree-
ment, we had nothing to say there in that meeting of miners and op-
erators. There have been conditions put in the agreement in the Cen-
tral Competitive Field that were unfair to the coal miners of outlyinC
districts and we had to agree to them, although we had no voice or ^nyte
in the negotiations. Time and again we had inequalities we expected to
have a right to take up and regulate, but when we met with our op-
erators we were confronted with the proposition that nothing was to be
666
done that would add to or increase the cost of production. I say that is
unfair, and I hope the miners of the Central Competitive Field here to-
day will see the justice of what we are asking. We are only asking
that the mine workers of the outlying districts have a right to a voice and
vote in making the agreements that regulate their wages and conditions.
I don't believe it is necessary to make a great deal of explanation
to show the coal miners in this convention the justice of this resolution
and the requests we have made here. In the future we expect as long as
we pay dues and assessments into this organization that you men will be
fair enough, regardless of what some of the officials may say, to vote to
concur in this resolution. Show that you believe in a fair deal to the
coal miners of this country, and show that you still stand for this great
principle of democracy we have heard so much about since we have been
in Indianapolis.
A number of delegates asked that debate close.
President Hayes: This is too important a 'question to decide hur-
riedly. It affects the future of our movement. The delegates will be in
order.
Delegate O'Neil, District 2 : Coming from one of the largest outlying
districts of the United Mine Workers of America, I feel it is my duty,
if I can, to state the position of the miners of central Pennsylvania on
this question. We, too, have felt in the past that the policy of the Inter-
state Competitive Field in making wage agreements that restricted the
outlying districts in settling their internal affairs or local gn^ievances in
such a manner that they could not add to the cost of production to the
operators has been a mistaken policy. However, the miners of central
Pennsylvania, as I understand their position, do not agree with the
proposition made by Delegate Frampton in this resolution.
At a special convention of District 2, held in DuBois, Pa., last April,
the miners adopted a resolution which asked in effect that at the next
scale convention of the United Mine Workers of America the convention
go on record stating that, so far as wages are concerned and the per-
centages of advances adopted, that would be the basic scale; but the
internal questions should be submitted to the different districts. Our
position is diametrically opposed to that stated in the resolution. Rather
96e
tlum be made a i>art of the interstate joint moTement the minen of en-
tral Pennsyhrania would prefer to be g:iYen independenoe of action in
settling their internal differences and domestic ineqnalitiea. The resolu-
tion I refer to was adopted unanimously in our convention last April;
and in order that they might protect themselves against any such clause
in future agreements they adopted a resolution tiiat provided that all
future agreements negotiated in central Pennssrlvania would be submitted
for ratification to a special district convention.
I agree in part with the position taken by the Southwest delegates,
because we have felt at times that we weze tied iq^ to a policy that pre-
vented us from getting things we wanted in central Pennsylvania; but
we believe the policy of tying us up to the Coitral Competitive Fidd
movement in a sort of half way would be worse than the present ecmdi-
tion. Of the 410,600 paid-up members in this union about 66,000 of
them belong to the anthracite region; about 185,000 are members of the
four States making up the Interstate C<»npetitive Field — Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois and western Pennsylvania. In the soft coal districts there are
approximately 160,000 members outside of the Central Competitive Fidd.
Once a satisfactory agreement is reached for these districts they can out*
vote the others in the soft coal fields. We object in central Pennsylvania
to this convention making us a party to a conference where we would be
unable to meet our operators and participate in the vote. That would
be against our wishes. It might tie us up to an agreement that the
miners of central Pennsylvania would not ratify.
We agree that the adjustment of local inequalities and internal dif-
ferences should be referred to emch district to work out in its own way,
and because we do believe that is one of the reasons I am opposed to
being made a member of the Joint Interstate movement where I cannot
meet my operators and where the members of four districts control a
majority of the vote. Our position in that case would be materially
weakened. That is the way the miners of central Pennsylvania view it.
They went on reccrd unanimously as being opposed to being tied up by
the Interstate Competitive Field ^rhen it comes to settling their internal
questions.
International Secrtrtxury Green: It is a conviction with me that a
large number of the de'e^tes misunderstand the prc^ioaitioo you are
657
•
now consideriiig. I am satisfied that your minds are confused, that you
are governed perhaps largely by your feelings in the matter rather than
by your judgment, and if you will permit me just a few moments I will
endeavor to clear the situation, present some facts to you, and after you
are in possession of those facts you may act accordingly.
This is a most important question* It is a question of policy, and
questions of policy affect the very life and well being of our union. This
proposition that is now before us provides that this International Union,
if it adopts the resolution, is committing itself to a policy that may
prove to be impossible, impractical, and if it is impossible and imprac-
tical, then I am sure the delegates will not adopt it. The danger in this
resolution is not in what it states clearly, but it is in what is stated by
inference, by innuendo, and for that reason it is misleading to the greatest
degree. It proposes that the organic law of our organization shall be
amended so that a joint conference of miners and operators in this coun-
try cannot be held unless all the miners and all the operators in this
country participate in it. If that is not the case, then I certainly mis-
understand what the author of the resolution said it proposed to do. It
proposes that the Interstate Joint Conference of Miners and Operators
shall be so enlarged that the representatives of the outlying districts
must be brought in. Is there any man here who believes the representa-
tives of the miners from the outlying districts can be brought into a joint
conference of miners and operators of the Central Competitive Field
unless the operators from those same outlying districts are to be brought
in? Is it to be a one-sided affair? Remember that when you are
making a contract there are always two parties to it.
What has been the policy of our union ? I think the policy has been
what a great many people have said on this floor it ought to be while they
have been advocating the adoption of this amendment to our law. An
international convention of the United Mine Workers of America was
held in this city in 1916. Representatives of local unions from all over
the country came here. The contract then in force would expire on March
31, 1916, and we had to negotiate a new scale. What happened? In
that comrention in 1916 a scale was drafted — ^by whom? All the repre-
sentatives of the miners of this entire country. The demands of the
miners were formulated here in this hall, and the scale the miners were
instructed to present to the coal operators in the Central Competitive
668
Field, which is the base district in this country, was formulated Ymn.
That is democracy. The dele^tes framed it.
After the scale was formulated by the scale committee it was re-
ported here to the delegates and ratified by a majority of the votes of the
convention. Then what happened? By the instructions of this conven-
tion the ^representatives of the Central Competitive Field met with the
coal operators of the Central Competitive Field and presented to them
the scale that had been drafted by the representatives of all the miners
of America in an international convention assembled. This scale com-
mittee was told that after they had completed their work they were to
report their action to a policy committee that had been selected by the
international convention. Wasn't that democracy? Every district in
this country was represented and every district had something to say as
to what would be the policy of this great union.
This resolution is misleading, in that it leaves the inference that oar
policy has been to not have ail the miners of the country participate in
the policy of the Mine Workers. That policy committee was created by
l^ie convention. The miners' representatives and the operators of the
Central Competitive Field met. What is the Central Competitive Field!
Ohio, Indiana, Dlinois and Western Pennsylvania. The reason the Cen-
tral Competitive Field has always been the basing point is because before
there were conferences in any other sections in this country, before groups
of districts met anywhere, the joint conference in the Central Competitive
Field was formed and met to adopt a basic scale. But these miners met
the operators under instructions from this sovereign body. I want yon
to get that clearly in your mind. The miners of the Central Competitive
Field were the agents of the International convention. They met the
operators and presented a scale they did not formulate, but that the
representatives of the miners of this entire country had formulated. They
went with instructions.
I want to tell you gentlemen that no more effective arguments were
ever produced for the adoption of all you asked for than were produced
by your representatives, the miners from Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and
Western Pennsylvania. But they did not get all the scale demanded.
Did you ever know a time when we formulated a scale in inteniational
convention and then met a group of operators that gave us all our
659
demands? We could not get them all; some things had to be com-
promised, others given up; but after they had completed their work, had
exhausted all the power at their command, had exhiiusted all their arga-
ments, the policy committee that had been created by the convention was
called in. That policy committee came from Kansas, from Oklahoma,
from Missouri, from Wyoming, from Washington and Montana— every
district was represented on it.
The members of that policy committee went to Pittsburgh and there
was submitted to them the work that the Central Competitive Conference
had done. The scale committee told their fellow miners that were called
in: "We have met the operators of the Central Competitive Field; we
submitted the demands of the international convention. We have secured
part of them; there are others we cannot get unless we go on strike.
What shall we do?'' That policy committee, composed of representatives
of every district in this country, after some deliberation, discussion and
argument, decided by a vote of 56 to 15 to accept the report of the scale
committee.
Delegate Price, District 11: How many organizers did you have in
that 56 and 15 that were clothed with the power of district oflicials to
outvote us in Indiana?
Secretary Green: Brother Price, you are asking a question I cannot
answer. I am talking now about the mode of procedure that was adopted.
What you ask is foreign to the question. Each district selected its own
members of the policy committee and sent them, to that meeting in Pitts-
burgh. That committee was composed of the representative men of the
respective districts that sent them. The policy committee assembled in
Pittsburgh, and after they had deliberated on the question they decided
to adopt the proposition that had been drafted, subject to a referendum
vote of the miners of this entire country. Was that democratic?
Now, let us go over the matter step by step. First, the inter-
national convention was assembled. The international convention adopted
a scale. * That was democracy. The convention sent its agents out
with the scale. The agents met the operators and did all they
could, then reported back to the policy committee. Even the policy
committee was not clothed with authority to adopt what had been done
by the scale committee, but decided to submit it to a referendum vote of
1
660
the miners of the entire country. The proposition was submitted to ^'
miners of the countiy and adopted by a majority vote. If that is not
democracy, I don't know what democracy is. Did that deprive the miners
of this country of a right to have something to say as to the policy d
the organization? Did it deprive them of the right to pass upon what
the policy should be?
Some complaint has been made about a clause in the agreement
which provided that in the settlement of disputes nothing could be done
that would increase or decrease the cost of production. There isn't a
miners' representative who participated in those joint conferences that
would have that section in the scale if he could cut it out. But it was
one of two things, either agree to that or a strike, and the miners of the
country believed at that time that the chances were against them and
that it would be better to secure the agreement with that clause in it than
to strike. The miners of the country voted for that section and adopted
it. They are the ones who said what the scale should be. Isn't that
democracy? Isn't that shaping policies in accordance with what is con-
tained in this resolution ? Aren't the men who compose our membership
formulating our policy, giving instructions and, in the last analysis,
passing upon what the scale shall be?
This proposal is an amendment to the constitution. It says: ''No
international official or no district or group of districts under the juris-
diction of the United Mine Workers will have the authority to meet and
make a basic agreement and formulate a policy to govern any other dis-
trict without all districts being given an opportunity to be represented
and have a voice and vote on any question affecting wages and condi-
tions or any policy that any other district will be expected to .comply
with. Any international or district official found guilty of violating this
section shall be removed from office."
I have no objection personally to the spirit of the resolution. I b^
lieve that the representatives of this organization should shape its poli-
cies and that everybody should have a voice in saying what they shall be.
Then, in the final analysis, I believe that all the members of our union
should say that what has been done shall be approved. That I heartily
concur in, but we are getting the cart before the horse when we attempt
to amend our law to provide for these things. If we were to adopt a
661
solution in this convention instructing the delegates who participate
the joint conference in the Central Competitive Field to use their in-
lence to have the interstate conference enlarged so that all the miners
id operators of the entire country could participate, then we would be
irsuing the right policy. But when we attempt to control the other
irty to the contract by amendments to our own organic law we are fol-
wing a policy that is both impractical and impossible.
Suppose for a minute, after knowing all that I have explained to you
garding the actions that hav,e been taken, that two years from now
hen we meet, or at the expiration of the contract term, we come into
nvention, formulate our demands as usual and go out to meet the op-
ators in the Central Competitive Field and say to them: "Our con-
intion in regular session amended the laws of our union so that if this
inference is to be held the miners' representatives from all sections of
lis country must participate in the conference, and unless you agree
lat all the miners' representatives from every district in this country
-e seated no conference will be held, we cannot participate because if
e do we will be removed from office." Suppose the operators come back
id say: ''Well, gentlemen, this interstate conference has been arranged
»r the four districts. We are willing to meet with you as heretofore,
it we are not willing to extend the scope of the conference. Especially
re we unwilling unless the operators of Iowa, Montana Wyoming, Okla-
)ma and other bituminous districts are brought in here, and the anthra-
te operators as well." Where do you think we would be in that case?
fe would be up against a stone wall and we could not even proceed with
ir negotiations.
In the making of joint agreements we must take into consideration
le other fellow; we cannot make the joint agreement ourselves. If we
>uld it would be different from any agreement we have. That i§ the
'ouble with a great many of us sitting in this convention; we think that
11 we have to do is to go to the other fellow and say : "This is what we
eive done," and he will hurry to hsCnd it to us on a silver platter. My
Eperience in about fifteen years of dealing with the other fellow is that
3 18 about as stubborn a man as I have ever met, and usually he has
imething to say in the making of agreements. We would find ourselves
ice to face with a situation in which the machinery of this organiza-
on would stop and we would have to come back here, hold another con-
662
vention and tell you we could not go ahead. If this convention deddtt
that no international officer shall participate in a conference with i
group of operators anywhere unless the miners from all over the conntrjr
are brought in, as one international officer, I guarantee you I wont p•^
ticipate.
There has been some complaint because of the Washington Confer-
ence, and perhaps there is some basis for it; but we were not meeting in
New York in April and in Washington in September for the purpose of
negotiating a new agreement. The agreement we entered into two yetn
ago was still in force. We were simply meeting for the purpose of se-
curing an increase in wages over the present scale. What we were tak-
ing for was an increase in prices over what had been agreed to and paid.
Two years ago, when we entered into that agreement, we agreed tint
scale should be effective from April 1, 1916, to March 81, 1918. But eoh
ditions changed, the war came on and prices went up. Nobody cM
have foreseen those things. We felt we had a right to share in the rift-
ing price of coal; the cost of living had gone up, and so we called tbe
operators in, not to make a new scale, because the scale was stiU in effect,
but for the purpose of getting an advance on the prices that were em-
bodied in that scale. That is the difference.
Whenever a new scale has been negotiated by this union it has been
drafted Arst by the miners in convention, and when your representatifes
met the operators of the Central Competitive Field they^ carried with
them the scale drafted by the miners in their international conventio&
Before they could determine a scale for the Central Competitive Fi^
the policy committee had to act upon it, and before it was finally ratified
the miners of the entire country had to vote on it. Can you improve («
that? That is democracy.
When wo secured 60 cents a day for the drivera, and in Washiof-
ton. when we secured $1.40 a day for them, we were not negotiating t
new scale, but we were demanding from the operators that they give w
a voluntary increase in wages above the scale that was then in effect
And then wo went further than that Even the miners' representativei
in tho Central Competitive Field did not accept that which WW done
thoro finally, but they accepted it — ^listen to tfaia — ^tfaey accepted it sob-
JtH*t to the approval of this international convention of the United Mid*
668
•
Workers of America. Isn't that democracy? The matter was submitted
to you and for two days you sat here as a jury listening: to the voice of
reason. You heard the facts and then after two days you voted. The
vote by which you approved of what your representatives had done in
Washington was overwhelming. I want to ask you if that is democracy?
Yes, it is. You were the policy committee then, you here in this conven-
tion, you were the check and the balance.
When you infer that you have nothing to say about the policies, that
they are formed by a little group, you are wrong; that deduction is
wrong, it is almost criminal to present such a situation, for that situa-
tion really does not exist. We should not take some action here because
we are angary at somebody, that will block the machinery of this union in
working out our wage problems. I don't think the scale of wages in Illi-
noiSy Ohio, Indiana and western Pennsylvania is of such a character that
the problems they have worked out have not been to the benefit and
credit of the miners of this country. I want to see the time when a joint
conference of operators and miners will be held that is so big and so
comprehensive that every miner and operator in every district in this
country will be seated together, and there we can work out our wage
problems. That is the ideal; I would like to see it, but I don't want, in
order to gratify that consuming desire, to sprag the machinery of this
union, to prevent us even getting together when this contract expires,
and perhaps prevent us from negotiating a contract. If that is done we
may have to come back here and undo the very thing that we impul-
sively may do today.
In my judgment the report of the committee ought to be adopted. I
am giving you my judgment — you can do as you like after I have said
what I have to say. I say again it is my judgment that the report of
the committee should be adopted. If the convention then wants to do
something constructive, something helpful, something that will improve
what we believe is not what it ought to be now, let us adopt a resolution
instructing the delegates who participate in the joint conference of miners
and operators in the Central Competitive Field to demand that that in-
terstate^ conference be enlarged so as to take in all these other groups
of districts. Then when we meet we will lay that demand before the
operators and try to prevail upon them to carry into effect the wishes of
this convention. Then we should instruct them that even though they do
664
meet no scale can be adopted and no definite action taken until repre-
sentatives from every district in this country are called in for the pur-
pose of passing upon the work they may do. If that is done we will be
pursuing a constructive policy, the interests of this union will be pre-
served and democracy will prevail in the organization.
Delegate Morris, Local 1441, District 12: I want to ask Mr. Green
in regard to the increase that we have secured. Who is getting the bene-
fit of the $1.40 a day? I will give you an illustration. In the camp
where I work the men who were loading coal were loading two cars to
the man. After the increase the company placed five cars on two men;
in other words, the men now are loading two tons 1,000 pounds more
today for the increase. Accordingly they have speeded up the motor-
men, the trip runners and all other company men. They have given the
loader 10 cents increase and have kept 35 cents increase for themselves.
Secretary Green: What is your question?
Delegate Morris: Who got the increase?
Vice-President Lewis: I rise to support the report of the Commit-
tee on Constitution, which is to non-concur in Resolution No. 34, sub-
mitted by Delegate Frampton of Missouri. I can appreciate the senti-
ment that might exist in the minds of many men who .feel perhaps that
an improvement can be worked out in this proposition; but I want to
call your attention to the fact that even if this convention this morning
were to unanimously adopt the proposal of Delegate Howat and Delegate
Frampton it would in no way create a departure from past custont This
amendment proposed by Delegate Frampton provides: ''No Interna-
tional official or no district or group of districts under the jurisdiction
of the United Mine Workers will have the authority to meet and make
a basic agreement and formulate a policy." I want to point out most
emphatically that never in the history of this organization has any agree-
ment been formulated without the consideration of every district in this
organization. The basic agreement under which we are working today
and which applies throughout this country is a basic agreement which
was negotiated in 1916, wherein the fundamental demands were created
by an international convention. After your representatives had met ^e
operators they submitted the result of their negotiations to a policy com-
mittee that met in Pittsburgh. Every district had a representative on
665
that policy committee. I recall very vividly that Delegate Frampton was
in that meeting on the 16th of April, 1916, and that he voted against the
ratification of the Mobile and New York agreement.
The Washington Agreement was nothing more nor less than a vol-
untary increase g^iven the miners by the coal operators of America. It
is true that your representatives asked the coal operators for this in-
crease and pointed out reasons why it should apply, but in every instance
we held that we were violating our contractual relations. We did not
have an opportunity to make a basic agreement in the Washington con-
ference. It was simply a voluntary agreement; consequently the adop-
tion of this agreement would in no way change that policy.
I want to call your attention to the fact that the Interstate Competi-
tive Field is simply a basing point for our organization in the making
of a contract. There are other competitive fields. We have the South-
west Competitive Field, we have the Northwest Competitive Field, we
have the Eastern. Competitive Field. There is a great tonnage of coal
produced in District 2, the bituminous field of Pennsylvania. All that
coal goes to the Atlantic seaboard and to the great manufacturing com-
munities of the East. That in itself is the reason why the coal operators
of this country in fixing the basis of agreements with the United Mine
Workers of America decline to permit the operators of these fields to sit
in the conferences of the Central Competitive Field. The same is true
of the South. Alabama, Tennessee, eastern and western Kentucky have
a tonnage that does not materially compete with the vast tonnage pro-
duced in the Central Competitive Field.
I regret, Mr. Chairman, to see the delegates to this convention seek-
ing to change the policy that has done so much good for this great insti-
tution and is recognized, not only by the coal-producing units of America,
but by the public at large. Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and
Illinois comprise the great bulk of our membership. Why do you want to
assume that the outlying districts could secure greater concessions from
the operators were they allowed to have a free will in negotiating the
contract? There is no sentiment in this proposition; it is a business
proposition solely, and I trust you are not going to let a matter of senti-
ment interfere with your decision.
666
The spirit of the resolution, if carried into effeet, would tend to dis-
rupt this great central competitive movement. I can recall the day ivto
the interstate movement of the Central Competitive Field was not In^t
intact. I can recall when the miners of Illinois had a great strike beeaiue
the operators of that State would not abide by the contract made by the
other operators of the interstate field. That contest was waged and we
were successful in securing what we fought for. If you do anything that
in any way is going to affect the stability of the interstate movancnt
you are paving the way for great disruption in the future.
We have no way to compel the Central Competitive Field opentcffs
to meet in conference with the outlying district operatora. Their eosl
does not go into the same markets ; they haven't the same conditions and
freight rates. The coal of central Pennsylvania is a different grade sod
goes to the seaboard. Why should those operators of the central Penn-
sylvania field meet in a conference with the Central Competitive Fidd
operators and say what shall be the basic scale when their conditions are
in no wise alike? It is a purely business proposition; it is devoid of all
sentiment. I know it is a popular position to stand on the floor and say
that we should all have a voice in the negotiations, etc., but never in tiie
history of our organization have the outlying districts been denied a
right to vote on our basic agreements.
I ask, in rendering judgment in this matter, that you do not go
astray, but rest secure in the fact that the Committee on Constitution if
familiar with these propositions and will deal with them in a way tfatt is
for the best interests of the organization.
Delegate McCleish, District 12 : I have not listened to many of the
rank and file, but I have listened to the officers. I work every day, aild
I know what I am talking about. I don't know how soon I may be going
to some other district affected by the agreement. I believe in democracy.
Democracy has been taught us ever since we came into this great con-
vention. We are told it is the fundamental policy of our great organi-
zation. Why can't we have democracy in this convention? If the dele-
gates of this convention do not adopt this resolution I fail to see how we
will secure democracy. We will have a taxation without representation.
I fail to see why the officers of the district organizations and the
International organization should favor the present system. It most be
667
strimental to some of their positions when they take the stand they do.
ome of the previous si)eakers have asserted that every district was
^presented in making the agreement. Brother Howat and Brother
rampton denied the allegation. It is true they were called to Washing-
»n, but they had no voice in making that contract. I believe that every
istrict should have a voice in a joint conference. I belong to the Cen-
ttl Competitive Field, but it is the justice of the thing I am looking at.
don't know when I may go to some of these districts that are outside
f the Central Competitive Field.
I don't see for the life of me why this convention should adopt the
$I>ort of the conunittee and non-concur in the resolution. I cannot see
here it will be detrimental to the membership to adopt the resolution,
ad I cannot see why the officers should fight it. There is nothing in the
isolution that should be obnoxious to a working man, a man who pro-
ices coal, a man who works in 18-inch coal. I saw men work in 18-inch
Mil and about 6 inches of rock on the top. It makes the entire vein 2
!et high. I don't think a man from any district that has such coal as
lat should be denied representation in a joint conference. Don't you
link he is as much entitled to representation as the men in the competi-
ve field of Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and western Pennsylvania?
I don't want to take up much of your time. I am only talking from
miner's standpoint. I want to advise you that when yoii vote on this
roposition that you do justice to your brothers who are in the low vein,
on't think because a few of you are digging 10-foot coal you will never
i obliged to work in the low vein. Vote your sentiments — ^that is all I
ik of this great convention. ^
Delegate Diamond, District 16: Mr. Chairman and Deleg^ates — I
rise at this time to dispute some of the misrepresentations that have
sen made in regard to the negotiations of the Southwest in 1916. When
16 joint conference convened in Kansas City last summer a resolution
as introduced requesting the International organization to assign me
» represent the International Union in that conference. President White
id already asked me take up that work, inasmuch as I was down in the
>uthwest at that time. When the conference went into session the
ew York Agreement was referred to and became a matter of discussion,
elegate Howat referred to one section of that contract he objected to.
668
Clause 6, that said nothing could go into the Kansas City Agreement or
any other agreement that increased the cost of coal unless it was mutu-
ally agreed to by both miners and operators. That was the objection
made to the New York Agreement.
The Kansas city conference put a clause in the Southwest Agre^
ment which specified that nothing would go into their agreement unless
by mutual consent. That was not in harmony with the New York
Agreement. The outlying districts, in my opinion, if they have the
power and will take the responsibility on themselves to go out and get
something better for their members than is provided in the Central
Competitive Field contract can do so. That is the position we Uxk in
Kansas City. The Oklahoma operators, during the joint conferaiee,
refused to subscribe to the Kansas City basic agreement, and in order to
force them to comply with it the district organization, with the endorse-
ment of the International representatives, struck that portion of the fidd
in order to enforce, not the New York basic agreement, but the Kansas
City basic agreement. And then speakers will say they are tied hand and
foot in the outlying districts! Their hands are not tied by the basic
agreement in the Central Competitive Field; their hands are tied because
they will not take the responsibility upon themselves in the outlying dis-
tricts.
The outlying districts know that with their own resources they could
not get anything more than the Central Competitive Field conferences
get. I have represented Michigan on several of the policy committees*
I was always instructed by the Michigan miners, and so were other rep-
resentatives of that district, that when we went down to deal with the
Central Competitive Field basic contracts not to tie the hands of the
Michigan miners, because they wanted to make a readjustment of the
differential between machine and pick mining. We did that. We voted
against it in nearly every case in order that we might go up there and
fight it out with our own resources. When we got back to Michigan and
realized our weakness and inability to bring about the readjustments
that were desired by the miners we did like other sensible men did, we
accepted the basic agreement entered into by the Central Competitive
Field.
In my judgment the wisest thing we can do is to follow the present
669
system and vote down this resolution. It has been stated on several
occasions that this resolution would improve the present method of deal-
ing with the operators. That is not the purpose of the resolution; the
purpose of the introducer of the resolution is a little deeper than that*
If you were of my opinion you would ignore the resolution because of
the insinuations and innuendo put in it. I hope and trust the delegates
will adopt the report of the Committee on Constitution and non-concur in
the resolution.
Delegate Lewis (J. C), District 13: Mr. Chairman and Gei^tlemen
of the Convention — I feel as one of the representatives of an outlying
district that I should voice my sentiments on the question before the
house. The Iowa miners have for years beeiv knocking at the door of the
interstate movement, and we believe the time has come when the mem-
bers of the outlying districts should participate in those joint conferences.
So far as the resolution is concerned, in my judgment it should not be
adopted by this convention. The resolution itself is impractical and it
teems with personal spleen ; but the fact that it should not be adopted is
no reason why we should go on record in this convention by adopting a
report which provides that the outlying districts will not be entitled to
representation in the interstate joint movement.
As far as the Washington Agreement is concerned, in my humble
opinion, everything was secured for the mine workers of this country in
that agreement that could be secured, even though every district under
the, jurisdiction of this international movement had been represented
there. I went back and told the Iowa miners that, in my judgment,
everything had been secured for them it was possible to get. I told the
delegates in our special convention that I believed everything had been
done that could be done and I told the local unions the same thing. How-
ever, it seems to me the Committee on Constitution could have brought
in a report along the line of the Secretary-Treasurer's suggestion.
I realize that it would be absolutely useless for the Iowa mine
workers to seek representation in the interstate joint movement with-
out the Iowa operators being there. To say, however, that we must
tear down the movement we already have for negotiating a wage scale
because the Iowa miners and others cannot receive recognition there is
wrong. For years and years it has been the desire of the Iowa miners
668
Clause 6, that said nothing could go into the Kansas City Agreement or
any other agreement that increased the cost of coal unless it was mato-
ally agreed to by both miners and operators. That was the objection
made to the New York Agreement.
The Kansas city conference put a clause in the Southwest AgrK-
ment which specified that nothing would go into their ag^reement unless
by mutual consent. That was not in harmony with the New York
Agreement The outlying districts, in my opinion, if they have tbe
power and will take the responsibility on themselves to go out and get
something better for their members than is provided in the Central
Competitive Field contract can do so. That is the position we took in
Kansas City. The Oklahoma operators, during the joint conferenee,
refused to subscribe to the Kansas City basic agreement, and in order to
force them to comply with it the district organization, with the endone-
ment of the International representatives, struck that portion of the fidd
in order to enforce, not the New York basic agreement, but the Kansas
City basic agreement. And then speakers will say they are tied hand and
foot in the outlying districts! Their hands are not tied by the basic
agreement in the Central Competitive Field; their hands are tied because
they will not take the responsibility upon themselves in the outlying dis-
tricts.
The outlying districts know that with their own resources they could
not get anything more than the Central Competitive Field conf^'ences
get. I have represented Michigan on several of the policy committees.
I was always instructed by the Michigan miners, and so were other rep-
resentatives of that district, that when we went down to deal witii the
Central Competitive Field basic contracts not to tie the hands of the
Michigan miners, because they wanted to make a readjustment of the
differential between machine and pick mining. We did that. We voted
against it in nearly every case in order that we might g^ up there and
fight it out with our own resources. When we got back to Michigan and
realized our weakness and inability to bring about the readjustaients
that were desired by the miners we did like other sensible men did, we
accepted the basic agreement entered into by the Central Competitive
Field.
In my judgment the wisest thing we can do is to follow the present
669
system and vote down this resolution. It has been stated on several
occasions that this resolution would improve the present method of deal-
ing with the operators. That is not the purpose of the resolution; the
purpose of the introducer of the resolution is a little deeper than that.
If you were of my opinion you would ignore the resolution because of
the insinuations and innuendo put in it. I hope and trust the delegates
will adopt the report of the Committee on Constitution and non-concur in
the resolution.
Delegate Lewis (J. C), District 13: Mr. Chairman and Gei^tlemen
of the Convention — I feel as one of the representatives of an outljring
district that I should voice my sentiments on the question before the
house. The Iowa miners have for years bee]\ knocking at the door of the
interstate movement, and we believe the time has come when the mem-
bers of the outlying districts should participate in those joint conferences.
So far as the resolution is concerned, in my judgment it should not be
adopted by this convention. The resolution itself is impractical and it
teems with personal spleen; but the fact that it should not be adopted is
no reason why we should go on record in this convention by adopting a
report which provides that the outlying districts will not be entitled to
representation in the interstate joint movement.
As far as the Washington Agreement is concerned, in my humble
opinion, everything was secured for the mine workers of this country in
that agreement that could be secured, even though every district under
the^ jurisdiction of this international movement had been represented
there. I went back and told the Iowa miners that, in my judgment,
everything had been secured for them it was possible to get. I told the
delegates in our special convention that I believed everything had been
done that could be done and I told the local unions the same thing. How-
ever, it seems to me the Committee on Constitution could have brought
in a report along the line of the Secretary-Treasurer's suggestion.
I realize that it would be absolutely useless for the Iowa mine
workers to seek representation in the interstate joint movement with-
out the Iowa operators being there. To say, however, that we must
tear down the movement we already have for negotiating a wage scale
because the Iowa miners and others cannot receive recognition there is
wrong. For years and years it has been the desire of the Iowa miners
070
to be represented in that conference, and I bdieiv tlie time has cone,
even though yon do adopt the committee's report^ that you ought to
serve notice on the coal operators of the Central Competitive Field tiiit
we are going to insist on the outlying districts havinir zepresentatkm.
I believe in democracy. It is only goinir to be a matter of a few
days until this great organization will be compelled to raise in the
neighborhood of $800,000, and that will be one time when we will have
to advocate democracy in the mine workers* organisation and go to the
outlying districts to help raise that money. Whether yoa adopt Hom
resolution or not we shall do our share in raising that ^800,000. I thidc
we ought to refer this matter back to the committee and let them bring
in something that will assure us that in the future we will not be de-
'prived of having a voice in the interstate joint movement.
A Delegate: Why are only officers speaking?
President Hayes: The chair has recognised Delegate Bittner of
Tennessee. He is a member of the conmiittee. It is always customary
to give the committee a chance to defend its poeition. I think this con-
vention wants to listen to reason and give every man a diance to be
heard. I propose to recognize you all in your turn. Delegate Bittner
has the floor.
Delegate Bittner, District 19: Mr. Chairman, in presenting the
views of this committee to this delegation we expect to reeeive the same
consideration we gave to every delegate who spoke against our report
First I desire to say that, as was clearly pointed out by Secretary Green,
the policy of the International Union has never been any other than
that proposed in the resolution. President Lewis of Iowa has pointed
this out to you when he says he is against any resolution going into our
International laws that would forever prohibit the International olBetrs
and the district officers, where joint contracts are made, from entering
joint conferences because of the fact that the laws of the United Mine
Workers of America prohibited them from doing so. Thts, my friends,
the committee regarded as a question of policy that should be woiked
out in this convention when we were considering what the convoition
should do and what the policy of our organization should be in meeting
the operators.
671
Never in the history of this organization have we added an amend-
ment to our constitution making the question of joint wage conferences
a matter of law for our organization alone. We have all along recog-
nized the fact that if this resolution should be adopted it would become
a law, because its introducers state plainly they want to make this Sec-
tion 4 of Article III of the International constitution. Let me say^ as
plainly as I can say it, that Delegate Howat, who appeared this morn-
ing and fought so vigorously against the committee's report, well knows
that as a member of a sub-committee of the scale committee of which
I was chairman in 1912, when this question was decided there as a mat-
ter of policy, he helped write Up that policy. The Committee on Con-
stitution has not said the outlying districts cannot come into the inter-
state joint movement. We say we hope the day will come when every
district represented within the United Mine Workers of America may
be part of a great interstate joint conference; but we say also that the
place to do that is not under the Constitution Committee's report. It
would be unwise to place an amendment in our constitution which would
fasten that policy on the International organization as a hard and
fast rule.
My friends, if we pass this resolution and make this an amendment
to our law the operators in the Central Competitive Field or the oper-
ators of the Southwestern districts or the operators of the Northwest
may refuse to meet us in joint conference. Our constitutional conven-
tion will be over, we cannot call another for two years probably. Do
you believe, in the face of an amendment of that kind in the constitu-
tion, we could meet and change our policies? Under our present method
of negotiating wage scales, the convention determines for itself what
the policy shall be when we meet those operators, and in case that policy
does not work out we have a right to convene our convention and change
that policy if necessary.' But if you make this a fundamental law and
place it in the constitution of our organization, the judgment of the
committee is that you will be doing something detrimental to the inter-
ests of the United Mine Workers of America.
No man in this convention, regardless of who he is, need stand on
the floor and charge this committee with attempting to prevent the
outlying districts from participating in the interstate joint wage con-
ference. What we do say is that the resolution as presented has no
672
place in our international law, but is one of policy relative to wage
scales. I hope this convention will look at the matter in the light the
Committee on Constitution presents it to you.
At 12 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 2 p. m. of the same
day.
SEVENTH DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION
The convention was called to order at 2 o'clock p. m., Tuesday,
January 22, President Hayes in the chair.
President Hayes : We have with us this afternoon a captain of the
Canadian army, a young man who has seen service in France, who
wishes to speak to the delegates. I know the delegates will be glad to
hear him.
■
ADDRESS OF CAPTAIN LEYS BROWN, OF THE
CANADIAN ARMY.
It is a great pleasure to me to be able to say a few words to yoa
today on the work we are doing *'over there." A ^reat many people,
since I have come back, have said: *'How long do you think the war
will last?" I cannot tell you. If you were to ask a British Tommy that
he would say : '* Well, they tell me the first seven years are the worst,
and after that every fourteenth." We don*t know. My ovm personal
guess is from two to five years more, but that is not what we over there
are interested in; we are willing to take ten years more if necessary,
but we are determined to put the thing across properly so that we will
not have to do it again.
■
Many people say: "Well, when these people come back they are
irtting to Ih« as luid as the Germans were before; they are going to be
Prussian iztni." That is wrong — the Pnissians are going to be Ameri-
ca nixed. .\ not her form of propaganda I run into quite often is the
statement that when a man joins the army he is only one better off than
if he was in jail. That is wrong, too. There is no happier crowd of men
in the world tiviay than those making up the British and Colonial
armies in France, especially the married men. And while in a great
673
any cases it is a pretty rotten job and there are atrocities, we put
ose thingrs as far away from ub as possible. If you have a bad dream
m don't keep yourself awake the next night trying to think what it
as. I cannot come back here and talk about atrocities. I saw them,
it I don't like to think about them. Any one Who does not believe that
ose atrocities occurred does not want to believe them.
One of the worst horrors of the war is having to censor the mail,
'hen I first got my commission the officer I took the work over from
id: *'You have a fine bunch of men, all but Tom Jones.'' I said I
ought he was a good soldier. The officer said: "He is, but he writes
•o many letters." The first letter I took out of the envelope that night
as written by Tom Jones, and it was sixteen pages of slush he had
ritten to a girl he called his sweetheart. The next letter was another
' fourteen pages, written by Tom Jones to another girl. I had four
' them that day. The married man's letter is four lines. He says:
}ear Wife — The weather is fine in Belgium. There is nothing out of
e ordinary. This leaves me in the best of health, as I hope it finds
lu. Your loving husband, Bill." That is military simplicity.
Here is another boy just landed at Havre, a French seaport town
10 miles from the firing line. There is absolutely no danger to any one
ere — they haven't even automobiles running in the streets. This boy
rote to his i)oor old mother in Saskatchewan:
"Dear Mother: I am writing you this letter from the depths of a
lep, damp dugout. My desk is an upturned box of bully beef" — Chi-
g^o corned beef. "I can scarcely control my hand because of the shells
reaming overhead, and such is the stench of dead Germans that I am
ck at my stomach."
The man who read this letter is a friend of mine, and said: "I
ant to see that boy; he is a genius, a man who can sit 200 miles back
the firing line and write stuff like that has talent." He sent for him
id read the letter over to him. The chap hung his head in shame.
he officer said: "Don't you know you are asking for fake sympathy,
id you have all the sympathy you need? You have never been in a
igout, you don't know what bully beef is, you never heard a shell
iriek. You are worrying your poor old mother. As for the stench of
22— M. Pro.
474
place in our inti - ^ ^ne dead or alive and they smell pretty
scales. I hope th:
Committee on O'
le men pick up the cheerful end of it The
^ ^^ "'' ^..oi is because the people at home are backing
^' ;.«iftdian soldier enlists he can assi^^n fifteen or
^ -Ay and the government will pay another thirty
.«: S4o, The men realize that their dependents will
:«> realize that the whole country is behind them.
..ctfr of ways in which you can back up these men of
....lu them. You have no idea what they are going
J;., vi-v and we have got to give them our full support ic
%iiow this appeal is not necessary to you, but you are
■ I. :ii«Mi and you carry great weight in your districts. Get
. aau-y behind your men. We are not a lot of little separate
^iiung a lot of other separate nations. If I am in a trendi
r«uch regiment I am as glad when those men capture a
... hough our men did it. We are not fighting with each other,
. 'pacing for each other.
«4u.iv 01 Messines Ridge, where our tunnel companies put in mines
»cx- ii million pounds of explosives and blew up the entire ridge,
v.. AC prisoners were coming back to the dressing station there waa
.^ im« tUlfil with German wounded who were getting the same treat-
^«..v id our own men. They were on stretchers by the wall with a
.^« .vM rtti«lt» between. There was one lad about 19 years of age with
. .^;> brtd abdominal wound. He was waiting for a table to be cleared
.« i'ko v>pu rating theater to give the surgeons a chance to save his life.
^v «%•«« ttUiut ti feet 6 inches tall and his feet hung over the end of the
^ V. \ liurnian officer with a slight wound was brought in. When he
^«.i Ui>uii treated he went up to the officer and said: "Where do I go!"
ih«.- oiUi'cr said: "Go in there.'' He opened the door of the hut, saw
,\<\%!' \sc%ti (Jerman privates in there and said: "I will not go in there,
\^ uiuii urt* in there." There were two or three orderlies standing
(iiuiil unit (iiie of them opened the door and he went in. He was blind
y^iiU ittgu tu think a private should dare lay hands on him. He went
i(ii iliv tiut and stumbled over the young fellow's feet He turned
.It, .mill ktiid kuNitud him to death. That is the thing we are fighting, that
i.. iUti ihiiig we have got to cure.
676
Another man came into the eagres for prisoners back of the line.
3rgeant stepped up to a body of prisoners and took over all their
jons. An officer drew his revolver and said: ''I surrender to no
ate/' and shot the man. Then he turned to an officer and extended
pistol, butt forward, and said : "I surrender." What did the officer
The same as you would have done. He was five miles back of the
; but he would not surrender to a sergeant. We in Canada have had
lit up with a great many things we would not have put up with in
e times. I know towns in Ontario where there isn't a man between
iges of eighteen and forty-five, but that doesn't mean we are willing
lit yet. V
'here is a little piece of poetry I would like to recite. It waa
ten by a colonel:
''In Flanders' fields, where posies grow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks still bravely singling fly,
Scarce heard amidst the guns below.
'We are the dead. Short -days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunsets glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders' fields.
" 'Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from falling hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though posies grow
In Flanders' fields.' "
Men, you can break faith with the living man, you can knock his
off or take him into court and get satisfaction some way, but you
ot break faith with your dead, and we are going to keep on Just
ng as it is necessary to fulfill our purpose. We are not out to get
If I thought Britain was in this war to get the German colonies
that was her one idea I would tear the uniform from my back,
ire not in the war for that; we, are, as your great President said,
676
in the war to make the world safe for democracy, and we are going
to do it.
I am in Indiana as recruiting officer for the British and Canadian
armies. I am stationed at the Claypool hotel. We are appealing to
British subjects between the ages of nineteen and forty-five to come
up and get into this game with us. We are appealing only to British
subjects, and we are not appealing in vain. Qnly this morning five
miners came to me, three from Clinton and two from Terre Haute, who
said they were British subjects and wanted to go alon^r. Every man
who comes forward now and every dollar we put behind these men who
are ^one is bringring this' thing to a close, to the day when the gallant
French, American, British and Colonial armies will go over the top to
a final victory.
President Hayes: We are heart and soul with you in your great
work, Captain Brown, to make the world safe for people to live in, and
that is our contribution, that Service Flag, with its 19,185 stars, to the
cause you speak about.
Discussion was resumed on the report of the Committee on Consti-
tution on Resolution No. 34. The committee reconunended non-
concurrence.
Delegate Helm, District 35: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Delegates—
I want to say that I sat here yesterday evening and this morning and
listened to the arguments in defense of the committee's report with a
great deal of surprise. I was surprised because nearly every one of
the speakers has entirely evaded the question that is pending before
this convention. They have beclouded the issue, they have sought to
make this delegation believe that in this resolution there is language
to the effect that there never could be any more joint conferences in the
Central Competitive Field unless all the coal operiators and all the
miners' representatives from the outlying districts were called m to
participate.
I want to call the attention of the delegates to the resolution and
ask if you find one word contained in it referring to a joint conference
of operators and miners. You cannot find such a word. Secretary
Green, Orgranizer Bittner and Organizer Diamond have sought to tell
677
you that we have always had a right to exercise a full measure of
democracy in negotiating our basic wage agreements. Secretary Green
laid great stress upon the fact that in 1916 this convention provided a
scale committee that met and formulated a basic agrreement, that that
basic agreement was brought back by a scale committee composed of the
presidents of the various districts and submitted to the convention.
That is a fact, and to that extent democracy was practiced in the mine
workers' organization. What happened after that was donet The
presidents who served as scale committeemen representing the outlying
districts returned to their own fields. The districts of the Central
Competitive Field and the international officials proceeded to go into a
conference with the operators of the Central Competitive Field, and
there they got away from the scale that was agreed to by the officials
of the various districts, approved by the convention and agreed to other
than the basic agreement that was laid down by the international
convention/
Secretary Green went on and told you that a policy committee was
provided for that met later in Pittsburgh and considered what had
been done by the Central Competitive Field conference. That is true.
The international officials and the representatives of the Central Com-
petitive Field assumed the responsibility to change the demands^ of the
convention. Were the men who adopted the demands consulted about
the change? No, they were not. They took it before a policy committee.
The agreement was submitted to the Policy Committee, adopted by that
body and later it was referred to the rank and file for a referendum
vote. What position did that place your Policy Committee in? And
what position did it place the rank and file in? What position did it
place you in when they brought the Washington Agreement here? The
position of repudiating an agreement that had been entered into by
certain officials of our organization.
They know the members of our organization are loath to repudiate
an agrreement any part of our official machinery has ag^reed to. Why?
Because they know if they do it they will be going out before the public
if a fight has to be made with the stigma of repudiating an agrreement
upon them. We have here an agreement; it is the best we could get
They come before the members and say: "We had to depart from the
demands of the general scale committee of the international convention
678
and we made this agreement subject to your approval." Are you going
to hold up to the public that you are not placing confidence in your
officials and that agreements entered into in the Central Competitive
Field amount to nothing? Are you groing to say that? If not» you have
got to vote to accept that agreement. That is the position you are
placed in.
Previous speakers have said this resolution should not even have
been considered by this great delegation here because the speakers
thought the author of the resolution was introducing it from a personal
standpoint. Organizer Diamond made much of the fact that he did not
think it ought to be considered at all. This is not a personal matter
so far as the author of the resolution is concerned and so far as the
men of the Southwest are concerned. The mine workers of the South-
west believe the time has come when they should have something to say
about any changes that are being made in the basic agreement that is
laid down by the international convention. Before that basic agreement
is changred they feel they ought to be consulted and given a voice and
vote on the question of whether or not the wishes of the conv^ition will
be set aside and a contract subscribed to that does not carry with it the
demands that were made by the international convention.
I can show to this convention that the author of the resolution was
not prompted by any personal motive when he introduced the resolution.
When a strike was going on in Kentucky and Tennessee our little dis-
trict, District 25, showed its loyalty to the international organization.
We have never shown anything but loyalty to the international. When
President Frampton was appealed to by the international officials he
recommended to his district board, not that they loan the international
this money, but that they donate them $5,000 to carry on the fight they
were making in Tennessee and Alabama. At that time President
Frampton and Secretary Hepple were in Washington trying to have
something to say in that conference. Our election was being conducted.
We had reported with our recommendations to the rank and file t
recommendation that they donate the international $5,000. I was in the
office and we counted the vote as soon as it came in. We wired the
result to President Frampton and Secretary Hepple so that Secretary
Hepple could hand Secretary Green a check for $5,000 in Washington.
Does that look like a personal fight on the international organization?
679
No, it is not a personal fight; it is the men of the Southwest demanding
representation for the dues paid into the organization. It is high time
the mine workers of this country were saying that we intend to have
democracy in its full measure.
What does this resolution provide for? Not that all the operators
are to be here. Several speakers have told you that we never could
have another conference in the Central Competitive Field unless all the
operators of the outlying districts and all the miners would be here.
That is not what the resolution provides for. It provides that when we
meet here in international convention and our scale committee, com-
posed, as a general rule, of the district presidents, reports to the con-
vention and it is approved, our contention is that then, before the basic
agreen^ent that has been provided for by the scale committee and
endorsed by the convention can be chang^ed, the district officers from the
outlying districts or the representatives from the outlying districts will
be called in and consulted. They should have something to say about
changing a document they have previously made themselves. Haven't
we got that right? If we haven't, what interest have we in the
organization?
Vice-President Lewis, Secretary Green, the chairman of the com-
mittee. President Farrington, Organizer Bittner, Organizer Diamond
and other speakers that defended the report of the conunittee have
confined themselves to the resolution and they have sought all the way
through to delude the delegation into the belief that it provided that all
the operators would be called in and they were going to completely tear
up our former policy of negotiating an agreement in the Central Com-
petitive Field. That is not the truth. All we ask is that we be given
representation in the making of the policy of this organization.
Don't permit them at this time to get up here on the floor and by
motion refer this back to the Committee on Constitution. Face the issue
now. Either adopt the resolution and make it a part of the constitution
or defeat it. It should not be sent back to the committee; if it is, it
will only be with the object in view of defeating the intent and purpose
of the resolution. Let us vote on this question as it is reported here by
the conmiittee and let us vote 'down the report and concur in the reso-
lution. Let us provide that degree of democracy we have been hearing
so much about here in this convention.
680
Delegate Sweeney, District 9: I want to say in support ol the
committee's report that I stand here on this floor in defiance of any one
to deny that Article III is the most democratic article written in oar
constitution. This proposed amendment to the constitution conies from
Kansas and Missouri, as every anti document has always come here.
President Hayes: Del^ate Sweeney, the chair would caution yoo
against using personalities.
Ddegate Sweeney: I am not discussing personalities; I am dis-
cussing stuff they should eliminate from this convention. You havent
in this resolution anything that would make tiiis article of the constitn-
tion it seeks to amend any more democratic than it is. It was the John
Siney men who came to the four competitive states and made them
what they are today. He inculcated unionism into the men of his dij.
The men in the four competitive states were hig enough later on to
organize the anthracite and other parts of the country. Now you want
to take away from those districts the right to have their own conference
in which the hasic contract is made. These men spent their money and
even gave their lives, some of them, to secure what you have in the
four states today.
Delegate Sweeney was interrupted by a number of delegates.
President Hayes: We have always boasted about oor desire for
freedom of speech, but some of the del^ates are carrying on in a way
that does not justify that boast. Give every delegate a chance to be
heard and we will get through quickly. The chair has no desire to take
advantage of his position. He wants every delegate to be heard and he
wants every delegate to receive a respectful hearing, whether he is for
this position or against it.
Delegate Sweeney: I have been connected with this organisattoo
and with other orgranizations since I was sixteen years old, and to have
men who talk of freedom of speech get up here and say I cannot discosi
this question is something new to me. I do not see how anything can
be justly said against the committee's report. Article III of the consti-
tution gives the right to districts that do not belong to the Central
Competitive Field to try to secure what they can in their own joint
conferences.
681
Delegate Mercer (G. L.) : Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen — ^In dis-
cussing this issue I want, first of all, to call your attention to the fact
that this deals with a question of vital import to the welfare of our
organization. It is not a light or a trivial matter; it is a matter that
deals with the policy of this organization in making agreements, which
is the most vital thing in this joint movement. It is therefore a matter
that should be considered with cool, calm, dispassionate and deliberate
judgment. It is not a question in which we should allow our passions
or our prejudices to govern us. We should consider this as a delibera-
tive body and work out a policy that will be for the best interests of our
organization. Let us adopt a policy that will guide us and lead us on
and on in the way we have done in the past, for bigrger and broader
things. If we adopt a policy here that is for the best interests of our
organization, a policy that means advancement, it will bring a larger
measure of happiness and a larger measure of the grood things of life
to our members, their wives and their families. If, on the other hand,
we hastily adopt some policy for the gruidance of this organization which
is not for the best interests of the members and which does not make
for progress such as we have made in the past, then, my friends, we
will be doing something detrimental to the interests of our entire mem-
bership, and instead of bringing a greater measure of happiness to the
homes and firesides of our people it will bring less happiness and less
of the good thingrs of life.
Now, let us analyze this matter just a little, if we can ; let us see
what it says and what it means. It seems to me that we are viewing this
from a wrong angle; it seems to me we are viewing it from a false
premise. Some of the speakers have said it does not apply at all to a
joint meeting. Let us see whether it does or not. It says: "No inter-
national official or no district or group of districts under the jurisdiction
of the United Mine Workers will have the authority to meet and make
a basic agreement.'* Now I will ask you: How do you make a basic
agrieement?
At this point the speaker was disturbed by a number of deleg^ates
who asked him to sit down.
Delegate Mercer: I have never interrupted a delegate on the floor
of this or any other convention. You can obtain a fair understanding of
682
a thing only by listening carefully to the analysis made by those who
discuss both sides of the question. This resolution goes on to say that
no international or district will have a right to "formulate a policy to
govern any other district without being given an opportunity to be repre-
sented and have a voice and vote on any question affecting wages."
Some men seem to have the idea that this only means tliat no district or
group of districts shall have authority to make aoy change unless all the
other districts are being given an opportunity to be represented and ha^e
a voice and vote on any question affecting waged or conditions. That is
the language of the resolution. If you adopt the resolution in the form
it is in, no district or group of districts will have a right to meet and
formulate a policy to govern- any other district, neither will they have a
right to meet and make any basic agreement. Both these statements are
there in the resolution, and they are coupled together in such a way that
both phases of the issue are covered. We cannot get away from that
Now, what will that mean?
In the past we have followed the procedure of not making an agree-
ment without first meeting and giving all districts a voice in formulating
the policy. That is what most of the delegates here want, and that is
exactly what we have been doing. I^t us see how we made the basic
agreement we are now working under. Secretary Gre«i explained that
We met in international convention and formulated an agreement We
elected from each district a scale conmiittee. That scale committee rep-
resented this deliberative body. We chose a policy committee to represent
us. Now, in the making of that agreement every district was repre-
sented. The international convention of two years ago was the body that
determined that course of procedure. Wasn't that as democratic as we
could make it? Did wc stop there? No; when that agreement had
been adopted by the scale committee and by the policy committee it did
not give us all we asked for in our original demands. What was done?
It was referred back to the rank and file for a referendum vote. That
gave every man in the movement a right to a voice and vote on that con-
tract before it was ratified and adopted. That is the most democratic
method that could possibly be adopted. Every district in this whole
organization has a voice in it That is the policy that is recommended
by this committee; that is the policy that has been adopted by this
organization from its inception until today. And, gentlemen, we have
688
followed that policy on to success and not to failure. I say to you that
we should consider here today before we make any change in that policy
which has brought so great a measure of the good things of life to our
membership, which has brought so much of strength, so much honor to
the rank and file of the miners who compose this movement.
To adopt the other policy, gentlemen, would not lead us to success.
Only two instances can be cited where we have not used that democratic
method, the most democratic method it is possible for us to adopt in the
making of our contracts. And when was that? When we met in New
York and in Washington. What did we do there? We did not make a
basic agn^eement, but in the midst of a contract period we secured an
advance that was purely of a voluntary nature. We had by referendum
vote obligated ourselves to abide by the contract made in 1916; conse-
quently we were not in a position to demand something more, but we
were in a position to arg^ue something out with the other fellow. And
how did we do that? We did it by persuading the operators to meet us.
In the Central Competitive Field almost every man is organized, and
when we appealed to the operators to meet us they did so.
If we adopt the other policy and every district must come in before
anything of that kind is done, what will be the result? In 1906 the
Central Competitive Field movement was broken up. niinois made a
separate contract. Two years after that there was agitation all over
the state of Illinois for rehabilitation of the joint movement. It wasn't
a hard thing to break down, gentlemen, but it was a mighty hard thing
to rehabilitate. When the Illinois operators refused to meet us we met
in joint convention with the miners and operators anyway. That is what
will have to be done if this is adopted. What was done on that occa-
sion? The operators of the other districts who were present said: ''We ,
will not go into conference with you while the Illinois miners are in this
meeting without their operators." We had to leave and go home. If
you adopt this resolution you ^ will be providing for them to do the same
thing. Perhaps in some districts where we have only a few thousand
members the operators will refuse to come into the conference. We
know how obstinate they can be. If they refuse to come into the con-
ference all the other operators will refuse to meet you while those miners
are in the meeting. A little handful or operators from some small district
s
684
I
could tie up the whole competitive movement and we would not be able
to get any place.
I sat here a while ago and heard that boy from Canada tell yoa he
did not know how long this war would last. He said it might last five
years or it might last ten years. Our present agreement runs only for
the period of the war, not to exceed two years. Two years hence yoa
must make another agreement whether the war is in progress or not.
If you adopt this resolution your officers cannot enter into negotiations
if the operators from any one district refuse to meet them. It would
tie up the entire movement. Is that a sane policy? Not only is it troe,
as I stated a while ago, that the Washington and New York meetings
where we received voluntary advances were the only exceptions to fol-
lowing out that method of absolute democracy which has prevailed in this
organization all these years, but they were meetings in which we received
the largest advances we have ever received.
If we adopt the policy proposed in this resolution it will prevent
us from making a basic agreement unless every district is represented—
and both sides must be there, it is a joint matter — I fear there will be no
basic agreement made. We are confusing the policy of our own organ-
ization with the policy of the joint movement. From 1897 we have car-
ried on this joint movement in one way or another. In twenty years we
have gone from very small wages to the wages we have at the present
time, and we went through some of the hardest struggles any organisa-
tion ever went through. In less than two years we have obtained more
of an advance than we have in the previous eighteen years. Would those
meetings in New York and Washington have been possible had we been
tied up with that .resolution ? No; because every district would have had
to be a party to that agreement. A joint agreement is made between two
parties, the operators and miners, and if this had been in force it would
have been absolutely impossible to have gained that advance.
Opposition was expressed here the other day on the ground that dis-
tricts were not left free to obtain changes in conditions. Did Illinois,
Western Pennsylvania, Ohio or Indiana obtain any changes in conditions
at Washington or New York? Not one change. The outside diatricts
got the same relative advance, and they were entitled to it. Now, this
is a question of whether or not we will continue along the lines we have
685
allowed in the past, or step out into this new departure when everything
I in a state of upheaval and the lives even of our members are at stake,
he outcome of such a policy as is advocated in Resolution No. 84 would
e, to say the least, problematical. The policy we have followed in the
ast has be«i democratic. Realizing the progress we have made; realiz-
\g the agreements we have secured in the past; realizing that they have
een secured along lines that have made for democracy, I say to you that
lis is not the period in which to make a change, the outcome of which,
1 my judgment, would not work any good to our organization and might
ork untold harm.
The policies we have followed in the past have carried this organixa-
on on to the high ideals of trade unionism 'until in every place in the
orld the United Mine Workers' organization is looked upon as a militani
ad active organization, one that has accomplished things ^or its mem-
ership while living loyally up to its agreements. This is not the time
> try to abolish policies like those we have followed and displace them
y policies which will not bear close analysis and will not work out for
le good of our membership.
Delegate Savage, District 6: I cannot sit in my seat in this conven-
on at this time without voicing my sentiments on' the great proposition
»nfronting the delegates. I have had the honor to be on every scale
immittee in the interstate movement since 1898, and I have had the
)nor of attending nearly every convention of the organization since its
caption. I recall vividly some of the things we did when this move-
ent was started in order to get the advantages we have enjoyed for
• many years, and I would not like to see the work of those years
istroyed by ill-advised action in this convention today.
I realize that it is popular to make the statement that men are not
presented and their voices are not heard in the joint conference room
this organization. I realize also that the intent of the resolution is
1 right if certain parts of it had been eliminated; but I fear that if you
E; the hands of the people who have been negotiating these contracts
•r the miners in this country by a drastic measure of this kind you will
re to see the day you will be sorry for so doing. The interstate move-
ent as it is now composed will take all the energy we have among us
• keep it intact. Do you know there is a strong movement among the
.li
686
operators in the Central Competitive Field to break away from the itatei
south of the Ohio, and they are trying: to the best of their ability to hive
an interstate movement only of Ohio and Western Pennsylvania?
If this resoluticm goes through and we will be called upon posiiblj,
if this war terminates in three months or six months — ^I hope to God it
will! — ^to come back into convention to make a new contract, what pro-
cedure will be followed? This contract will exist but a limited number
of days after peace is declared. If we are called into a convention then
we can formulate plans as conditions may warrant to meet any sitaatioD
that may come up. If a resolution similar to this is advisaUe at that
time the convention can decide as to whether or not it will be the best
policy. But here would he the natural result of passing this rescrfution
•
at this time.
If this contract should end in three months from this time it would
be necessary for us to negotiate another contract with somebody. Necei-
sarily your international officials would have to open those negotiations.
Suppose that they would present the matter to the operators of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois and Western Pennsylvania and make the statement to
them — as I understand this resolution would compel them to do— "We
will not enter into a conference with you to make a contract unless all
the miners are represented." I know what the answer would be. If we
had the convention in session in Indianapolis or any other place we woold
have to act upon that proposition. If we had no operators to negotiate a
contract with we would not have any agreement and chaos would exist
in the mining industry of the coimtry.
I recall the first interstate joint movement in 1898. Four states
were represented in that joint conference. Five states had been invited,
but because of the attitude of the operators in the other state they were
not present, although the miners were, but they did not have a seat in
that convention. In that year we received, by reason of the joint method
of adjusting our disputes, the eight-hour work day. And I want to tell
you now that the miners in this country at that time did not have suffi-
cient means to go to the convention city to meet the operators, and the
operators chartered a railroad train and paid our expenses to Chicago
where the eight-hour day was agreed to. It is true we did not have a
delegation as largo as this, but that convention did a great work.
687
Speaking of the last two conferences we have had which secured for
the miners of this country a substantial advance in wages, if the resolu-
tion now proposed had been part of our constitution then I fear we would
have waited many more days before we secured it. One year ago, when
the Ohio miners were in convention, on account of the high cost of living,
they instructed the officials of our district to do what they could to secure
an advance in wages. If this resolution had been part of the interna-
tional constitution at that time the Ohio officials would have had their
hands tied. There started from that convention a movement whidi
finally arranged for a meeting of the interstate movement in New York.
At that meeting we did secure a voluntary advance of 10 cents a ton
and 60 cents for day labor. Not many months after the adjournment of
that meeting another movement was inaugurated. That- second move-
ment could not have been inaugurated had this clause been a part ol
our constitution. If the four states composing the Central Competitive
Field had failed the Ohio district would have proceeded to try to secure
an advance. If that resolution had been a part of the constitution of the
international we would not have been able to do that.
You should be very careful how you legrislate here today. I believe
we should have a democratic organization. I believe we have a
democratic organization. I am in favor of giving the outlying dis-
tricts all the voice possible in any negotiations we may have in the
future in the Central Competitive Field, but I do not want this conven-
tion to do anything to destroy the movement we have. That movement
in the Central Competitive Field has meant too much, not only to the
miners of the Central Competitive Field, but it has redounded to the
benefit of all the miners in the United States, to be lightly abandoned.
I know what the trouble is; I know what the grievances are; I
know why men have opposed in the last two years some clauses in the
interstate agreement. The clause that has been objected to was first
placed in our agreement in the city of Cleveland, where it was decided that
internal matters could not be taken up after the basic agreement iwas
adopted without the mutual consent of the miners and operators. I
believe that clause should be eliminated. Do you know that in the dty
of New York, when the contract for two years was negotiated, the con-
ference was held up for two days because the operators desired to hftve
688
that dause inserted in the contract? I, for one, believe this convention,
if not now, at some future time before another contract is negotiated,
should insist that no such clause be written into our agreement.
I know that in Ohio there are conditions that heed adjusting; I know
that men are quarrying stone in one part of our district, and I understand
the same is true of portions of Western Pennsylvania. For this the men
get no compensation. There are other matters that need adjustment, but
as long as that clause remains in our contract our hands are tied. That
clause is not in our agreement because some people have not been in the
couns^ hall and have not had a voice and vote when contracts were nego-
tiated, it was the best that could be done at the time. And I think the
agitation that has been aroused is not so much because outside districts
have not had a voice and vote in negotiations, but because that clause was
put in the contract that prevented taking up your internal grievances and
adjusting them.
I believe the committee's report should be adopted. When this con-
tract terminates another convention will have to be called. The issue
will have to be met then as the conditions of the time will warrant; but
do not tie our hands now; do not take a leap in the dark. We may
make a mistake — and I believe we will if we adopt this — and not be able
to return to safe ground. Wc may get into much more trouble now than
we will be able to get out of if the committee's report is voted down. I
want to say as one member of the scale committee in the Central Com-
petitive Field that it is a reflection upon the work of that committee. I
have heard no men during the sessions of that committee — ^and we have
had officers of the outlying districts present — who have interposed any
objections to the report of that committee.
I know that clauses have been written into the contract many tines
that were not satisfactory to me. I presume that will alwi^rs be true.
I care not who acts on those committees they will not get everything yoQ
want. We must use our best judgment and do what is for the best mter-
ests of the rank and file. That is my position; I bdieve that is the posi-
tion of the Ohio miners, and I want to say to the representatives of the
outlsdng districts that you have the support of the Ohio miners in any
movement that has for its purpose the welfare of the miners of the out-
lying districts.
689
President Hayes: I feel it incumbent upon me at this time to
ty a few words upon the resolution before the house. I am - not
>ing to question the sincerity of the delegates who introduced this reso-
tion, but I am going to question the wisdom of adopting such a propo-
tion. I know how reluctant some delegates are to vote against what
ley consider a great fundamental democratic principle. I am heartily
sympathy with the desire of the delegates from the Southwest to have
Le right to participate in the basic conference, -but if we adopt this reso-
tion it will mean, in my opinion, the destruction of the interstate move-
ent of the central competitive field. The resolution very strongly sets
»rth that unless all districts are represented in our wage conference no
ale can be negotiated. I know full well that operators in a number
' districts throughout our jurisdiction will not participate in a gen-
al wage conference. For years the mine workers of Iowa have been
leking admittance to the conference in the central competitive field
id we fought to secure such admittance for them. I wish it were pos-
ble and practical for all the outlying districts to participate in this
isic conference, but I do object to this convention adopting a resolution
lat binds and gag^s the officers. If we can not secure the admission of
lese outlying districts into our general wage conference, then we can
>t negotiate a contract when the present agreement expires, for the
isolution distinctly sets forth that no International official and no dis-
ict or group of districts shall have authority to meet and make a basic
«
>ntract unless all districts are represented.
If you put this resolution into the organic law of our organization
feel satisfied we will have to call another constitutional convention
id have your officers released from the instructions here conveyed to
em. Do you want to go to the expense of calling another international
nvention to give us authority to do what you here prohibit us from
>ing if you adopt this resolution? My friends, I think we ought to
liberate carefully upon this matter. I am not opposed to the principle
tibodied in the resolution. We have been discussing that question for
;ars. Thefe is no desire on the part of your international officials
keep the outlying districts outside of the basic conference, but the
aerators who are the other party to this contract will not meet in that
rt of conference because of the varying competitive conditions that
:ist between the different coal-producing regions of our country.
690
I think the thing for this convention to do is to reoommit this
matter to a committee to set forth the principles embodied in this reso-
lution and ask your officials and your scale committee in the Central
Competitive Field to use their best efforts to have the outlsring distriets
represented in a general wage conference. That appears to me to be
the sensible thing to do. I do seriously object, as the president of this
organization, charged with this responsibility, to be tied up in this
manner. No such situation was ever faced by any other international
president. I think it is a strange position to take at this time, especially
when we reflect that so many blessings and benefits have been gained
for the miners by pursuing the other policy. It is my judgment that
this should be referred to a special committee to bring in something
that will embody the principles of this resolution, but do not tie yoar
officers' hands by a constitutional amendment.
Delegate Frampton: May I have an opportunity to reply before
debate is closed?
President Hayes: Delegate Frampton has spoken and will not be
permitted to speak again until all other delegates have had an oppor-
tunity to be heard.
Delegate Frampton: Will I have an opportunity before the vote
is taken?
President Hayes: The chairman of the committee has asked the
same privilege and I must show the same courtesy to him.
Delegate Keeney: As one of the representatives of an outlying
district I would like to be heard on this matter.
President Hayes: I will recognize you in your turn.
Delegate Ballantyne, District 13: I want to make a few state-
ments, but before doing so I desire to make a motion. I want to speak
on it if it gets a second.
I move that this suggestion be submitted to a special committee,
in line with the suggestions of the president, and that the special com-
mittee be instructed to bring in a resolution which will incorporate the
wishes of the convention. (Seconded.)
691
I am from one of the outlying districts; I am from one of the
Btricts that has been trying to break int6 the interstate conference
r many years. 'At one time, when I was younger than I am now, I
troduced a resolution in the international convention providing that
e strike unless all the other districts were given representation in that
terstate joint conference. Since that time I have studied the situation
id have changed my position. As a delegate from Iowa, I say we want
ery eflfort put forth to get us representation in this interstate joint
ovement, and especially do we want it because our district is a hundred
iT cent organized. We have as good conditions as any other disMct
the United States, but we are west of Illinois, a district that is part
the interstate joint movement, and we come in direct competition
ith that state and the eastern states.
We believe we should have representation in the joint interstate
nference, but I for one do not want to tie the hands of the inter-
itional officials, and I do not want to be placed in a position that would
icessitate a strike in order to bring about a meeting of all the districts
id the operators in the United States. I have been down in West
irginia, where they are only partially organized, where the conditions
e not to be compared to conditions in the Central Competitive Field.
West Virgrinia there are over 50,000 men not yet organized. In one
irt of the state there is a district that has a closed shop agreement at
e present time, but the operators of that district would not meet with
in the interstate joint movement to formulate a scale. If we were to
lopt a policy that provided for all the districts in the United States
id all the operators meeting in a joint conference and the District 29
•erators would refuse to meet with us, would it be reasonable and
arical to throw all the operators and miners in the United States idle
cause District 29 would not meet with us?
I believe the international officials and the representatives of the
terstate movement will make greater eflforts in the future to see that
e outlying districts have a seat and a voice in that interstate confer-
ee. I believe this committee should bring in a report or a resolution
line with what this delegation wants. What they want is representa-
m in the joint movement, but that must be brought about by persua-
>n and by logical reasoning. Let us not adopt rules we cannot put
692
into effect, but adopt something^ that is reasonable and right to enable us
to get representation in the interstate movement.
Delegate Keeney, District 17: Mr. Chairman and Delegates — I am
going to state as clearly as I can the situation in West Virginia. In
the last year a part of West Virginia has taken its place in the ranks
of this grreat organization. Through the assistance of John P. White,
ex-international president, we have been able since the first of April to
add to the pick and machine mining rates of that district 211 cents a
ton, $2.40 a day to the drivers' wages and reduce the hours from nine
to eight. We hope now, owing to our geogn:'aphical situaticm and our
competitive relations to the Central Competitive Field, to be permitted
to have representation in the interstate joint movements But, my
friends, there are 65,000 men in our state that are not yet in the folcLi
of the United Mine Workers of America, and for t&at reason West
Virginia is perfectly content to let the four states that are 100 per cent
organized set the pace and we will make the fight afterwards.
Brother Ballantyne expressed my views perfectly when he spoke.
I believe enough has been said in regard to this question and I think
the convention ought to recommit the proposition to a special committee
to draft resolutions that will be satisfactory to this convention.
The speaker at this point was interrupted by several delegates in
the rear of the hall.
Delegate Keeney: 1 have refrained from disturbing any one who
has been speaking. I do not intend to do anything of that sort and I
expect to be heard while I am explaining our situation. In West Vir-
ginia we have four or five different associations of operators and we
cannot even get these associations to meet us jointly; we have to meet
them separately and negotiate separate contracts. We know full well
they will not enter into an interstate joint conference to negotiate a
scale of wages that will fasten on some of their mines conditions they
are not willing to accept. We are willing to let the four states inake
the fight and then we will try to get the same conditions they get in
the Central Competitive Field.
Delegate Fontecchio, District 12: Mr. Chairman and Brothers—
I know that we have been debating this question now for a long time.
693
lere is nothing wrong about the resolution as an amendment to our
nstitution. You should know that, and even the officers of our organ-
ation should know it. There is no use referring it to a special com-
ittee. You might as well adopt the report of the Committee on
institution. In two years you will have another convention, thei*e
ill be another contract to negotiate and you will save time by adopting
e resolution. If the officers take the stand that the resolution is
mgerous, why don't they give us some reasons for thinking so? We
>n't know the relations between them and the Central Competitive Field
>erators. If the Southwestern mmers are compelled to obey the contract
ve them a chance to discuss it before it is adopted. They are intelli-
(nt miners. You have got the penalty clause with the co-operation of
e government, and you pay John P. White $5,000 a year because you
ant to be recognized by that government. There is nothing dangrerous
the resolution. You will have another contract to negotiate in two
lars' time.
Delegate Murray, District 5: Mr. Chairman and Delegates — Since
is convention has convened this is the third time I have attempted
discuss questions pertaining to the welfare of our organization; and
r the second time out of the three times I have attempted to take the
»or there apparently has been a concerted effort made by a certain
irtion of this delegation to make me sit down.
A Delegate: That is their idea of democracy!
Delegate Murray: We cannot as delegates, with all of the g^reat
sponsibilities attached to us at this time, treat this situation in a
irit of levity. You are discussing here today an issue that is vital,
.e that affects the welfare of every coal miner that you have the honor
represent in this great convention of coal miners, and I am sure that
ery delegate who is participating in these deliberations, when the
ne comes to vote upon this proposition and render judgment on it, will
• so in a cool, calm and deliberative manner.
After all is said and done, my friends, despite our differences of
inion on these vital questions, we can always find a wonderful unan-
tity of opinion among coal miners when it comes to agreeing on a
rtain proposition that affects their interests. So I feel in this in-
eince that this great delegation, in the final disposition of this question,
694
will arrive at a decision with a wonderful unanimity of opinion and
say to the United Mine Workers and to the world that we have agreed
upon a policy that will protect the t)est interests of the men we have
the honor to represent.
I rise at this time to support the motion that has been oflfered hj
Delegrate Ballantyne. I feel that if we are going to legislate along thU
line we should do so in a constructive way, a way that will not be mis-
leading, and when we do legislate in a constructive way the language
of such legislation should not be evasive. I think there is not a delegate
here but will agree that the resolution under discussion is couched in
evasive langruage. If this resolution were to be adopted the president
of the international organization could camouflage it and seek to put
any interpretation he might desire upon it. Its langpiage is such that
many different constructions can be placed upon it.
If you are going to legislate to give every district organization the
right to be represented in our interstate councils such legislation should
be couched in language we cannot hope to misunderstand. I agree
heartily with the sentiment expressed by Delegate Ballantyne; I also
Agree heartily with the sentiments expressed by Delegate Keeney, of
District 17, when he speaks of that sparsely organized district and says
he is willing to leave the interests of the partly organized districts in
West Virgrinia in the hands of the districts that have 100 per cent
organizations.
I hope we will, in our usual calm and deliberative way, arise to the
situation and adopt the motion made by Delegate Ballantyne. If that
is done a leg^islative program will be outlined by this convention that
will leave no room for misunderstanding. When that is done you can
go back home to your . coal miners in the various sections and say to
them that you have represented them in the proper manner and that
you have done nothing that will injure the interests of the thousands of
coal miners you have represented in this convention.
My friends, it is time for us to throw aside our personal issues,
look squarely in the face the vital issues that from time to time we take
up for discussion and consider them in an open-minded manner, without
casting reflections upon each other. If we do that we will not incur
the enmity of one another but will leave the convention feeling satisfied
696
the work we came here to do has been well done and that it reflects
)rld of credit upon every delegate who participated in our discus-
3. I hope the convention will refer the entire subject-matter to the
ial committee suggested in the motion of Delegate Ballantyne.
Delegate Forbes, District 11: I rise at this time to support the
on offered by Delegate Ballantyne. I am in favor of referring this
e proposition to a special committee, with the hope and belief that
a committee will bring into this convention a proposition that will
ractical and one that will serve the best interests of all the miners
le United States. There are certain well defined reasons why the
cates from Indiana could not subscribe to Resolution No. 84. This
er was discussed in our convention two years ago and I know the
ments of our members. I believe the delegates from District 11 are
y to give their support to Delegate Ballantyne's motion.
Delegate Dwyer, District 29: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Delegates
im in favor of the amendment made by Delegate Ballantyne. Like
her Keeney, I come from West Virg^inia. He says the West Vir-
L operators are not all in one association. That is true, for there
ive operators' associations in West Virginia and we are not able to
usiness with them jointly. I am not in favor of the resolution. If
idopt it here we will be nothing but four flushers — ^we couldn't live
3 it. I say to you men that are clamoring for the adoption of this
ution that if you are in a position to live up to it and enforce it
are in a position to go out tomorrow morning and say to the 200,000
working in the mines of the United States that are not paying
''(jet into this orgranization and pay dues." I feel if this resolu-
is adopted it will be a detriment to the organization and impede its
ress in West Virginia. The four competitive states have had sue-
in making contracts. If we were left to ourselves in West Virginia,
e would be if the resolution is adopted, I fear our progress would
8ry slow.
Delegate Williams (B.), District 12: I move the previous question.
President Hayes: The chair promised Delegate Frampton the
lege of the floor before debate would close. I think it is only fair
elegrate Frampton that he should have that privilege. I will recog-
\
696
nize him and then recognize the chairman of the committee. After thtj
have spoken I will put the motion to close debate.
Delegate Williams : Is he to speak on the motion to refer or on the
general question?
President Hayes: He is to speak on the motion now before the
house, which is to refer to a special committee. Before you made the
motion to close debate the chair had agreed to recognize Delegate
Frampton and the chairman of the committee before he would recognize
such a motion.
Delegate Frampton: I want to ask a question of the mov^ of tiie
motion or of the chair. What is the intent of the motion? Does it
mean that the matter will be referred to a special conunittee to bring
back a resolution as a constitutional amendment, or will it be a resolu-
tion adopted by the convention and not a constitutional amendment?
Delegate Ballantyne: It will be a resolution.
Delegate Frampton: I am opposed to the motion to refer the reso-
lution to a special committee. I am confident that after you have dis-
cussed this resolution, if you would confine yourselves to the resolution
and not to a joint conference as a subterfug^e, it would be satisfactory to
this convention without referring it anywhere. It has been said during
the entire discussion — and the mover of the motion assign^ed this as his
reason for making the motion — that we would break up the interstate
movement in the Central Competitive Field, that it would preclude the
possibility of making contracts in West Virginia and extending oar
organization in that stete.
President Keeney, of West Virginia, says he opposes the resolution
because he is willing to leave it to the Central Competitive Field to
make the basis and let him follow. As the resolution reads it does not
interfere with President Keeney in that respect. If you will read the
resolution for yourselves and not teke the interpretation of speaken
you will find it gives an opportunity to outlying districte to be repre-
sented. The Iowa miners have been referred to. If their interests will
be best conserved by not being represented in a conference the resolu-
tion does not say they are compelled to be there. It provides only that
they be given an opportunity to be there. The resolution does not inter-
697
jre with my friend from West Virginia. He can remain away from
le conference if he thinks that will best conserve the interest of his
3ople.
I want to read the resolution and I want to read it all. One of the
^legates read down to where it says 'Vages" and then stopped and
>nmiented upon the success of this organization in the past. This
solution does not say anything about the success of the organization
I the past. Let us see what it says — I mean what the resolution says,
3t what some speakers have said the resolution says.
Vice-President Lewis: I arise to a point of order. Under a motion
i refer to a committee, the substance of that resolution cannot be
abated. The only thing to be discussed is the motion to refer.
President Hayes: The point of order is well taken, but tUb chair
going to permit Delegate Frampton, because he introduced the reso-
ition, to deviate a little from ordinary parliamentary procedure.
Delegate Burke, District 13: A point of order. When this com-
ittee returns with a recommendation Delegate Frampton will have a
lance to argue on it then.
President Hayes: The point of order is not well taken. Delegate
rampton will proceed.
Delegate Frampton: I wish to reply to some of the speakers who
ive injected something into the resolution that is not in it. Joint con-
trences have been discussed pretty thoroughly. If you find anything in
le resolution that refers to joint conferences it must be a typograpn-
al error. I have the origrinal resolution with me. It reads: ''No
temational official or no district or £rroup of districts under the juris-
ction of the mine workers will have the authority to meet and make
basic agreement" —
Secretary Green: Let me interrupt you to ask this question right
lere: How can any international officers or district officers meet
ith any one to negotiate a contract unless they meet with operators?
Delegate Frampton: That is making a contract, isn't it?
Secretary Green: It says they cannot meet to negotiate an agree-
ent or contract.
Ddegmto Frmmpton: Ko, I dont think it tayi that. For the boMit
of Secretary Green I will read the reac^ntion.
'^o international official or no district or groap of districti midcr
the Jurisdiction of the United Mine Workers wiU have tiie authority to
meet and make a basic agreement and formulate a poBey to gorem any
other district without aU districts being given an opportunity to be
represented and have a voice and vote on any question affecting wsgci
or conditions or any policy that any other district wiU be expected to
comply with« Any international or district official found guOty of Tio>
lating this section shall be removed from office."
The minds of the delegates have been confused all tiie mj
through. You have taken it for granted that what some one who hts
*
dismssed the resolution and did not understand it or misrepresented it
has said, not what the resolution says. Suppose the special committee
brings in a resolution adopting the principle that we will get together is
a joint conference, use that as a subterfuge and evade the real issue.
The real issue is this: If any district is expected to comply with •
policy mapped out by representatives of this c<»ivention it should have
at least something to say about formulating that policy. If you pass
a resolution here attempting — no matter how sincere you are — to get
the Central Competitive Field enlarged, wher^ will you be? You will
be just where you are now.
Do you want to turn down a resolution that provides for a consti-
tutional amendment that will g^ve you a voice and vote in formulating
the next policy under which your districts will be oompeUed to negotiste
a contract? If there is any district that wants to assume that respon-
sibility that district should be permitted to assume it. This resolutioD
only provides that they be g^iven the opportunity; it does not say the
man who thinks the Central Competitive Field can best represent hii
interests has to be present. He can stay away if he wishes to do so.
Delegate Keeney: Haven't you had the right to be called into
conference heretofore? Haven't you been recognized on the policy
committee? If you haven't, West Virginia has.
Delegate Frampton: I was on the policy conmiittee in Pittsburgh,
yes. And what was the result ? I am compelled to go into this becsos*
699
am asked a question. The convention laid down a policy to guide all
le districts in negotiating a contract It provided further for a policy
>mn)ittee to meet later, if necessary, if ^ contract was not negotiated on
lat basis. And that is not out of line with this resolution; it will not
revent any other convention proceeding along that line, except to this
ctent: In Pittsburgh we were met with what the delegates here were
let with. We were called in as a policy committee and those districts
lat wanted to be present were represented. I don't think they forced
nyone under that policy to come in. We found the C^itral Competitive
ield had negotiated a contract. We were confronted with the same
ling we were the other day; we were put in a position where we had
» vote down that contract and repudiate the work done by the officials of
le international and the representatives of the Central Competitive Field
? concur in it. What happened? Before they signed that contract we
ere not called into consultation to see whether or not it was the best
)licy.
Talk about the rank and file ratifying the agreement! Yes, yout
sed have no fear of the rank and file not ratifying it! The press carried,
atements of the millions of dollars of advance it would bring to the.
ine workers. That was all they saw. The members have a disposition
> be loyal to the officials of the organization and to its principles, and'
ley did not want to assume the responsibility of kicking over the con- '=
act. The rank and file came into our convention in the Southwest, even •
lOUgh they had voted overwhelmingly to adopt it, and presented resolu-
>n8 stating they did not know that it contained a clause that prevented
em from taking up internal questions.
•
If this rei^olution is referred it will kill it. If this motion to ref^
voted down and you non-concur in the committee's report and adopt the
solution it will mean that when you meet in convention you will have
e authority to map out a policy and formulate demands for each dis-
ict. You will all be represented in that convention. If it is necessary
ter to change that policy the convention can say how it shall be
langed; but it does provide that you will all have a voice in the chang-
g, and not just the four states. Why should the four states want to
sume all this responsibility? Why should they crave that authority?
liy is it?
700
I did not introduce this resolution from a personal point of view,
and the only personalities that have been injected into it are by tiiote
^ho sought to malign me. If the convention votes this resolution down
or refers it to a committee I will be loyal to whatever policy you oatlioe,
I will feel that to be my duty, but upon you who subscribe to that policy
will rest the responsibility of reporting to your members. If this reso-
lution is not adopted I feel sure the delegates in some future convention
will see the advantagre of subscribing to it.
It has been necessary under these extraordinary circumstances for
the international officers and everyone else concerned in negotiating the
last contract to make explanations to the membership; I appreciate tliat;
I appreciate their position. Your contract says it will terminate with the
war. No one knows when the war will terminate and it will be necessary
to make another contract. Do you want to sit down and wait until the
Central Competitive Field makes a contract and sends out a circular letter
telling you what it is — and an indefinte circular letter at that?
My friend from Ohio said if this had been adopted in our last con-
vention it would have prevented the Ohio miners from carrying out the
action of their convention which instructed them to take the necessary
steps last January to secure an advance in wages. It would not have
prohibited that; it would only have prohibited him and two or three
other presidents from getting together to set the pace, all the oth^ dis-
tricts would have been called in to assist in that. This would give any
district that desired to be represented a chance to do so.
Read the resolution and decide for yourselves whether it has been
misrepresented on the floor of this convention. Don't take my word for itr-
read the resolution and see. If Secretary Green and his colleagues were
negotiating a contract for the Central Competitive Field, and, owing to the
fact that whatever they agreed upon in that conference would be the basiB
upon which to negotiate contracts for the entire country, if it became nec-
essary to recede from the demands of the convention the representatives
of the districts would be called into that conference and they would have
explained to them the conditions encountered since the adjournment of
the convention.
It is not always three cents a ton or the advance in the day wage
scale that is involved. If the opportunity is there for you to adjust
701
some of the difficulties you have encountered you can take the necessary
steps to do it. If the opportunity does not present itself they should
have good enough judgment to not bind you, because the Central Com-
petitive Field has done certain things, and say that is all you can get. If
it comes to a strike and the Central Competitive Field does not feel like
financing a strike in other districts in order to enable them to get more
than the Central Competitive Field got, they will not have to do it.
I trust this delegation will meet the issue as it is. I hope you will
not vote for the motion to refer, which is & subterfuge to kill the resolu-
tion. If you do not believe in the logic of this resolution, stand on your
feet and concur in the report of the committee. If you believe it is the
proper thing to do, stand on your feet and vote for it now.
Delegate Kennedy, District 7: I want to make a statement and then
ask a question of Brother Frampton. The anthracite operators have
refused official recognition of our organization in that region, contending
that the bituminous men control the anthracite situation. I want to ask
Delegate Frampton if his resolution embodied in the constitution would
compel the anthracite operators and miners to meet as a part of the
interstate joint movement?
Delegate Frampton: Absolutely no.
Chairman Farrington: Mr. Chairman and Delegates — In line with
the motion now pending before the convention, which provides for refer-
ence of this matter to a new committee, I have no desire and shall jiot
take up the time of the convention by discussing the matter at this time.
I take that position, notwithstanding the courtesy shown me by the chair-
man of the convention when he said I may take this opportunity to speak
to the question that has been pending before you since early yesterday
morning.
If the question is referred to a committee the discussion will be in
order when that committee reports to the convention. If the convention
decides that this matter is not to be referred to a new committee the
report of the Committee on Constitution will still be before the conven-
tion and open for discussion. I hope at that time to take advantage of
the consideration extended me by the chair and address the convention
further on the subject. I do, however, want to get clear in my mind just
what this resolution means.
1
Alter havinc the statcBent of DdcgBte FnuBptaw ■ml ht wadl
mre good fiifdi, as he has seated in the eosvcaftioB — I aa frank to eoa-
feas that I am eoof cmided in mj own mind as to jost iHmt his iiiuluilMi
eoBtem^atea. DMgate Frampton sajs it aaeans one tfain^ and te
la JB it means another. Nov, I mant to know whidt is ri^ifc—
it is Ddegate FTampton 9r whether it is the nauluUua itadC I
to ask joa a qoestioa, Dave; so as to get the laaftf ■■ dearly betec
tiie contention, I assome chat at some time in the fbtare, after the var
i» over or before it is ofrer, the miners and operators of the Central Gobi-
petitiie Field will be reqaiicd to meet and negotiate another agreement
When that time arrires, does this rcsohitioB contemplate that before we
can proceed with negotiations repreaentatiTes from the outlying districts
most be inrited to attend that conference, and that they have a right to
a Toiee and a irote in timt conference?
Ddegate Frampton: If the resohition is adopted it will prohibit
the central competitiTe field from meeting and negutistiiig a contrsct
without first calling in and giTing an opportimity to erery outlying dis-
trict to have a voice and vote on the qoestion of policy and how that
contract shall be n^r(>tiated, whether it be iht price per day, per ton
or anything else. Then yon will proceed in your own confercnee upon
the basis laid down by the repreaentatiTes of all tbm districts instead of
proceeding to negotiate a contracf and not calling in any one except
yonrself.
Chairman Farrington: I accept the answer just given by IMegate
Frampton, and I want to say that after listening to the answer that the
statement made by him whUe he was down in front here addressing the
delegation is not in harmony with the statement he jost now makes to
this convention, and does not bear ont the contention made by tiioae who
have spoken in opposition to the adoption of the resolution — the state-
ment that before the Central Competitive Fidd can negottata a wage
scale the representatives of the ootlying districts most be allowed to
participate in that conference.
Delegate Frampton: I would like to see that reeord.
Chairman Farrington: I want to farther direct the attentioQ of this
convention to the fact that the things set forth in the preamble of this
resolution as having been done in the past have never been done in eon-
M
703
nection with the negotiations of our joint ag^reements. It saya:
Whereas, The international officials and officials and repreaentattves of
the Central Competitive Field have assumed the authority to meet and
negotiate contracts for the Central Competitive Field." I want to ask
any man here who knows anything about the affairs of the United Mine
Workers' organization where the international and district officers have
ever assumed to negotiate wage agrreements for the miners in the Central
Competitive Field? Every ag^reement that has been negotiated for Uie
Central Competitive Field has been negotiated in strict conformity with
the instructions of the international convention.
The resolution goes on: ''and set the basis for negotiating and out-
lining a policy to govern the outside districts without them having the
light to participate or i^thout being called in consultation and being
given a voice and vote on any policy that the outlying districts are
expected to comply with.'' Ever since I have had any knowledg^e of the
affairs of the miners' union I have never known of a time when the officers
in the Central Competitive Field have negotiated a wage agreement in
which was set forth any rule that that agreement must be applicable to
the districts outside of the Central Competitive Field.
What has been done has been this: When the agreement for the
Central Competitive Field has been completed the policy committee has
been assembled and the agreement submitted to them for ratification.
And invariably the motion adopted in the meeting of the policy committee
has been that the agreement negotiated for the Central Competitive Field
shall be the basis for all other agreements negotiated in our organiza-
tion. As a matter of fact, it has not been the international officers and
the district officers representing the Central Competitive Field that have
established a policy making their agreements applicable to the outlying
districts; it has been the policy committee, made up of representatives
of all the districts, that has adopts the motion.
In Cleveland, in 1912, when the agnreement for the Central Competi-
tive Field was negotiated the policy committee was assembled and a
motion was made that the agreement be applicable to all districts and
the basis for negotiations in all districts of our organization. If those
who were in the Cleveland conference in 1912 will refresh their memories
they will understand that Delegate Walker, who was at that time presi-
704
u^«» :<uii«irs' union, and myself were the only two men in
.d >poke in opposition to the adoption of a motion of
«. ..^i^rvcnient for the Southwest districts was negotiated
^ ...IK III in the Central Competitive Field was negotiatei
.^. ..a ..1(1 our own policy; we had no interstate conference of
^ ■ ^ai. We met in Chicago and outlined our own policy and
. ^v.> viislriota to ffo forth and nei^tiate wage agreements on
.uih by the miners' policy committee in Chicago. In 1916
*i%.i.i.<uiii. IVlegate Howat, and delef^atos from all the other
. ^.viiiK up the United Mine Workers of America, sat in the
..u.iu'c luootinK in Pittsburgh. That policy committee outlined
^ •».!» tor tho Central Competitive Field and told the representa-
W..4 '.iio ithor districts to go forth and negotiate agreements on
. .^ •uciiN. U wns not the officers, and it was not the representatives
^ I'iiiral iVmpetitive Field who outlined that program, it was the
v.i.uLivos rf (ill the districts under our jurisdiction.
uu NatistiiHl if the delegation once gets this matter clear in mind
^.v -wU l»e MO (ioubt as to what the outcome of the action of the con-
.^•a I.UI tho proposition will be. I don't propose to discuss the matter
Viiihor until the convention acts upon the motion now pending. I
uai I hut thoMo who favor tho adoption of this resolution are mis-
^^ .vvcaLiiiv: tho actual facts in the case; they are distorting the pro-
^^u.«^ «•!' tho organization in the past. I don't say they are doing it
iU.i>. 'Hit they are doing it. No such procedure as they have out^
;,*o lo this convention has ever been followed by the United Mine
»^.v;i\CAa of Aniorica in negotiating our wage agn:'eements.
I wiiiit to say in conclusion, my friends, that the miners are fortunate
, XiHiitK Huch chanipions as Delegate Helm, who warned them and
.. \..<«^\i ihciii again.st the trickery and the machinations of the officers
;u' %'ik-aiii;£ation. He warned you against recommitting this proposi-
.. .. lold you if it is recommitted the officers of the organization will
, v« .tavautu^e of the opportunity and in all likelihood do something that
,» .i pu'vcnt carrying out the desires of this convention. I say to you
'v.«>, lo tar as I am concerned. I have no desire to do anything but that
xt^v^h 1 believe will be for the best interests of our organization; and
705
the Committee on Constitution has no desire to defeat any proposition
submitted to this convention that will contribute to the democratic rule
of the organization. But we did have a desire to prevent the convention
from doing something which looks all right in theory, but so far aa prac-
tical effect is concerned would be absolutely impossible to put the rule in
operation in the event the convention should decide to adopt it.
If the motion to recommit is carried the proposition will be before
the convention for further discussion. If it is not carried the committee's
report will be before the convention. Personally the members of the
committee do not believe this is a constitutional matter. We do not feel
that such a program should be written into the constitution, because in
dealing with this matter we are dealing with joint negotiations and wage
agreements, and there has never been a section written into our constitu-
tion dealing with the action of the officers in joint wage agreements. If
we had felt this belonged in the constitution we would have offered a
substitute amendment for the resolution. We Ih>pe it will be sent to a
conmiittee and that something will be worked out that will bring general
satiafaction to the delegates and the best results to our organization.
Delegate Williams renewed his motion to close debate. The motion
was carried.
A viva voce vote was taken on the motion offered by Delegate
Ballant3rne to refer the entire subject to a special committee for con-
sideration and report The chair was unable to decide the result of
the vote. A rising vote was taken and the messengers and sergeants-
at-arms stated, after a count, that 605 votes had been cast in the affirma-
tive and 654 in the negative. The chairman declared the motion offered
by Delegate Ballantyne lost.
The hour for adjournment having arrived, after the usual announce-
ments an adjournment was taken to 9 a. m., Wednesday, January 23.
EVBHTH DAY-III0RNIN8 SESSION
Indianapolis, Indiana, January 23, 1918.
The convention was called to order at 9 o'clock a. m., Wednesday,
January 23, President Hayes in the chair.
33— M. Pro.
CI
3
70«
Secretary Grson read th« following telegram:
"Washington, January 21, 1918.
"John P. White, Mine Workers' Convention, Indianapolis, Ind:
"Please express to convention my sincere appreciation of their aetw
in ratifying by overwhelming vote the Washington Agreement, thw
confirming assurance given to President Wilson last November tint
miners would take this step as practical means of assuring uninterropto^ | ^
work at mines. By this vote mine workers have proved their uodff-
standing of present crisis and have responded most patriotically.
GAEFIELD.- | '
Secretary Green : A committee of ladies from the colored Y. "•
C. A. have asked permission to take up a. collection for the woik »
which they are engaged. We have a great many colored membeito
our organization and they are interested in the splendid work of thoi^
ladies. Those of you who wish to help them carry on that work ^
be given the privilege of doing so.
Delegates Cooper, Franklin and Galbraith were designated by the
chairman to assist in taking up the collection.
Secretary Green announced that the United Garment Worken
local would give a ball in Tomlinson Hall on Thursday night, to which
all the delegfates were invited.
ADDRESS OF MR. EDWIN McKINZIE, SAN FRANCISCO.
Mr. McKinzie, one of the attorneys defending Tom Mooney, of Sar
Francisco, was introduced by the president and spoke as follows:
Mr. Chairman and Fellow Union Labor Men — ^Looking at the Service
Flag which hangs above this convention I am reminded that you have
sacrificed more than 19,000 members for the sake of world-wide justiee
to humanity. If they hang Thomas J. Mooney that sacrifice will be in
vain, because you will have failed to give to yourself justice in this
country in the courts of our land. There is no legal bar just now to
hanging Thomas J. Mooney; each court in California has stated that
the verdict must stand, and this, notwithstanding the fact that the judg«
who tried the case has applied to the supreme court and asked that
707
y be granted a new trial. The supreme court will refuse, because
ay the record was made up at the trial and the discovery of the
y was not made until some weeks later. If Mooney is hung it
a on a technicality.
irael Weinberg, one of the defendants, was acquitted by a jury
a few minutes' consideration following an eight weeks' trial. He
ien denied bail because there are eight other indictments against
Rena Mooney was acquitted in court months Ago and she is still
. This is the last convention of labor that will be held befose the
et for the execution. Ed Nolan, one of the defendants, and my-
re here to plead with this convention to ask the President of the
i States to save ^Mooney, Rena Mooney and Nolan. You know
i perjury of Oxman and Rigal; the President's Commission of
John H. Walker was a member has already reported to President
1 and we urge this convention to go on record asking him to save
J and give him a new trial.
lDDRESS of EDWARD D. NOLAN, SAN FRANCISCO.
T. Chairman and Members of the United Mine Workers — I don't
that I really understood what a terrible situation we are facing
le world is facing until the first day I came in here and saw this
•ody of men, and above them the Service Flag with nearly 20,000
on it. Then I began to understand what the whole question
•
year and a half ago, in the streets of San Francisco during the
;ss of a Preparedness Day Parade, a bomb exploded. Ten liVes
ost and some fifty people were injured. It almost seems to me now
hat terrible atrocity was an omen, it seemed to be prophetic in its
cance. It is true those people were innocent people. Following
[plosion we were indicted. I don't know how to explain it except
this: The whole public of San Francisco and the State of Cali-
, following the explosion, were hysterical to a degree that caused
to lose their balance completely, and the most ordinary things in
ok on the horrible significance of murder. Let me illustrate.
I my own home, when I was confronted by half a dozen policemen
ttomeys, who commenced to question me before my wife and
7Q8
children, I said: "You don't understand the question you are facing
in this terrible explosion. Why do you come to labor to explain it!
Why do you come to me?" I had heard that Billings was arrested ind
Mooney was being sought. I said to Brennan, the attorney: "Y<m
have adopted some pet theory and you are determined to lay tlie blame
m
on labor, and I resent it. You will not go through with this, mark my
word. I know you, Brennan, and I know Fickert; I remember the graft
prosecution and I remember the frame-up against labor in Stockton,
where the detective attempted to put dsrnamite in the room of Tveitmoe
and Johansson."
Francis J. Heney well said in a short speech some time during the
recall election in Frisco: "God help Mrs. Mooney if that Fickert gug
is trailing her!" I have not lost the resistance nor the hope nor do I
particularly fear the State of California will hang Thomas J. Moonesr
in the face of the pictures showing him on the roof two minutes to 2
o'clock miles from the scene of the explosion. Do you suppose, follow-
ing that terrible explosion, if they had a shred of evidence in that great
industrial battle then being waged on the coast I would be at liberty on
$250 bail? Do you suppose that the President of the United States
would have taken cognizance of the case? Don't you suppose he eoold
have found out through the federal channels whether they had any
evidence against me or not? This is the most absolute farce of a murder
trial that ever took place in organized society.
At the last hearing in court Mooney and Weinberg came in follow-
ing a bailiff and they were without handcuffs. They walked around tiie
hall and talked to their friends. Tom Mooney was under sentence of
death and the supreme court was waiting to decide his appeal. What
are they waiting for? The only reason the supreme court of the State
of California has not already said : 'Take him out and hang him," is
because of the power of that federal commission that investigated and
knows the facts, and the supreme court, with Fickert's friends oa it,
knows the facts, too. All they fear is that the federal commission will
publish that report. They fear that more than any one thing. I know
that the commission, of which John H. Walker is a member, has the
evidence. We submitted our evidence and stood on the facts of the case
alone. Whether all the world turns agrainst us or not I know, and
Fickert knows and Judge Griflin, the man who asks for a new trial for
709
Tom Mooney, knows, for he saw beneath the surface of the whole thing.
Even when the whole public was willing on general principles to lynch
the defendants, Judge Griffin presided over his court with dignity and
composure. He did that even when .Cunea's men abused him like a dog.
No man since the time of Altgeld has been abused like Griffin because
he said Tom Mooney must have a fair trial in his court.
I hope I will be given a few minutes to go over one or two features
of the case, for there are some remarkable things in it and some deep
lessons for labor men. It is significant, when you come to think of it,
that only labor men seemed to understand this whole question when it
was first brought up, and they were the bulwark that prevented the
legalized lynching to satisfy an act of vengeance and reprisal by the
Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco. That is what the whole thing
has been — it has been a plan to measure out industrial vengeance.
For some fifteen years on the coast we have battled our way along,
we established the eight-hour day in the iron trades for the first time,
and the half holiday. The wages have been comparatively high. We
battled against odds, and out of that battle grew enmity and bitterness.
When the exposure came, previous to our entrance into the war, the
first measure the employers and these men took was to blame labor.
Through newspaper attacks, by inference and directly, the Examiner
and The Call in particular, insinuated that labor as an organized body
was to blame, but they were made to renege on that proposition and
get off that ground. Then they took a more devious route. They picked
a man or a woman here and there and sought to make them responsible
— or they would make them directly and labor indirectly responsible
for that terrible catastrophy.
We felt that everything was against us. The days were dark and
gloomy. Most of our people, owing to the Russian terroristic methods
then in oi>eration, were afraid to come to the jail. Only a few had the
courage to come and see us and say a kind word to us. But there were
men like Dan Murphy and Paul Scharrenberg in San Francisco who
had lived through trying times with us. They said : "You can't get by,
Charlie Fickert; you can't make us believe our men are responsible for
that terrible crime by merely saying you have some evidence." Since
the first organized expression of the California labor movement was
given in this case they have stood solidly behind us.
710
Let me show you one or two things about this case; let me show
you how sinister an influence can be used again men who fought labor's
battles, how little things can be woven into a fabric of evidence. The
state's theory was that Billings and Mooney had placed a suit caie
alongside a wall; that inside that suit case was a steel pipe four incheB
in diameter and ten or twelve inches long, loaded like a shrapnel bomb.
To establish that theory they had a man, John McDonald* who had not
worked for years, but was a water-front bum, put on the stand. He
claimed to have seen Mooney and Billings at the scene of the explosion.
He said that just before the explosion he happened to look across and
saw Billings coming down Stuart street, put a suit caae down, and out
of a saloon on the comer came Tom Mooney; they compared watches,
looked at the Ferry clock down Market street and then went different
ways. He said, ''When they went away I turned and walked about ISO
feet down to the Alameda Cafe and the explosion occurred." He placed
Tom Mooney and those men there within a few minutes of tiie explosion.
McKinzie said, "Take an hour if you want it instead of a few minutes,''
and then he showed that at the very time John McDonald testified he
saw Billings come up the street with Tom Mooney and place the suit
case, we had a picture that the police held during two trials, showing
Thomas J. Mooney and his wife on the roof of the building where her
studio was located, and their home, eight stories up. They were leaning
over the parapet looking at the parade, and a mile and a half away, netr
the Ferry, had occurred the explosion. The state placed them near the
scene of the explosion within a few minutes of the explosion.
The photograph showed Tom Mooney and his wife on the building
a mile and a half away at two minutes before 2 o'clock, and the testiinony
.showed them at the scene of the explosion at six minutes after 2 o'dodc-
The photograph was enlarged and it established the fact that they weie
on the building. To prove that picture true and correct the man wbo
enlarged it took a photograph with the same camera a year fh)m the
day the first one was taken and proved and demonstrated in Weinbo^s
trial that the first photograph was correct. He used the same camera
with which the boy who owned it had unconsciously taken a picture of
Tom Mooney and his wife leaning over the parapet of that building.
The man who enlarged the photograph, Theodore Kitger, had charge
of the federal end of the case immediately after the end of the explosion.
711
It is the United States government with its whole secret service and
immigration bureau and this one scientist, Theodore Kitger, one of the
best known men on criminology in the world, against the evidence pro-
duced by the state. He showed me and Edwin McKinzie a book out of his
study where he had examined the alibi of Mooney. He examined it
under a microscopic lens, examined the evidence of the police and then
told John Preston, the attorney general, ''As far Us the federal govern-
ment is concerned, you discharge Thomas J. Mooney and those defend-
ants." We had witnesses who put their astral bodies at two or three
different places. Those witnesses were exposed. We had Oxman, who
wrote for his friends to come and try to hang Mooney. And finally from
Illinois came the man Oxman tried to get to support his perjury. . I have
^ven' much thought to this thing. I don't know how the explosion
occurred, but I am going to finish with one illustration of the evidence on
that point.
Here is the case of the state : A suit case was put down, they claimed
by Billings and Mooney. Let me show you what the defense introduced.
Bill Martin, Swanson and Charlie Fickert desired to convict these men.
Around the comer, coming out of Stuart street was a doctor and a
soldier. The doctor was about 45 years of age, an observer of men, and
as he turned into Market street he saw a cylindrical object just above the
awning descending rapidly, and immediately behind the crowd the explo-
sion occurred. He told the jury he saw it about twelve feet above the
awning. Following him came another man, a student of the University
of California, who said he was in Market street and saw a dark object
descending rapidly back of the crowd immediately before the explosion
occurred. A woman across the street from the explosion had started to
cross the street. She said she saw an object descending and the explo-
sion occurred. Later she was overcome from excitement and fell to the
street. There are three diflferent witnesses who saw an object in flight.
Across the street from the scene of the explosion in the Terminal
Hotel was Mrs. Compton. She was on the 'fire escape watching the
parade. She saw a man of dark complexion, and she thought he wore a
mustache, come up the back wall of the building, which was being torn
down. He came about half way across the roof, leaned over the parapet
right over where the explosion occurred. She says he apparently dropped
something. She said she had only a three-quarters view and could not
712
r
be positive. She said he leaned over, threw his head back and the ezfdo-
sion occurred. Immediately after that she went down with her husband
and telephoned to the police.
The doctor described the bomb as he saw it. It was given in the
first newspaper account. He said it was above the awning twelve or
fourteen feet from the ground. When the fragments of that bomb were
built up it was just about the size and shape the doctor described. That
was done within an hour after the explosion. Would you want to sit on
a jury and after taking all these facts into consideration, condemn any-
one? We have never been connected with making a bomb, with buying
dynamite, pipe or anything of that sort. There has never been a solitary
line of proof that we did.
Tom Mooney was sentenced by a framed jury, and so was Billings.
We sat in the court room and heard Oxman identify five people. That
was a tragjic moment for our own people who were sitting in the court
room. Up to that time none of them had been against us. They could
not wipe out the fact of the photograph. They were afraid of it because
the government expert had shown the time it was taken. They only told
him to develop the film in the presence of three detectives. To get
around that evidence they brought in this man Oxman. That was a
heavy blow and we sat there and saw the cold-blooded scoundrel come
up with a leer on his face. The papers played him up as a wealthy
cattle man. He was wealthy and that carried weight with it. All the
honesty was attached to wealth! Anything he said must be the truth!
And the jury believed him, most of them at least, in spite of the pic-
tures. The hysterical mood of the public demanded life for life; they
wanted vengeance, not justice.
I grreatly fear that even the influence of the report of the Presi-
dent's commission will not avail. I am not violating any confidence,
for I have asked for no information from any one on the federal com-
mission, but I know that the powers that be in California have tried to
gamble with the life and liberty of Mooney; they have tried to get the
commission to agree to certain things; they have tried to pull the chest-
nuts out of the fire the best way they could. They want the supreme
court of California to uphold the sentence of Mooney. Then they want
the supreme court to go to the governor and ask him to pardon Mooney
or commute his sentence.
713
The last thini^ Mooney said to me was this: ''If any man of labor
or any commission thinks I want my sentence commuted or that I want
anythingi but an absolute pardon and my liberty, tell him for Tom
Mooney and tell him for Warren K. Billings to reserve his sjrmpathy,
for we don't want it." Every one of the men tried so far, and Mrs.
Mooney as well, have taken that position. Before Mrs. Mooney's
attorney closed, she said.: ''I want you to place this one thing before
the jury. My husband has been convicted and sentenced to death. I
was on that roof with my husband and a number of witnesses have
testified that we were there. If they are going to convict me to satisfy
the public vengeance, tell them not to be cowards and not bring in a
compromise verdict of manslaughter, but bring in a verdict of murder
and htog me."
The machinists have raised something over $10,000 to defend me,
and it was probably the great pressure of the International Association
of Machinists and the firm stand taken by my own executive board that
caused them to release me on $250 bond on each indictment. I have put
every dollar of the money into this fight. Since I have been out of jail
I have reorganized our fight and have accounted to labor for ev6ry
cent expended. I have here a- coinplete itemized report and I have
insisted that every month's receipts and disbursements be published in
the Tri-City Leader of San Francisco and the bay cities. We have noth-
ing to hide. We have stood the pressure of four murder trials. Thank
God, two of them have been acquittals, but our people are still in jai).
Rena Mooney was acquitted last July and she is still in jail in San
Francisco. Weinberg was acquitted after a trial of two months. The
jury only discussed the trial for three minutes and then waited fifteen
minutes for the district attorney to come into court so they couJd deliver
their verdict. He is still in jail.
I will admit that we have had a hard time in the face of the war
situation and in the face of the great struggle that is absorbing all
mankind. These are times when the fate of a few men, whether they
sink or swim, makes little difference to humanity except for the prin-
ciple involved. I hope this convention will see fit to give some asaistance
to the defendants. I do not ask for financial consideration for myaelf ,
because I do not feel that I need it. If they are groing to try Rena
Mooney again, which they seem determined to do, I am not going to asV;
714
my international or any man of labor to put one single cent into mj
defense. I feel my voice is loud enough and strong enough and I hsTC
courage enough to meet the situation. I will tell the lawyers and every-
body else that they have done enough, that money will not do ua aiqr
good. If I see they are determined to try Rena Mooney again, as far
as I am concerned and as far as I represent the spirit of the militaDt
body of labor of which I am a member, as a d^endant, aa far as legal
procedure is concerned, I am done. I will talo my life into my own
hands and present my case as best I may, for I will feel when that hour
has arrived and I have done all I could, financial consideration will not
avail and it will remain only for the voice of labor to say: "Men, you
must not. go through with this dastardly outrage!"
There are men in jail in San Francisco who cannot present their
case as I may be able to present mine; they have not had the oppor-
tunity nor the experience I have had. I want some relief for them and
Mrs. Mooney.- I am not asking for stones; I am asking bread for my
people, and I leave the question with you.
At the close of Mr. Nolan's speech Delegate Allan Haywood, District
12, obtained unanimous consent to the introduction of a resolution and
submitted the following:
RESOLUTION ON SAN FRANCISCO TRIALS OF
THOMAS MOONEY ET AL.
Whereas, Organized Labor has expressed its confidence in various
ways in the innocence of Thomas J. Mooney, Warren K. Billings, ESdward
D. Nolan, Israel Weinberg and Mrs. Rena Mooney; and
Whereas, Our confidence was the result of our understanding of
the forces at work seeking to discredit the labor movement by patting
at labor's door the horrible crime of July 22, 1916, in San Francisco*
accusing trade unionists; and
Whereas, During the trial facts were brought to light showing
plainly that witnesses were bribed, brow-beaten and trained to testify
falsely; and
Whereas, It is our firm belief that the defense has proven that
716
were on. It has been the policy of the board to make such donatioiii
from time to time to help in the defense of these cases as the cirenm-
stances seemed to require.
President Hayes: We have with us one of the foremost figures
in the labor movement, not only of the United States but of the world,
a man who has been in the active service of this movement for more
than fifty years. He has been president of the American Federati<m of
Labor for more than a quarter of a century. While we may have dis-
agreed with President Gompers in the conventions of the American
Federation of Labor, we have always admired him for his rugged honesty
and for his devotion to the great cause of freedom and humanity. He
is a man who speaks plainly, who never in all his great career appealed
to the gallery, a man who never trimmed on any proposition. And
because of these qualities, even those who have opposed him in the
past admire him and wish him Godspeed in the work he is doing. I
consider it a pleasure and a great honor to have the opportunity to
present to this delegation Samuel Gompers, President of the American
Federation of Labor.
ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT GOMPERS.
Mr. President, Fellow Union Men and Friends — There comes upon
me a feeling which is inexpressible because I am standing before yoa
this morning in this great convention of the United Mine Workers of
America. When I'see you here assembled — and I am informed more
than sixteen hundred duly accredited delegates representing the coal
miners of America are here, the men who in modem industry are of
prime importance — my mind wanders back to the past when the men
in the organized movement tried to bring about cohesive organized
effoi*t, and when I compare the conditions obtaining now with the condi-
tions existing then, it is enough to make one's heart swell with pride
if he has had but the slightest part in helping or has made some little
contribution to the tremendous achievement, scarcely believable, of those
who held the fondest hopes for the organization.
I shall not attempt to portray or even recite the wonderful transition
and transformation of the miners from a position of docility, of poverty
and misery into the full stature of manhood, conscious of your strength,
wonderful in your achievements, and yet holding yourselves and your
717
*
ganization under such control that you have up to this time eommanded
e respect, the confidence and the admiration of every liberty-loving,
imanity-loving American citizen.
It is a privilege to be permitted, much lees to be invited, to address
is great convention; and I found it gratifying that I could take the
me from my other duties to come to Indianapolis and to say a word
you which I trust may be timely and helpful; for in this great hour
the world's history it requires all the man power and all the brain
>wer and all the wealth and all the sacrifices which may be necessary
at not only liberty but that manhood shall prevail as the guiding
ought of the world's progress.
It is a popular thought to discuss the question of war, and we are
1 of us compelled, whether we care or whether we do not, to concern
irselves with the fact that we are in war. We have had, perhaps, the
:st indirect or direct effect of our being in war within the past few
lys; and if I have the time and the opportunity I shall address a few
ords to you expressive of my opinion upon that subject. But we have
>t otherwise realized the fact that we are at war. You men who know
e know that I have been all of my sixty-seven years of life a pacifist
itil less than three years ago. I was willing to go to the fullest length
at any man could think or devise to prevent an international war. I
ilieved that the civilization of our time, I believed that the humani-
rian spirit in the hearts and the minds of men was sufficient to protect
I against a struggle of this character.
When we knew that the great scientists of the world were burning
e midnight oil for the purpose of discovering any agency or application
at would ease the pain or cure the diseases or prevent the ills of our
How human beings, it seems almost appalling to think that over night
e war could have occurred. But it came. The marauder, the modem
itoerat willed it that the peace of the world should be disturbed, that
imanity should be stopped in its onward march toward a higher dvili-
ition. Everything was to be dominated as his autocratic, imperialistic
id militaristic mind developed. Never in the history of the world was
lere a man or a group of men who had so thoroughly planned for the
ilitaristic domination of the world as was expressed by the dynasty
id the group of the imperial German government when it made war,
718
flagrantly, brutally and without the slightest consideration of the human
side of the people of the world.
Yes, the invasion of Belgium, the ravishing of that little country,
the crushing of Serbia and Roumania, the great juggernaut of this
great militaristic machine, g^ing on and on and on, was brought about
by that autocratic and militaristic government; and, whatever the outp
come of this titanic struggle, the pages of history will record to the
great honor of that little land, Belgium, the wonderful protector of the
human race. It was Belgium that halted the onward march of militarism
and gave the world time to breathe and at least prepare itself to meet,
to check and drive back the invader.
My thought comes back to the change that has come over the real
pacifists of the world. I don't mean this lip service, I don't mean these
anti- American demonstrations — I am speaking of those who were willing
to sacrifice themselves that peace might be maintained. When the war
dogs were let loose and it was shown that this trem^idous preparation
had been going on for over forty years, so far as I am concerned I am
willing to declare here and now, quite freely and frankly, I threw my
pacifism to the winds and there came the transformation from a pacifist
to a fighting man.
If you were living in your home with your wife and your children
and you learned that right around the comer was a band of half a
dozen rufiians running amuck, killing men and women and innocent
children, no matter what kind of a pacifist you might be, unless you
arose and joined with your fellow men in the vicinity to repel the attack
and the danger you would write yourself as a paltroon and a coward.
The man who won't defend his home, his children, who won't help to
defend the homes and wives and children of his neighbors is unworthy
of neighborly conduct and friendly association.
We were so far removed from the theatre of operation that we
believed we could keep out of the war. I firmly believe that it was the
plan of the German militarist caste to keep us out of the war, but only
until Germany had conquered Europe. I don't know whether this thought
has ever been expressed — at least I have never heard it expressed—
that if Germany had won, had beaten Belgium, France and ESngland,
719
le of the first conditions of their terms for peace would have be^i the
iking over of the British fleet, and with Germany's immense army,
ith her own fleet, with the French fleet and the British fleet under
^r command, what do you think would have happened to the people of
le United States?
When. Belgium checked the army of Grermany the troops of France
id England combined just held and moved the German army backward,
hat was not on the schedule for the militaristic campaign of the kaiser,
e was checked and he knew, his military advisers and commanders
lew and know now that as soon as they were checked it meant the
^ginning of the end, for it is writ in the stars that the Grod of truth
id righteousness and justice will prevail. And then came the change.
he policy of German statesmanship was then to drag the United
bates into the war by any means; hence the sinking of neutral
lips, of innocent merchantmen and the killing of men, women and
kildren upon the high seas. Without attempting further to
ucidate, this killing of innocent men, women and children was on
id the word pledged to our government broken, just as ruth-
ssly as was that pact between the governments of the whole world
lat Belgium's neutrality should be maintained at all hazards, as that
eaty was torn to shreds as a scrap of paper, the pledge g^ven to the
nited States by the German government that this rapine and murder
ould not be repeated, was broken without the slightest compunction.
At last we were in the war, we were dragged into it, we could not'
^p out of it if we would. If we had not come to the assistance of
le peoples representing the democracies of Europe I have not the slight-
it hesitancy in believing that it meant the choice of going over to
^ht or having them come over here to fight. Four years ag^ when I
id the great privilege of being with you in your convention — to be
:act, four years and three days — ^the only war of which any of us knew
lything was the war in the convention. And I may be a bit scarred
id wounded, but I am, still in the ring. No one here or in the broad
»main of our country imagined in January, 1914, that within a few
issing months the whole world would be in conflagration aod countries
; each other's throats. Events have come and gone that were little
'earned of in our philosophy, and from that year up to the present time
le world has been at war We cannot be neutral; there is no such
720
•
thinf as neutrality in this war. You are for autocracy or democracy,
there is no other choice, not only for individuals but for nations. Sptin,
the Scandinavian countries and Switzerland are not neutral; they may
have proclaimed their neutrality, but they are profiting or cowed by
the war, and hence their sympathies and their co-operation are gjven
to either one or the other side.
I don't want to assume the attitude of the great orator of the
Continental Congress, but I cannot live when the whole world makti
for unfreedom. I counted it an honor, as I felt it my duty, some yean
ago to challenge the decision and the action of the courts because they
denied me the right of honest, free expression. I took the chance to
defend the principles of freedom and suffered the indignity of having
been sentenced twice to imprisonment for a year because I dared maintain
the right of free speech and free press. When I could not endure the
gross injustice of taking from* me and my fellows the right of freedom
of expression you can rest assured I protested, and will protest again,
any attempt to strangle the manhood and womanhood of the world to
silence and failure or prevention of expression.
I realize the contrast between the conditions of peace and those of
war. The government of the United States, with singular unanimity,
the sole constituted authority of our republic, decided to declare that
we are at war with Germany and later with Austria. There is no other
way provided by which that action can be taken. That specific decision
having been made that a state of war exists between America and her
Allies against the imperial governments of Germany and Austria, every-
thing that I can do to adjure my fellow workers and my fellow citizens
to do to make the victory of democracy sure I am going to advise, even
if it is with my last breath.
A month before war was declared a conference was held in the dty
of Washington in which the representatives of nearly all the national
and international trade unions participated. In that conference a declara-
tion was made and unanimously adopted. May I take the time to read
a few paragi'aphs of this declaration to you? The present war diadoses
the struggle between the institutions of democracy and those of autocracy.
As a nation we will profit from the experience of other nations. Democ-
racy cannot be established by patches upon an autocratic system. The
721
foundations of civilized intercourse between individuals must be or-
ganized upon principles of democracy and scientific principles of human
welfare. Then a national structure can be perfected in harmony with
humanitarian idealism, a structure that will stand the test of the neces-
sities of peace or war. This is the declaration:
"We, the officers of the national and international trade unions of
America, in national conference assembled in the capital of our nation,
hereby pledge ourselves in peace or in war, in stress or in storm, to
stand unreservedly by the standards of liberty and the safety and pre- .
servation of the institutions and ideals of our republic.
"In this solemn hour of our nation's life it is our earnest hope that
our republic may be safeguai^ed in its unswerving desire for peace;
that our people may be spared the horrors and the burdens of war;
that they may have the opportunity to cultivate and develop the arts
of peace, human brotherhood . and a higher civilization. But, despite
all our endeavors and hopes, should our country be drawn into the
maelstrom of the European conflict, we, with these ideals of liberty and
justice herein declared as the indispensable basis for national policies,
offer our services to our country in every field of activity to defend, safe-
guard and preserve the republic of the United States of America against
its enemies, whomsoever they may be, and we call upon our fellow
workers and fellow citizens in the holy name of labor, justice, freedom
and humanity to devotedly and patriotically give like service."
That was the declaration of March 12, 1917. Since then our country '
has been at war. We desired to place ourselves in a position where we
could establish the best possible relations with the government and
the men and the women of our labor movement so that the greatest
degree of co-operation and wholehearted support would be given on both
sides. And so we have had the agreements made between the govern-
mental agencies and the representatives of our movement, so that in
the struggle for freedom and democracy abroad we should not lose our
freedom aad democracy at Home. You have it in your own organization,
for your own honored former president. Brother John P. White, is in an
influential, helpful position in one of the greatest governmental agencies
in which the men of your industry are pHmarily affected. What is true
in regard to him is equally true of nearly all industries of America.
722
We propose not to surrender the standards of life and living: during this
struggle, except it be to save the Republic of the United States and
not for private profit. We will make any sacrifice which may be neces-
sary to make our triumphs sure, but we are not going to make any sacri-
fices that shall fill the coffers of the rich beyond the plethoric conditions
in which they even now are.
If there was any evidence required to show the great heart of the
leader of the world's democracies, the President of the United States
visited the Buffalo convention of the American Federation of Labor and
gave his great message to the hearts and the conscience of the workers,
of the masses of the people of the whole world. It thrilled every human
being capable of any sensibility or feeling. It was wonderful! It was
a pledge of the common concept for humanity. The world is changing.
This war, upon which first I looked with horror and disdain beyond ex-
pression, I regard now as a rejuvenation of mankind and the establish-
ment of higher concept of justice for all time to come. And it meanf
that all great transformations in the interest of humanity must have
a baptism of blood, and the blood that is now so fireely flowing is the
baptism, not of this war, but of its transformation from a war to a
crusade in the interests of humanity.
In this present day condition in which we find criticisms and attacks
being sown broadcast anywhere and everywhere it is timely for labor
men to consider lest we, too, may be swamped by passionate appeals or
by misleading purposes. It is a tremendous thing, it is an almost un-
believable task to work out the military, the naval, the industrial, the
commercial affairs of a country which were based op democratic ideas
and ideals, which were based upon a peace footing, and expect that this
democracy should transform the whole field of human endeavor from a
peace basis to a war footing without making some mistakes. We would
sacrifice our lives rather than g^ve up our democratic institutions; but
bear in mind that democracy is likely to make mistakes. These mistakes
are the penalties we pay for the exercise of the principles of freedom
and democracy. And that applies to our own organization as well as
to our government If we want to have democracy we should be willing
to pay some of the penalties of democracy because of our mistakes.
I have no brief to speak for the administration of the government
of the United States or of any of its members, but this I do know, and
728
am willing to voluntarily attest to it, that they are prompted by the
Srreat purpose, first, that America shall win in this war, and to do justice
to our people in the fighting and during the struggle. They are men
of great mental power and activity. To think that this great transition
could take place without some mistakes being made is to expect the
impossible. Talk about change and placing disting^iished men in the
governmental affairs and in full power! Distinguished men! I have
heard on the train coming here the names of some of those who are
regarded as the "distinguished men'' who would fill those positions if
created, and, believe me, not one of the men mentioned could compare
in brain, in heart, in practical understanding and worth with the men who
are now occupying the positions of trust and responsibility.
On the other hand, I know of the men mentioned in conversation
upon the train — and parenthetically I may say that I don't believe in
all lay life I used less words or spoke less than I did on the trip from
New York to Indianapolis, but my ears were quite acute— there wasn't
one man whose name was suggested who was ever known to do a public
service, there wasn't a man among those mentioned who had expressed
one scintilla of thought for the great mass of labor. There has never
been a time when the affairs of the country were in the hands of men
more competent to do their work than the men now entrusted with the
interests and the affairs and the life of the people of our nation.
I am not going to find any excuse for mistakes. I have in advance
said that they are part of our very lives and system. As a matter of
fact, who could have made a greater mistake than the one-man power,
the kaiser of Germany, in starting this thing he will never be able to
finish? With all his plans and all his aids he made that mistake. They
were on the road to great industrial and scientific and commercial success
in Germany; they had an enviable position in the world's affairs, but
they wanted to establish their military, imperialistic, autocratic influence
and government over the whole world. I haven't spoken German in this
last couple of years. I acquired the language when I was working in
the factory, and I am going to use a term that has been used by the
Germans — ''Deutschland ueber Alles'' — Germany over all. That is not
an expression of the day before yesterday, or three or five or ten years
ago, it is a mbtto coined over forty years ago — ^"Germany over all."
My friends, place one military dictator, if you please, at the iiead of
}
724
the affairs of our government and he will make as many if not mon
mistakes than have been made by the administrator of our affairii
though they be civilians. And how would the workers fare in the struggle
and in the meantime?
Well, even the order issued a few days ago I regard as an absolute
necessity. You know there is now a discussion to repeal or modify
the Sherman Anti-Trust law. I am not going to offer any excuse for
the railroads, they have been lax so long, but the Sherman Anti-Tnut
law forbade them to do what now the director-general of the railroads
has the right to do. The jam had occurred and was increasing and
something had to be done to relieve the situation. If the ice king has
interfered there can be no help for that. I think there is one mistake
in the making, and I trust it will be changed or modified. I refer to
the closing of the industrial and commercial plants of our country one
additional day each week. I think it is a mistake to have a whole day
such as Monday idle, and involving from Saturday afternoon until Tues-
day morning. I believe if the order were changed so that instead of
there beii*^ ten, nine or eight hours as a day's work, let the same power
be exercised and proclaim a universal seven-hour day during the war
period we would have practically the same results in the conservation of
fuel and all other needful commodities; there would be the same conser-
vation and it would not do violence to the history, the traditiwis, the
work and the practical operation of industry and commerce. I trust
that the suggestion may find lodgpment somewhere and bring about that
change; but if it doesn't I am going to obey like a soldier of America,
I am going to yield my judgment to the judgment and the actions of
the men in whose hands the destinies of our republic are placed. Because
the suggestion or advice I may o£fer may not be accepted does not
entitle me during the war to balk or refuse to co-operate with my fellow
citizens and with my government.
I think I ought to make reference to something which is arresting
our attention and the attention of the whole world. I refer to the present
situation as it exists in Russia. We have all done our share to be
helpful to the Russian people and we were all enthused when the revolu-
tionists overthrew the Czar of that country, established a revolutionary
government and fought on and on until there came • upon the scene
these people who call themselves the BolshevikL The exact meaning of
725
hat term is not known to every one. It is simply the Russian word for
7hat we would call maxamilists, those who want the maximum of
njrthing and everything and will not compromise or yield to anything,
nil not accept anything but the uttermost, the maxim. What is the
aaxim? All that you have dreamed, all that I have dreamed, all that
ny one has dreamed and hoped for, that must be accomplished and
lut into operation at once or else we refuse to live and be with our
eighbors of different judgment; we refuse to accept the natural law
f growth and development; we refuse to permit hidustry to be carried
•n to its fullest extent, and then, as in the movements of labor in
Sngland and the United States, to obtain something better, to make
if e and work better today than yesterday, better tomorrow than today
nd better each succeeding day, so that every day, tomorrow and tomor-
ow, and tomorrow's tomorrow shall each be a better day than the day
^hich is past.
They refuse to permit such a growth, such a development, but
irant it all; and, like the dog in the fable who, having a bone and
eeing the shadow in the water and the shadow being larger than the
»one itself, the dog dropped the bone and jumped for the shadow and
[>8t both. To expect that the world shall establish the highest ideals of
wnership, of property, of work, of life by edict and without the transi-
ion from stage to stage is lil^e expecting an infant just crawling and
leginning to walk to enter into a marathon race as a contender for
ictory. The result of that activity of the Bolshevik! is this^ that because
f their supposed radicalism they have lost all. As a nation which
ioesn't function, an army that won't fight, a people that for the time
»eing cannot act together through this Bolsheviki, the people of Russia
,re crawling upon their bellies and asking for mercy at the hand of
he modem assassin, the Kaiser of €rermany.
Through this Bolsheviki the whole field of operations is in greater
anger. The Czar of Russia in his palmiest days could do no worse
han this Bolsheviki has done. The Czar turned his soldiers upon the
aembers of the Duma of Russia, and the Bolsheviki have sent their
rmed soldiers and sailors to disperse the Constituent Assembly, the
epreamtatives elected by the people of Russia; in other words, my
rienda, the attempt at constitutional government in Russia, where the
eople could assert themselves, has been at the point of the gun and
726
the bayonet driven out of the hall of legislation. The Bolsheviki wIm
dropped their guns when facing the Kaiser's troops turned them upon
their own representative government.
My friends, the reason of that movement, the terrific ntuatioii, tbe
terrible situation in which the people of Russia and Uie government cf
Russia are placed is a reminder to us, too, not only in our own eo«iiiti7t
but in our labor movement, because, believe me, we have some Bolsheviki
right in the United States! These men, if they had their way wmdd
drive the United States government and the people into the same
wretched, miserable, poltroonery position. If they had their way tt»
trades unions of our country would not be in existence. You know ti
well as I do that there was one organia»tion of labor in the United
States — I prefer not to mention its name — which was a MaTamiKst
organization — they would have nothing but the most and would not
consent to anything less. And now it hasn't the power to make ev«o
a decent showing, much less a good Aght. If the extremists in the
labor movement of America had their way the United Mine Wotton
of America might be known as a name but not as a fact; it wouldn't
have one of its representative men sitting in council with the govern-
mental agencies in order to determine the conditions of industry and
the life and the work of the toilers.
You haven't got all that you are entitled to, certainly not! My
desire and demand upon society is for more and more and more, and
never stopping in that constant driving movement for more; but I do
know something of the limitations of our power, of our people, of ovx
own selfishness and altruism, of our generosity and our weakness, and
I say to you, my friends, let the voice of the men with experience, the
men charged with the responsibility of carrying out the interests and
the will and the welfare of the miners of America be heard— don't fail
to heed their suggestions and advice. I am not discussing, nor have
I in mind any question of a controversial character in your convention;
I am speaking of a general policy which experience has demonstrated.
The time was not always when the miners were a great power. Every
inch of effort and success was at the expense of great sacrifice, of tre-
mendous expenditure. Don't throw that all to the winds.
What is it that Shakespeare put into the mouth of Friar LawrHict
727
I his advice to Romeo when he rushes off? ''Don't run so fast, my
tir Romeo, for many a man has lost his race by overrunning.'' Men
f the United Mine Workers of America, make such changes as may be
isential to your continual progress, but for the sake of yourselves, for
le sake of the men who are going into the mining industry hereafter,
>r the sake of their wives and children and yours, for the honor of
le memory of the men who have done so much to help build up this
onderful monument of honor and of strength, don't throw their expe-
ence to the winds.
We dont know what is coming. This war is making changes eveiry
iy; this war iar brightening up the minds of men. Men think quicker,
*t quicker, conceive better, execute greater than at any time in the
istory of our country — and I believe I am justified in saying in the
istory of the world. New concepts are conAing; the blood in men's
iijiB is tingling; human brotherhood, in spite of sacrifices, is being
sld as the great ideal; the relations between man and man are changed;
ealth, possessions are no longer regarded as of great importance. The
ling that is important is human effort, co-operation, service to the
:>vemment, service to the people, service to make life the better worth
Ting; and this war, transformed into a crusade, when it is all over
ill have brought a brighter and a better day for all. The sacrifice is
reat, but who looks with reg^ret upon the sacrifices made by our fore-
ithers in establishing the republic of the United States and achieving
>r the first time in the history of the world a declaration that there are
irtain inalienable rights and that among them are the right to life,
berty and the pursuit of happiness? That was said for America and
s echo went throughout the world.
The war now, this crusade, is for the establishment of that princi-
le throughout the world — the people of Germany included. Who re-
rets the* sacrifices that were made to abolish human slavery? Who is
3t proud of the fights that were made that liberty should obtain? Who
egrets that the United States entered into a war with Spain to wrest
le Island of Cuba from the tyrannical rule of the Spanish monarchy?
nd so with this fight, so with this struggle, the future will regard any
An in any walk of life who did something to make for the freedom,
ir the justice, for the democracy of the world in our time as a bene-
728
factor, Uie world will rise up and call him blessed for the part he bas
performed and the service he has rendered.
Now is the time that tries men's souls; now is the time to givt aerr-
ice; now is the time when we should see to it that we try to uphold the
great labor movement of our country. It is in accord with and is hfitri-
ily pledged to the cause of this democratic republic of ours, the republic
of the United States; it is committed almost unanimously to the great
cause for which the world is now bleeding and which it will win. We
shall not lose, we cannot lose. The whole history of the world, the
songs of the poets, the dreams of the philosophers, the work of the tofl-
ers, the service of mankind, the scars and the battles and the BufTerings
of the past are all thrown in spirit in the balance, and the men and
women of America, the men and women of fighting Ehigland, the men
and women of gallant France, the men and women of outraged Bel-
gium, the men and women of devastated Servia amd Bonmania— the
spirit of it all goes forth in one grand acclaim, victory and triumph for
labor and democracy, the establishment of the universal brotherhood of
man. That is the cry; that is the slogan; that is the shibboleth whidi
will win for the world in the most glorious battle and triumph for hu-
man justice.
President Hayes : ■ I want to say that I have heard our friend Sam
make many addresses, but none I am sure more interesting, more in-
structive and more helpful than the one he has made this morning. I
feel that American labor is indeed fortunate in these trying times to
have a man with the power of vision, with the power of understanding
that President Gompers possesses to lead us. I feel that I express the
sentiments of the delegates in this convention when I say that President
Gompers interprets the soul of American labor on this war question.
And labor will have a great voice in the solution of the war problems;
labor will be consulted about peace terms. We are indeed fortunate to
have at the head of the American labor movement a man with the broad
experience, a man with the heart, a man with the humanity possessed
by our good friend, President Gompers, and I want to thank him in
behalf of this convention for the very helpful and powerful address he
delivered today.
Delegate Edmunds, Iowa: I arise at this time, Mr. Chairman, to
729
move that the address of President Gompers be printed in pamphlet form
and distributed to the delegates in attendance at this convention. (Sec-
onded and carried unanimously.)
At 12 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 1:30 p. m. of the
same day.
EI8HTH DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION
The convention was called to order at 1:30 p. m., Wednesday, Jan>
uary 23, President Hayes in the chair.
President Hayes: Sometime ago I invited the chief of the Bureau
of Mines of the United States government to be present and deliver an
address to this convention. Mr. Manning could not come, but he sent
one of his assistants, a man who has long been prominent in our union.
I know the delegates will be glad to know that we have with us this
afternoon, representing the United States Bureau of Mines, a former
International Secretary of our organization, a man who helped to build
this movement. I take great pleasure in presenting our old friend,
W. D. Ryan.
ADDRESS OF W. D. RYAN, REPRESENTING UNITED STATES
BUREAU OF MINES.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen — Knowing as I do the orators
in this convention have been working overtime, and that you have yet
a large amount of work to perform, my remarks will be very brief. A
few short years ago John Mitchell, Tom Lewis, W. B. Wilson and Bill
Ryan were often referred to as the Big Four of the miners' union. I
have heard it said that if by any chance they should eliminate themselves
from this organization it would go to the demnition bowwows, or some-
thing of that sort. Two of the Big Four voluntarily left your services,
the other two you put the skids under, and for some reason I cannot
very well explain you have been getting along pretty well without us.
You had then a magnificent orgranization, and I assure you there is noth-
ing I could do, no place I could go that would give me the pleasure it
gives me to have this opportunity, not only to visit, but to talk to you
today and congrratulate you upon the success you have been making.
7d0
I would urge upon the delegates present that they put in all the
time possible studying economic and industrial conditions of this coqb-
try, for no man can tell which of you will be called upon within the next
three, five or ten years to lead this organization. I recall fifteen or fiz-
teen years ago accepting an invitation to attend with my Illinois col-
leagues a smoker given by a miners' union in a small southern niiiuni
town. At that smoker a little red-headed trapper boy was distributing
cigars to the miners present. That > boy is today your Intematiooil
President. Little did any of us dream at that time that he would be
called upon so soon to guide the destinies of this organization. I there-
fore want to repeat that it is your duty, not only to yourselves, but to those
you represent, to make yourselves conversant with the labor conditions
of this country. You are the advance gruard of this great organintion
and you ought to do better than we did in our day, although we feel a
pardonable pride in the success of the organization at that time. When
I was called upon to take charge of the financial part of the minen'
union in Illinois I sold the ofiice furniture in Springfield for |1.50, and
that was our capital stock. When my latest successor went into oflBce
there was a million and a half dollars in the treasury.
Your President has referred to me as a representative of the Bu-
reau of Mines. Since the war started and the cry has gone out to in-
crease the output of the mines, mills, factories, quarries and munitions
plants, the accident rate has increased in some places to an alarming
extent. The government is doing all it can to conserve fuel and con-
serve food, but I feel there has not been enough done, there has not
been enough specific action taken to conserve the man power of this
country and cut down the accident rate as low as possible. We take
the position that 75 per cent, of all industrial accidents in this country
are preventable, and we ought to take drastic measures, if necessary, to
save our own people at home whose labor is just as necessary in win-
ning this world war as the efforts of the boys who go over to the trenches.
I think that recently the people of this country have realised for
the first time that the miners of the United States are an important
factor in the success of the United States. I remember the time, and
it is not very many years ago, when we were looked upon as a bunch of
roughnecks, and the term coal digger would not take you into any kind
of high society. It is different today, and it is just as it should be. You
731
Te the most important factor in the United States today so far as the
iry life of the government is concerned.
I am going to ask your President and whatever committee it may
» proper to refer the matter to to take some action, so that by co-opera-
on with the Bureau of Mines we can take steps to reduce the number
! accidents in the coal mines of this country. There is no reason what-
rer for this increase in the number of accidents. I am not going to
ame any one for it, but we are up against that very serious situation,
desire to express to you the wish for a healthy, happy and prosperous
ew Year, not only you but all of those whom you represent I take
ime pride in the fact that in traveling through the country as a repre-
^ntative of the Bureau of Mines I have been given the glad hand where-
'er I have met my old colleagues or my new acquaintances. I want
• express the appreciation of the Director of the Bureau of Mines, Mr.
anning, for the good will and co-operation of the miners' org^anization.
President Hayes: I am sure we all enjoyed the address of our old
iend W. D. Ryan. I remember Bill well in the old days, and I remem-
iT the trip he referred to quite distinctly. We owe a debt of gratitude
' the pioneers like W. D. Ryan, the men who blazed the way for us to
>llow. I am proud of the fact that my father gave me the obligation
the^ organization of which I am president. He was an associate of
\ D. Ryan and the other pioneers of the movement. I hope the con-
intion will adopt some resolution pledging the co-operation of this
tranization with the Bureau of Mines.
The question before the house is the report of the Conunittee on
institution on Section 3 and non-concurrence in Resolution No. 34. The
lestion is now before the convention for discussion.
Delegate Smith, District 19 : I am one of the delegates from an out-
ing district. I come from a district that has had men in the councils
' every organization of the miners of this country since the very early
lys, men who went into organizations that the courts of this country
>ld were criminal because of the methods they had to adopt in order to
rm labor unions in those days. I come from a district that had men
iven from it by persecution, and they are now in every one of your dis-
icts. They were driven out because they dared to try to build an or-
732
ganization to protect their rights and the rights of the men in and abort
the mines.
The men of District 19, Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, have al-
ways had hopes and aspirations as well as all the rest of yon had. Wt
aspired to a complete organization; we had hopes that in time our as-
pirations would be realized, but conditions over which the men in thoae
fields had no control prevented us in accomplishing our hopes. At one
time I went out and with the assistance of men of my district, many of
them delegates here today, established a joint movement. That was in
1899. So far as the principle embraced in Resolution 84 is concerned, if
I correctly understand what the object is, the men in District 19 wooki
like to obtain the conditions the resolution tries to set forth. Some peo-
ple may say the resolution is drastic. It may be drastic, but it is not tKe
most drastic action that has ever been taken by an international conven-
tion of our organization to obtain the desires of all the members, of onr
organization.
Some of you people who probably have not had an opportunity to
attend previous conventions when men were fighting for the establish-
ment of a complete joint movement to make contracts for the miners of
the country do not know what the action of these conventions has been.
The man who talked to you just after adjournment made a motion a few
years ago in an international convention that no contract would be signed
by any district until a contract was signed for all the districts and that
was carried by unanimous vote. But, mind you. Bill Rjran did not have
inserted into the constitution that no district could make a contract
unless all the districts have contracts. He made the motion to show to
the world that our policy was that we were going to continue to progress
until such time as we would be able to meet in convention and make a
contract covering the wages and conditions of employment for all the
mines on the American continent. When that motion was carried it was
by unanimous vote of the convention. It was the sentiment of the con-
vention that if something would develop that would prevent its being
carried into effect the convention would have the authority to reassemble
and adopt another policy that would best suit the occasion.
Yesterday when a standing vote was taken we found a divided
opinion as to what was the best policy for this organization to adopt
738
The men who are opposing placing this resolution in the constitution
state that, so far as the principle is concerned, they have no objection to
its being adopted as the policy of the organization. It may be that if
that resolution is adopted, before the time comes for us to hold another
regular convention — and remember this constitution can only be amended
by a regular convention — we may have an opportunity to make a contract
that will embrace probably four-fifths of the members of our organiza-
tion, and because some outlying districts refuse to be a part of it we
cannot change the policy, we will have to make a contract for all or a
contract for none.
I remember another resolution that was adopted in 1900. In 1900
we re-established the joint movement in Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee.
In meeting over here in Masonic Temple the national - convention said
there would not be any more contracts made by any of the outljring dis-
tricts unless they expired on the 31st day of March. I opposed that
motion and served notice on the delegates there that I would not, as an
official of District 19, comply with it. Under this resolution that would
have thrown me out of ofl^e for protecting the rights and interests of
the men I represent in District 19. After we adjourned our national
convention in 1900 we succeeded in a few months in negotiating a wagre
contract for District 19 that carried with it working conditions that were
advantageous to the men and an advance of 71 per cent, all the way
around. Not another one of the organized districts in this country
obtained one cent advance that year. And now you would penalize the
men who might be the officials of a district for taking advantage of con-
ditions that might arise to protect the men.
Delegate Helm: May I ask a question?
Delegate Smith: Keep your question in your pocket until I get
through.
Now. Mr. President, I sat here the other day and listened while th*
rafters of this hall rang with condemnation of a penalty clause.
A delegate arose to a point of order and stated that Delegate Smith
was not discussing the question before the house.
Delegate Smith: I want to call attention to the fact that one of
the most damnable penalty clauses ever written is attached to this reso-
]
734
lution in question, therefore I say we have a right to reply to what hu
been stated here when people were opposing a clause in our contract that
compelled the man who had no consideration for the welfare of thou-
sands and hundreds of thousands of men and their families or for the
success of this nation from wilfully jeopardizing the joint contract by
violating it. Then why is it delegates ¥rill come in here now and aay
that if any officer, international or district, fails to comply with this
resolution the penalty for him is to be decapitated and thrown on the
junk heap where a lot of us probably ought to have been before some of
you who are here now hollering for democracy were bom? I fought for
democracy before you were born, and I have the scars on my body that
I got while fighting for it
The language of this resolution is very peculiar. I have had some
experience in my time serving the laboring people before different legis-
lative bodies. I did that from time to time for over twenty years. I
have been fighting the politicians and the rascals who have made the laws
of our country, and I sometimes find things in resolutions that other peo-
ple do not find there. You may make a whole lot of noise here today by
hollering "louder" and "sit down," to drown out men who are tryinjB^ to
bring you to reason, but the noise you make here will be no more to be
compared to the noise that will be heard in the next two years, if you
adopt this, than the breath of a man in a hurricane.
This resolution says: "No international officer or no district or
group of districts under the jurisdiction of the United Mine Workers will
have the authority to meet and make a basic agreement and formulate a
policy to govern any other district without all districts being given an
opportunity to be represented and have a voice and vote on any ques-
tion affecting wages and conditions or any policy that any other district
will be expected to comply with." What do you mean by that? Do yon
mean that even if you adopt this resolution and all the officers of all the
districts are called into convention for the purpose of adopting a policy,
that then the minority in one district can ignore that policy and do as
it pleases about it? Is that your idea? You want to say that no district
is expected to comply with the policy that may be adopted by a minority
unless it desires to do so? If you do, who is going to determine whether
or not any district is expected to comply?
785
The resolution doesn't say what the reisult is to be after you have
that meeting; it doesn't say how you are to be bound. Suppose a ma-
jority does adopt a policy and my district refuses to comply with it, as
we did in 1900, and we would be forced to go into an industrial war in
District 19, after we had taken a part in the deliberations, would we have
a right to demand of this organization that it back us up in our indus-
trial struggle down there? I don't think this delegation wants to adopt
a resolution that is subject to so many different constructions.
I have been asked by some of the delegates from different districts
here as to whether or not I believe this resolution ought to become a
part of our Constitution. So far as I know we have never had an official
in District 19 who did not at all times desire that the men in that dis-
trict obtain the benefit of the organization that you people have obtained
throughout the North and West. We have been enabled to obtain con-
cessions in our district with a small organization because you have inter-
state agreements. We may talk about our democracy and the sacrifices
we are willing to make, but let me ask you men of the Southwest if this
had been your law in 1898-9, when you had your law, would you not, have
had to submit to the operators in your field? Men went through that
struggle, and after the fight was given up took the responsibility upon
themselves to go from camp to camp and make conditions so obnoxious
to the operators that they were glad to ask the officers of the United
Mine Workers to come into the Southwest and establish an organization
that would give them some stability in the coal industry down there.
So far as my district is concerned, I believe the men of District 19
will be just as loyal to the organization without this in the Constitution
as with it. I believe the principle contained in this question ought to be
adopted as the policy of this organization, but not as an organic law. I
am a member of a local union that has been able to make contracts with
the operators down there, a local union that kept the fires of unionism
burning in District 19 for the last nineteen years. That local union has
not got what the members think they ought to have, although during the
last contract period we were able to advance the mining price 38 cents
a ton and day wages from $1.20 to $1.60 on*the day above the wages
received before. That local union has always been loyal to the United
Mine Workers and loyal to the Government. If my information is cor-
rect, and I received it from the local officials, 126 of those stars repre-
736
»
sents the men who have enlisted in the army from Local t90, Soddy,
Tenn.
We cannot expect or hope to accomplish all in one year's time down
there that the organized men in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Western Penn-
sylvania have been able to accomplish. There was a time when the men
of Ohio would strike and the men in Indiana would furnish them the
wherewithal to live. I remember when many of your fathers had to walk
from the different States where they were trying to make an organiza-
tion to protect you. For God's sake don't get the mistaken idea that you
can control the future negotiations for a wage contract by making sn
organic law. Let me say to some of you fellows who voted in the nega-
tive yesterday, when the question to refer to a special committee was
lost, to make a motion to reconsider that vote so that we can refer it to
a committee and have a resolution brought in here that will define the
policy of this organization in all future wage agreements that we may
negotiate. If you will do that you will safeguard all your ri|^ts'and
interests and run no risk of making the mistake of jeopardizing the joint
method of making contracts. Now, what is your question?
Delegate Helm : The question I was going to ask Organizer Smith—
Delegate Smith : I have been an organizer since the 5th day of De-
cember.
Delegate Helm: You referred to a time when the men in your dis-
trict obtained li cents on the tonnage rate and other districts did not
receive anything.
Delegate Smith: Seven and one-half per cent
Delegate Helm: I want to ask if the agreement you made at that
time established a basic jate for other districts, or established a policy
for other districts to negotiate under?
Delegate Smith: If Delegate Helm had taken time in the different
conventions he has attended when wage agreements were being nego-
tiated he would find out t^^at the operators he was trying to wring higher
wages out of always brought in these outside districts and tried to make
them the basis of their contracts. Come on !
Delegate Dempsey, District 1 : Up to this time I have taken up but
787
very little time of this convention and I trust you will bear with me a
moment while I discuss briefly the question before the house. I had
hoped we would not find it necessary to enter this discussion so far as
the anthracite districts are concerned; but as the discussion has devel-
oped and the intention of the proposed amendment has become more clear
we have begun to realize its purpose. If I were to be satisfied to discuss
the resolution itself I would say it was a meaningless, harmless propo-
sition ; but if I were to accept the interpretation of its sponsor it becomes
a vicious resolution and one which is dangerous to the best interests of
the men of this union.
In answer to President Kennedy yesterday Delegate Frampton said
it did not affect the anthracite region, but later, in answer to President
Farrington's question, he said no conference could be held next year or
the year after unless every district in the union was represented. We
have three districts in this union that up to this time have exercised
their own autonomy; that is, we have made contracts covering the an-
thracite region without being influenced or controlled in any way, shape
or manner by the international union, except in so far as assisting us
is concerned.
Delegate Frampton: In order to clear up the matter I would like
to ask a question. Did you understand me, in answering President Ken-
nedy, to say it did not affect the anthracite?
Delegate Dempsey: Yes. ,
Delegate Frampton: President Kennedy asked if it would be neces-
sary, if this resolution is adopted, for the miners and operators to come
in from the anthracite, and I said it would not.
Delegate Dempsey, District 1: I did not understand that Delegate
Kennedy asked the question in that way, and I do not so understand it
now. We have a peculiar* situation in so far as the anthracite district
is concerned. We have found it difficult in the anthracite regions to
negotiate contracts with the anthracite coal operators, and the funda-
mental opposition to entering into contracts with the organization as an
organization is their fear of bituminous domination. We have had great
difficulty in relieving them of the idea and convincing them that there is
no intention on the part of the operators or miners of the bituminous
24 —Miner Pro.
738
field to dominate their conference. If you will adopt the resolation be-
fore the house you can no longer convince the anthracite operators thit
they are not under the domination of the bituminous interests of this
country. We don't want to be put in that position; we want to exercise,
if you will permit us. autonomy in our own country. We have not under-
taken to inject ourselves into the conferences where wafi^ agreements
affecting the bituminous interests are negotiated, and up to this time, I
am glad to bo able to say, we have been able to get along by mutual co-
operation with both interests. But I see a danger in the passage of this
resolution — I fear it will make it impossible to longer have mutual co-
operation.
I want to say to you. as President Farrington said, that the preamble
of the resolution dv>os not state the facts. I know of no time in the last
sixteen years when I have no: served, or when some other representatiie
of District 1 has not served, as a member of the scale committee in this
great convention. We were piven the rigrht to participate in the formu-
lation of the scale. I have never seen the time, either, in those years
when, after the soa*e had been adopted by the convention, or approved
by the convent ion. and the four S:a:es had gone into conference and
brought back an ap rivmer.:. :ha: this convention itself did not ratify the
agreement. If they Vrouph: rack a disagreement and it became neces-
sary for the cor.ver.iicr. :o ad;curr. without an agreement, then this con-
vention de:ern:ir.ed what :hc pv/ioy :f :he orgranization shoxild be.
There are n'.ar.y roas^^r.s why wt shou'.d rot adopt the resolution be-
fore the ho-jse. 1 wan: :o say :c you :ha: as a grammatical proposition
:: is a n:as:erp:ev"v or arr.b-cuity. I: attensp:* to amend this Constitu-
tion ::: the wr.:*.*: v'.aje. I: :h:> sr-.er. inr.ent is to go into the Constitu-
tion at a*.". :: ^ujih: :•.:: to t?: \t.': thi article governing ihe jurisdiction
of the uni.*n ».vtT ::s n:;n:rer> T:*.s rcs.'.u:icr. deals with a matter of
Vrv.v\\v-re and n:: with :h-: :-r.<.i.j:::n c: the various branches of the
un:.'n .^vcr ti.e n*.tn:S'T^. T-.? :e'.:nj:s. :: it b^lcnc? anywhere in the con-
st .tu: ■.:•.— a:-..: I .'."•."t t'rr.N ".: .:>:> — :- Arti.-lc XX instead of Article III
T~-.- "-:<'-:.:■ j.^ rr.es •*::!". .: a v-ena'.ty which micht Se applied to
.. s , . .^ - ^ ^ z . >- •\ ,* ■ - •■ ■" . c > . . — - .s* — ^«^ra no* pro * m\AV scy UfcAfcica
,-: .v.str..: :-V.-. *< A -..;•. .r --.ar.*. := . ;: an :ntc7nat::r.&, oiScer making
.-. :■/.>■.■ .ij:r.e — ^■:" *.: > : \ :-..:< A"*-, vrt this resolution propose?
789
to prohibit such officers from exercising a right they never had and never
exercised. Those in favor' of the resolution might say this will be a vol-
untary arrangement if it is adopted, that if you get notice to come into
a joint conference you do not need to come. All right! If I don't come
after I am notified the joint conference can, at its pleasure, make a scale
to cover me and my people and I haven't any kick coming. If my dis-
trict organization should say to me, after receiving an invitation to come
and join you, that I must not go, that our district will not participate,
and I do not go and at the orders of my own people I sign up a contract
independently I would be subject to removal from office, not by my own
people, but by the International Executive Board.
Now, my friends, it seems to me that the policy of our union has
been to extend the interstate joint conference into as many districts as
possible. I have been in this convention more than once when resolu-
tions were passed asking the joint conference to admit the State of
Iowa. The miners never objected, the operators always objected. As
has been said here before, there are two parties to the agreement, and
unless the operators agree to the admission of a district it cannot be ad-
mitted. That being the policy of the union, and a mere matter of pro-
cedure, why make it a part of the fundamental law of the union? You
cannot change your laws every day, and if this law is adopted and within
a few months, or a year or two years, a conference is called you cannot
bring in the interests covered in this resolution, you cannot hold any
conference until the law is amended or repealed. We have no scale here
this year, we have no conference in sight. My own opinion is that the
time to map out the way you should proceed is when you are about to
enter a conference, or when you have failed to reach an agreement in a
conference, and not place such a resolution in the fundamental law of
your union.
It is not very often the men of the anthracite field take up your time
in this convention or elsewhere. Up to this time we have been able to
get along very well without demanding much attention from the Inter-
national Union or any of its officers, although whatever need we have
had of their assistance has always been gladly given and has always been
welcome. We do not want you, however, to amend our Constitution in
such a manner as to say to the people of this country or to the anthra-
740
cite operators that our organization in the anthracite field, in so far u
our right to make a scale with them is concerned, is at the mercy or
under the domination of the bituminous interests of the country. In a
way the industries are competitive; that is the cause, and it is a
righteous cause, of the fear of the domination of those interests.
I might add before closing that if the past procedure of the organi-
zation in so far as securing material benefit for our members is con-
cerned had been a failure, if the interstate joint movement had been a
failure, if the outlying districts had suffered because of the existence of
the joint interstate movement, there might be some just cause for the
introduction of such a resolution. But with the resuks obtained through
the interstate joint movement, supplemented by the ag^reements baaed
thereon, the great achievements of this union stand out for themsdves
and this unnecessary criticism of its work comes with very bad grace at
this day.
There are other men here from the anthracite field who may desire
to take part in the discussion, but I ask you to be careful what you are
doing in the adoption of this resolution. Read it carefully. I said a min-
ute ago it was a masterpiece of ambiguity, and it is. If you want to put
it into your Constitution you ought to at least put it in language that is
not susceptible of more than one construction.
Delegate Robinson (P.), District 6: This question affects the Cen-
tral Competitive Field. I was here in 1910 when we did not have such
a delegation as we have here today. After we met here we went to To-
ledo and mapped out a iM)licy there. I think we should adopt the reso-
lution and not the committee's report. I don't believe in imposing a pen-
alty on a district I am not a member of. Under Tom Lewis's adminis-
tration we were compelled to go home from Toledo with a three-state
agreement in the competitive movement instead of four, as #e have to-
day. Secretary Green was president of the Ohio miners at that time and
he said he would not sign a contract until the four States would come
into the conference. I want to say for Billy Green that he is all right,
but I don't believe in the delegates of four States enforcing conditions
on some other district.
You who swiuK: the picks have been told many things by the officers.
If you want the ofilcers to lead 3rou as they have in the past, they may
741
lead you to victory, but we should stand here together, and not take four
states, but take a referendum vote of all the other states. Why can't
you all be of the same opinion and vote to adopt or reject the thing you
are fighting for on the floor of this convention today? West Virginia and
the other states are not in the conference. President Walker has sat
silent today, although in 1910 he was unseated in Toledo. If the miners
had done that day as the officers had done you would not have the four-
state competitive field united as we have it today. Don't let the men of
one district cut the throats of men in other districts. Everyone of us
today should stand for a contract based upon the principle that if the
miners of one district receive anything we all receive it at the hands of
the operators of this country.
Delegate Moyer, District 6: We have had enough discussion on this
question to decide a presidential election. It has gone on until everybody
is tired. I make a motion that we cease debate and proceed to vote on
this proposition.
President Hayes: The chair promised the other day that before
debate was closed the chairman of the committee could speak on the
resolution. After he has had that opportunity the question will be
voted on.
Delegate Mates: I want to ask a question. Is there anything in the
joint agreements that prevent the outlying districts from receiving a
higher rate than is agreed to by the joint movement?
' Delegate Farrington : If this convention will permit I will endeavor
to answer your question.
Delegate Jones, District 12: On Saturday, when we were discussing
the agreement, the chairman at that time, when the question was called
for, asked for a show of hands to find out whether the delegates wanted
to close debate or not. Why not do that now?
A number of delegates insisted upon the motion to close debate being
voted on.
President Hayes: Is this convention going to respect the rights of
the chair? The chair promised the other day that President Farrington
742
would have a right to discuss the resolution before the question would br
put. He discussed the motion to refer, but not the resolution.
Delegate Wilson (D.), District 12: I arise to a point of order. It
requires the unanimous consent of this convention to speak more than
once on any question.
President Hayes: The chairman of a committee has a right to
defend his report, and the chair promised him that opportunity. He has
a right to a second discussion of the resolution. The point of order is
not well taken, and Delegate Wilson will be seated. Chairman FWrin?-
ton of the committee has the floor.
Chairman Farrinscton: As chairman of your Constitution Committee
I say to you that this committee has been working nights and SandayB
while you boys have been out following your own bent and enjosring
your own pleasures, and I do not appreciate the treatment that is being
accorded us by this delegation. Can it be there is something in connec-
tion with this great fundamental question these delegates are fearful you
should hear? I would not now ask your indulgence were it not for the
fact that I know there are many important elements in connection wift
this great question that have not been put before the delegation. I ha?e
not disturbed the proceedings of this convention; I have not taken op
any more of your time than it was absolutely necessary that I should
take up; I have not sat here calling for the question and telling somebody
to sit down; I have not raised points of order or done anything of that
kind. If there is any delegate in this convention who has anything of
importance to say I am certainly very glad to listen to whatever he may
have to say.
This question is of such tremendous importance to the United Mine
Workers of America that you can well afford to sit patiently and hear
everything said that is to be said in connection with it. I hold for this
delegation to adopt the resolution now before you would be one of the
most dangerous blows that could be struck at the vitals of this organiza-
tion. As I stated yesterday, the preamble of this resolution is not a
statement of facts, nor does it set forth a true exposition of the procedure
that has been followed in the convention in the negotiating of our joint
agreements.
743
This resolution says: ''Whereas, The international officials and the
officials and representatives of the Central Competitive Field have
assumed the authority to meet and negotiate contracts for the Central
Competitive Field and set the basis for negotiating and outlining a policy
to govern the outlying districts.'' There is not a word of truth in that.
A Delegate: There is.
Chairman Farrington: I will show you there isn't, if you will keep
still long enough to let me do it. I availed myself of the opportunity to
look over the records of this organization during the noon adjournment.
I knew what they were, but I wanted to bring them in here to you so that
you, too, might know and thereby be able to ascertain for yourselves that
the statements set forth in the preamble of this resolution are not founded
on facts.
During the Cleveland convention held in 1912 an agreement 'was
negotiated for the Central Competitive Field. Pursuant to the instruc-
tions of the previous International convention the policy committee was
assembled in Cleveland and the Interstate Agreement was presented
to that Policy Committee. There was not a single syllable in the agree-
ment that made it 'binding on the part of any district outside of the
Central Competitive Field; but in that Policy Committee meeting were
the representatives of all the district organizations under our jurisdic-
tion, and by the adoption of a motion offered by one of tiie members
of that committee the Central Competitive Field Interstate Agreement
was made applicable to all the districts under our jurisdiction. There was
not one sentence in the Cleveland Agreement that said the outlying dis-
tricts must be guided by it in the negotiations of their wage scales, and
they would not have been bound to be guided by it were it not for the
fact that the Policy Committee adopted a motion making the agreement
negotiated for the Central Competitive Field applicable to all the districts
where agreements were to be made.
We were unable to secure an agreement for the Central Competitive
Field in 1914. The Policy Committee, members of our own organiza-
tion, met in the city of Chicago and devised a policy for our orgraniza-
tion in making wage scales and the question of internal differences was
left in such a way they could be referred back to the respective districts
for adjustment. The agreement we are now working under was nego-
744
tiated in New York in 1916. It was applicable to the Central Competi-
tive Field. After it had been completed the Policy Committee was ss-
sembled in Pittsburgh on the 15th of March, 1916. In that meeting
were representatives from all the districts under our jurisdiction sent
there for the purpose of ratifying the agreement negotiated for the Cen-
tral Competitive Field, and here is the motion that was adopted in that
Policy Committee meeting:
"Resolved,. That the International Executive Board be vested with
full discretionary power in the handling and adjustment of questions
and problems arising out of the adoption of the tentative Intentste
Agreement and its application to the various districts of the interstate
field, and also determine its effect upon the demands of outlying districts
affected."
The agreement made for the Central Competitive Field did not pro-
vide that it be applied and used as a basis in outlying districts, but the
representatives in outlying districts accepted the agreement negotiated
for the Central Competitive Field and said they were willing that it
should be used as a basis for the negotiating of agreements in their dis-
trict. Delegate O'Neil, secretary of District 2, Central Pennsylvania,
then its vice-president, was the author of the motion adopted m the
Pittsburgh Policy Committee.
Now, I hold that the statements set forth in that preamble are not
founded on facts. I challenge any delegate in this convention to produce
or refer to any agreement that has been negotiated for the Central Com-
petitive Field in all the years we have had an organization in which there
is incorporated a section or a sentence or a syllable saying that that
agreement shall be the basis for the negotiation of wage scales in the
outlying districts.
It was said yesterday that it is not proposed that the officers from
the other districts shall participate in our Central Competitive Field
interstate conferences. They propose, however, that they shall sit on the
outside and have a voice and a vote in determining what the position of
the ofhcers representing those districts shall be on wage matters. In
other words, the ofhcers from Indiana, Illinois, Western Pennsylvania and
Ohio are to receive their instructions during these scale conferences from
officers representing the outlying districts. That, in fact, is what this
745
proposition means. I hold that to adopt the proposition would be to set
aside one of the fundamentals that has been most jealously guarded by
every district organization under our jurisdiction since we have had an
organization,' and that is district autonomy or state rights.
We have no assurance that we are going to have an interstate joint
conference in two years. I am satisfied if this convention adopts the
resolution pending we won't have, because I don't believe the operators of
the Central Competitive Field are going to sit in a conference where the
officers representing the district in that field are powerless to act for
their constituency and must depend upon the instructions of men who have
no vital interest in the questions before the joint conference for consider-
ation. We will assume that we will not have an interstate joint confer-
ence. This resolution further provides: "No international official or no
district or group of districts under the jurisdiction of the United Mine
Workers of America will have authority to meet and make a basic agree-
ment." Suppose we don't have a joint interstate conference two years
from this time and it becomes necessary for the Illinois miners to meet
in Joint conference with our operators as we have had to do in the past.
Must we in that joint conference have our hands tied? Must we await
the instructions of the officers of the outlying districts before we can go
ahead with our agreement?
I want to bring it home to you even closer than that. I want to
ask you Illinois miners who were in the position you were in 1910, had a
resolution of this kind been incorporated in the constitution of this organ-
ization, what would have been the result? You remember that year we
were not on strike; we met in Peoria and could not get an agreement
with the operators. We drew up our own program and went out in the
field to fight for it. After we had the fight nearly won and 45,000 men
working under that agreement, the then international president of this
organization attempted to compromise the demands of the Illinois miners.
At that time the international president of the organization was in oppo-
sition to the position taken by the Illinois miners, and he, in his position,
was supported by a majority of the districts under the jurisdiction of this
organization. When we met in special convention in the month of
August that year, a convention called by the then international president
of this organization to force the Illinois miners to accept the compromise
agreement effected by him, it was only after days of the most bitter fight-
746
jfilf th« Illinois miners succeeded in securing enough vofus of the minen
of the outJyinK districts to this convention to prevent Tom Lewis from
|»utiing over that compromise agreement on Illinois.
Now, I want to refer to another incident that took place in this
orifani Kation. In 1906 we were unable to secure an interstate agreement
Thtt districts of the Central Ck>mpetitive Field went home and met their
own operators and tried to work out an agreement in their own way. At
the time tho Illinois miners assembled in convention the officers of Ohi(^-
i.nd they arc* in this convention now — came over into Illinois and tried to
Influctnce the Illinois miners not to enter into an agreement with ou:
operators. Thi* Illinois miners became so indignant because of that
attempt to influence them against their best interests that they refused
(4) allow th«^ onicers from Ohio to address the convention. They are in
this I'linventlon iu»w, or at least two of them are — one ia dead. I make
Ihts MtAiemont, not because of any desire to reflect upon the men from
Ohio, hilt merely to show you that if this policy is adopted the member-
slilp of this orgiinization will resent it with all their strength and vigor
Ihn flrst time you attempt to put it into operation. Tou ought to know
that bc^foro you V4>te on the question.
Thuro huH novor bvon an agreement negotiated for the Central Com-
imlHivo l<*tolil whii'h requires that it be applied and used as a basis for
iii{r««tiuuiitM in i^ther districts. It is the officers of our own organization,
jmlii'y i'i»mniittoe«, oonvtMitions and referendum votes of the membership
(hnl havti decided that our Central Competitive Field agreement shodd
1*0 tht« bAHiH t^or other agreements. If you don't want that to be done in
Iho r\it«n^, tho Ihin^: (\>r this a^nvention to do is to defeat this resolotion
and pvovuie « polivy whioh shall set forth specifically that the agreement
•u^jrotmttHl for the iVnti'al Competitive Field shall apply only to that ter-
ritory and that outside dist riots viH be at liberty to exercise their own
will a* to what the oontiaots for their men shall be.
IVn'l »,iv thtu tho in:!.ei*s of the Central Comp^itive Field must sit
»n M KMut oontVten*v with their operators, but they cannot make a move
un!e.'«.< tho\ iuo rtuthovir^'xl u> do <o by the officers from the outl3nn? dis-
tMots I t'ertv '•,■ vo;: dv\ vv^u will create a condition that will cause more
tvouImi**, mix»>e d-.svvntent, ar.d perhaps the dissolution of the United Mino
Worker^i x^f A«>eru\i. 'xvoau-fte men of dignity will not stand for things of
747
lat kind, and that has been demonstrated by the Illinois miners in 1906»
hen the officers from Ohio came over there and tried to influence them
>t to make a wage agreement for the Illinois miners. You want to
link these things over carefully before you vote on this question.
The thing for districts to do if they are dissatisfied with the policy
flowed by this organization ever since we have had an organization, is
say to your international officers, your district officers and your policy
>mmittee8 that no agreement negotiated for any district shall be appli-
tble to any other district unless the men who are to be affected by it
-e willing to accept its terms. In that way you will accomplish the
ing you want to accomplish, you will prevent the Central Competitive
ield Agn^eement being used as a basis for the negotiation of your agn^ee-
.ent; but if you adopt the plan proposed by this resolution you will not
:complish that, but you will have laid down a policy that will divide the
embers of this organization.
Delegate Moore, District 6: I want to ask the speaker if I was one
' the Ohio officers who came over to Illinois in 1906? '
Chairman Farrington: No, you were not. No reflection was in-
tnded on those who did come over there from Ohio, as I have already
lid. I merely made reference to the incident so as to demonstrate that
le Illinois miners resented interference of that kind.
Delegate Robinson, District 6: You referred to 1906. Didn't Billy
reen help to enforce the policy of the four-state agreement, and didn't
i say he would not sign an agreement with the three states ? The oper-
;ors refused to seat the Illinois miners, and when we got to Cincinnati
dn't we find the Illinois operators ready to make an agreement?
Chairman Farrington: We were unable to get an interstate agree*
ent. A policy was laid down for the guidance of the organization. The
imand was for three cents a ton. The Illinois miners could not get
1 agreement with the operators; they met in their own convention and
*ovided an increase of seven cents for the Southern field, five cents
r the North, and required the operators to pay the shot flrers. We
ent out in the field and won what we asked for.
The motion to close debate was carried.
u: - -.- MT.- :e:r.« r-.ace dv :ne rr.i
-r. • ^--ro v.j: ;^?S vote? had beei
r:.-wt. ■=■ "^ :c«tec a roll call on the motion.
-.^^ ^ - - - '. -i-'. T-.-ild consume an entire d
• r T5.-t:--> -n-is- iemand a roll call. Are tl
1. TitT- Is r.o doubt in the mind of t
_....,. : -r- -ar^ :f seme delegrates in this co
. «. .-^: ■: ••take :ha: point clear to this di
^. -- :u-" ? r ~-r ■: eric roe respect for his offi
.^ . > - r-r".- .z. Are there 300 delegates wl
-^ -t-c- :s..> ri i-fmr-d a roll call, in view of ^
••- "* >^" • ■
* .^ - ::^ 'PI nice of the chair, there are not
^, .^.. .^:». .ir^- the motion to adopt the repor
, . -^.. :; .; ?:T<f -•'.•mmittee, continued the re;
749
Article IX, Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4, were adopted, no resolution pro-
posing to amend these sections having been submitted and the commit-
tee recommending no changes.
Chairman Farrington: Resolutions Nos. 75, No. 121, No. 122, No.
146 and No. 200 relate to Section 5 of Article IX. The committee has
non-concurred in all of them and recommends no change in the section as
it now reads.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the reconmiendation of
the conmiittee.
Delegate Helm, District 25, opposed the recommendation of the
committee and advocated the adoption of Resolution No. 121, which read
as follows:
RESOLUTION NO. 121.
Higginsville, Mo., January 3, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, The appointive power of the International President in the
appointment of International organizers and field workers has been a
source of discontent and dissatisfaction among the membership ; and
Whereas, There has been instances where International organizers
have spent much of their time at the expense of the International Or-
ganization in hampering the district officials in performing their duties;
therefore be it
Resolved, That Section 5 of Article 9 of the International Constitu-
tion be stricken out and the following section inserted in lieu thereof:
«i
'He may appoint such office workers as may be necessary to con-
duct the affairs of his office and a sufficient number of organizers and
field workers to conduct the affairs of the International Union, but no
International organizer or field worker shall assume his position as a
representative of the International Organization or draw any salary
from International Union until his appointment has been approved by
the International Executive Board and the District Executive Board in
which district the appointee holds membership, and that the number of
750
International organizers to be proportioned from each distriet
to the number of paid-up members to the district and International Or-
ganization."
Submitted by Local Union 286, Higginsrille, Mo.
Del^^te Helm, District 25: I suppose this is another resolution thit
possibly will be considered at length. I arise at this time to oppose the
report of the committee and to speak in support of Resolution No. 121.
In the preamble of this resolution we claim that national organizers inter-
fere with the work of the district officials and that the appointive power
of the international president has been abused by some of his appointees.
We have had occasion in our small districts to come in contact with inter-
national organizers who have interfered to a large degree in our confer-
ences with the operators when we were attempting to negotiate wage
agreements. By reason of that fact dis^tisfaction was brought abost
in the ranks of our membership. I see no good reason why the appointees
of the international president, who ought to go out into the field and do
field work, and work in connection with the district organizations, should
not have their appointments approved of by the executive boards of the
districts from which they come.
I know this is not a popular issue to bring to the attention of thii
convention, and I don't think it is one that will give anyone an opportunity
to accuse me or any other member of this delegation who supports the
:*esolution, of playing politics. If I wanted to play a successful game of
politics I would not come into the international convention and oppose
any measure that was proposed by the international representatives;
that is, I would not do so if I wanted to p«-petuate mys^ in a job,
because the past history of our organization has been that in many
instances where district officers have been defeated by overwhelming
majorities of tl.eir constituents in their respective districts they were
immediately successful in obtaining appointments as organizers. If I
wanted to perpetuate myself in a job I would count on getting appointed
as an organizer ii the men no longer wanted me as a district c^HciaL
In that resolution we claim that the district officials have been ham-
pered in negotiating cv-»ntracts: that there have been organizers on the
scene at the time we were, in conference, and they were in a condition
unbecoming representatives of the international organization, unbecom-
761
in^ the humblest member of our organization, and as a result reflections
have been cast upon our organization by having them around when we
were negotiating agreements. If my remarks are questioned, I have
telegrams and replies to telegrams that will prove conclusively that such
a condition has existed in the past. I don't think there is anyone who will
question that if that condition has existed it ought to be remedied, and
we have taken this method of trying to remedy it. If my remarks are
contradicted by anybody when I say that organizers have hampered dis-
trict officials in their work and have been on the scene in a condition unbe-
coming representatives of our organization, I will later on read some of
the telegrams that were sent in the way of requests to have such organ-
izers removed from the scene.
I hope the delegates will see fit to remedy the present laws and atop
the abuses of international organizers going on as they have been doing
in the past, casting reflections upon the integrity of our organization and
at the same time preventing district officials from doing what is right and
just toward their fellow men. I don't want the convention to run away
with the idea that this is a personal attack on any individual; in fact, I
would like to have been relieved of the responsibility of bringing the
matter to the attention of this convention, but necessity has forced me as
a representative of the men in my district to bring to the attention of
the international convention impositions that are being imposed upon
the officers of our district by organizers who cannot get re-elected at the
hands of their respective membership.
Delegate Wilkinson, Secretary of the Committee: In the many con-
ventions I have attended I have never failed to find resolutions of this
character. There has always been some contention within the organiza-
tion as to the method of appointing organizers. The resolution that has
been presented by Delegate Helm seeks a new method of appointing
organizers. What is the method? It may be said that in the past the
international presidents have not used good judgment in appointing organ-
izers. However, we must recog^iize that the appointive officers of this
organization are responsible to the president. This resolution seeks, not
to make a change in the present system, but merely to transfer the power
now held by the international president and the international executive
board to the district president and district executive boards. That is
what this resolution contends for.
752
The committee, in non-concurring in this reselntion, beHered tint
the system now in effect is the only system that can be snccessfoDy
operated in our organization. There are many elected officials and
appointed officials that do not meet with my approval and do not meet
with the approval of a large number of the members in our organization,
but the present system, which has been in effect for many years, is tlie
only system ].hat can be successfully carried out. It has been said that
certain district presidents who have been defeated for office have been
immediately given positions as international organizers, and the men wlio
succeeded them as district officials objected to that procedure. I want to
say in behalf of Uiis committee, and of mys^ as a member of tiie Inter-
national Executive Board, that in a majority of cases the men who haie
had experi«ice as district presidents are undoubtedly the best fitted to
perform the duties of organizers. Their experience and training while
serving as district officers fit them for these positions.
And why should men who have served their districts as officials be
denied the right to act as international organizers? If you adopt this
resolution it will be impossible for an ex-district president to be appointed
as an international organizer, because the new district president undoubt-
edly will seek to prevent him from securing that position. The purpose
of this resolution is to transfer the appointive power from the Interna-
tional President and International Executive Board to the district presi-
dent and district executive board. Surely, the International Presidoit, who
is responsible for the conduct of the affairs of this organization, should not
have men foisted upon him as international organizers who do not meet
with his approval. That would be the inevitaUe result of the ad<^on
of this resolution.
Delegate Mavrodis, Colorado: I rise to request the convention to
adopt this resolution. We have some international organizers in Colo-
rado who did not do anything but loaf in the streets. An organiser came
to our local last August and told me if I would go to the convention and
support President Moran I would get my expenses paid by the district
organization. I told him I didn't know about that, that there was plenty
of time to see about it. As soon as they found I was a delegate they
came and asked me what I was going to do in the district convention.
I told them I was going to support Jcim R. Lawson. Then the interna-
tional organizer left the local.
768
Delegate Jones, District 12: How many organizers are on the pay
roll at the present time?
President Hayes : Less than under the previous administration.
Delegate Jones: I want to know so that it will govern me in voting
on this question.
President Hayes: Of whom are you asking tlie question?
Delegate Jones: I am asking Secretary Green.
Secretary Green : I cannot tell you now what the number is, because
I haven't the report here with me.
Delegate Jones: Will you give me that information tomorrow?
Secretary Green: Yes; I will prepare it and give it to you.
Delegate Flyzik, District 10: During the last fourteen years I have
been on both sides of the house. My constant attendance at these inter-
national conventions, I think, fits me to say a few words on the question
of selecting ii]ternational organizers. I am one of those who welcome
very gracefully any reform that will tend to purify the mine workers*
organization; I ani one of those who favor any legislation that will
reduce to the minimum the evils that some of the advocates of this legis-
lation are afraid of, but I do not want you men to be deceived. Examine
very carefully the resolution that contemplates changing the policy you
haye adopted in the past and see whether or not the advocates of this
change are sincere and conscientious in their position.
One of the speakers who opposed the committee's report called your
attention to the evil condition that exists in his district. He pointed out
that the president of your international organization used his power to
select some defeated officer of the district he represents as international
organizer. May I at this time ask my friend who is more competent to
serve as an international organizer than a man who has had experience
as a district or subdistrict officer and has participated in the negotiations
for joint agreements? But suppose the president of the international
organization attempts to select a defeated officer who may be opposed to
the new administration in the district. If the change that is conteipplated
by those who favor the resolution goes into effect what will be the policy?
754
The ablest man m the district may be selected as an international orgin-
izer, but because a district officer does not like him personally or for
political reasons he will not be allowed to senre. Is that fair? I nj
it is not.
So far as my own district is concerned, I don't care if you send in a
dozen organizers opposed to me; we will play the game fair, with the
cards on the table, and we invite all your officers to come there if they
desire to do so. No district official who is carrying out the fundamentsl
pnnciples of this organization need fear any man who is on the pay roll
of the international union. Yet men stand up here and tell us we mnst
have this change because of the personal conduct of one or two men in
their respective districts. I don't care what kind of legislation you may
write into this constitution, it will never be broad enough or strict enough
to regulate the morals or the conduct of men; and I hope the day will
never arrive when this economic organization will attempt to undertake
that task. If any international organizer or other official does some-
thing that warrants his removal you have laws provided in the eonstitn-
tion to remove him.
I favor the report of the committee. I believe it ought to be adopted.
Let us stop wasting the money of the mine workers on freak legislation.
What is your past record in this convention ? Let me tell you, boys. All
these so-called prog^ssive reforms come from hostile communities and
territories. While I have no desire to impugn the motives of any man
who may disagree with me, I have seen men on this floor opposing this
question that shouted at the top of their voices to uphold and perpetuate
the old system under a former administration. It seems to me the policy
is all right so long as the international orgranizers may be used to per-
petuate some of these district officials in office. I believe our interna-
tional president in the future should have the same power he has had
in the past in the appointment of organizers. I hope ihe time vnll never
come when the highest tribunal of your organization most bow to the
wishes of a district executive board.
Delegate Lawson, Colorado: Mr. Chairman, I arise to oppose the
report of the committee. I feel the time has come when something must
be done by this organization if we are going to preserve its integrity and
its good name. Therefore, 1 am very much in favor of a change in this
755
section of our constitution. And let me say at the outset that I do not
desire to leave the impression that any man who receives an appointment
as an international organizer is not a good man or a* good union man;
but there are on the pay roll of this international union men acting as
organizers today who are a disgrace to the United Mine Workers and a
discredit to themselves. I come from one of the partially organized dis-
tricts in which it is very necessary to have organizers to help in the work
of building up this great union. I have had a sufficient amount of experi-.
ence to be able to talk on this question and to point out some of the
things that this resolution would help to remedy.
The last speaker made a statement that we do not need to fear the
organizers. In our district we do not fear the organizers, but we are
ashamed to think that some of the men on the pay roll of this organiza-
tion would do the kind of work they do in that tlistrict in the name of
the United Mine Workers of America. I realize that it is possible that
a man who has held district office will make a good organizer in a field
where men are needed to do this great work; but I also realize what a
condition will arise when such men do not attend to their duties but
interfere with everything else except the work they are paid to perform.
In our district — Colorado, New Mexico and Utah — ^we have had an
election or two recently and we know something about the activities of
men in the pay of this union who call themselves organizers. Only a
short time ago we had an election for officers of the State Federation of
Labor of Colorado, and what do we find? Do we find men who are sup-
posed to be in that field to educate the men who are not in our organi-
zation and bring them into this great union expounding the doctrines of
unionism and teaching them what the United Mine Workers of America
stand for? No; but we find them doing everything in their power to de-
feat a member of this organization; we find them participating in one
of the rottenest election frauds in one of the most astounding attempts
to steal an election that has ever taken place in this organization.
I feel I would not be doing my duty to our membership at home,
that I would not be doing my duty in this convention if I did not draw
your attention to some of the things that have taken place in Colorado
within the last year or so. We found international organizers going up
and down the State doing all in their power to discredit members of this
756
union, going into the locals and interfering, in the elections, not tiTing to
build up a harmonious organization, not trying to do the things they are
sworn to do, not trying to do the things that will redound to the credit of
our union. Instead we found them doing everything in their power to
disrupt a district and keep it in turmoil. As one delegate said, this is a
question of who can keep himself on the pay roll. That is what has been
done by some of the organizers that have been sent into Colorado— they
have fought to keep themselves on the pay roll and keep their snouts in
the i>er capita tax trough.
I want to give you a few figures and make an explanation. I want
to tell you plainly why I believe this power should not be in the hands
of the International President. In the election of which, I have spoken,
the election of the Colorado State Federation of Labor, when this oat-
rageous but unsuccessf tQ attempt was made to defeat me for president of
that organization, I found this condition existing in our district And
I say to you it was participated in by men on the pay roll of this Inter-
national organization. In Local 1393 thirty votes were cast for Lawson.
This was reduced to eleven votes. Mr. Carpenter, the man who ran
against me for president, received one vote. Mr. Carpenter's vote was
reduced to none. In Local 3095 Lawson received forty-five votes. That
was reduced to three votes. Cari>enter received four votes, but that num-
ber was raised to 111 votes. In Local 834 Lawson received thirty-five
votes and Mr. Carpenter about the same number.
A Delegate : I rise to a point of order. We are not electing a presi-
dent of the Colorado State Federation of Labor.
President Hayes: The chair has no desire to restrict the delegate,
but he is not talking on the motion. He is discussing an election of the
Colorado State Federation of Labor.
Delegate Lawson: I am pointing out the need of a change in oar
Constitution.
President Hayes: You may proceed. The chair has no desire to
take any advantage of you, even though you are not speaking on the
motion.
Delegate Lawson: Mr. Carpenter received thirty-five votes. That
number was raised by 136 by the time it arrived in the hands of the
757
tellers. Mr. Cunion, an international organizer from Iowa, according to
the statement of the secretary of that local union, went to th\B Firestone
Local Union and helped the secretary count the votes. Mr. Cunion car-
ried the two sheets to Denver in his pockets, and when he reached the
tellers the vote had been raised from thirty-five tp 136.
In Local Union 3030 Lawson received forty-six votes, Carpenter
fifteen votes. Mr. Carpenter's vote was raised by the time it got to the
hands of the tellers in Denver to 145 votes. I understand that Interna-
tional Organizers Pippin, Llewellyn and Dwyer were in the meeting.
Local 2060 gave Lawson eighty-four votes and Carpenter one vote. When
this vote arrived in Denver Mr. Carpenter had seventy-one votes. Local
3518 gave Lawson five votes and Carpenter twelve votes. Mr. Carpen-
ter's vote was raised to sixty-eight. Local 3008 gave Lawson twenty-
four votes. Carpenter one vote. Mr. Carpenter's vote was raised to 261.
Delegate Flyzik: I rise to a point of order. There is another side
to this. We will get the audit if you wish it. My point is that Delegate
Lawson is not discussing the question before the house.
President Hayes: Let the chair make a ruling. The point of order
is well taken, but the chair is going to rule that the whole matter will be
heard, because if these conditions exist this organization ought to know
it, the president of the union ought to know it and the laws of our or-
ganization will be enforced.
Delegate Lawson: Local 1878 gave Lawson seventy-nine votes and
Mr. Carpenter 121 votes. An international organizer named Dick Robin-
son has his card in that local. According to the president and other
members of that local union Organizer Robinson called J. W. Morris,
the president, on the 'phone the day of the election and asked him to hold
the election until he could get there. He was informed that it was too
late, that the election was going on. Organizer Robinson appeared in the
camp just at the time the ballots were counted and made the request of
the local president that he lay the return sheet down so he could get an
opportunity to raise the vote for Carpenter. When the vote was received
in Denver by the tellers Mr. Carpenter had, not 121 votes, but 421 votes.
In our district ofiice we had a seal for the convenience of men in our
organization who might be going to the city whose cards, because they
7&8
were traveling around, would be getting delinquent. This local seal is
left there for such members as pay their dues. We found that Local
1082 cast ten votes for Mr. Carpenter. The return sheet was signed by
James F. Moran and Warren Pippin, acting president and acting secre-
tary of our district. In the last ten or eleven months not one single cent
of tax was paid in this local union; they asked that they be exonerated
each month, and on the 18th day of this month, in this city, Warren Pip-
pin walked into the national headquarters and had this local union exon-
erated for the months of October, November and Deconber, and in this
convention today there sits the international organizer as a delegate from
that local union.
Local 3104 gave Lawson no votes and gave Mr. Carpenter twenty-
five votes. This local union has not been holding meetings; they have not
been able te hold meetings in that camp for some months and the charter,
seal and supplies are in the hands of an international organizer, Mike
Salvage, who is a delegate te this convention. The return sheet for this
local is signed by Mike Salvage and Mike Valda, a member of our union
in the Walsenburg district, and Mr. Valda makes an affidavit to the effect
that he never signed those returns. He also said that Mike Salvage re-
quested him te plump the votes of that and another local union.
Local 3003 gave Lawson no votes and grave Mr. Carpenter 250 votes.
This local union was organized last May and the company closed down
ite mines and drove the members of our union out of the camp. The
charter, seal and supplies were taken into the Colorado State Federation
of Labor office in Denver and finally turned over to International Organ-
izer J. W. Cunion. That local union never had more than 130 members
when it was a fully organized camp, and not more than 149 men on an
average have been employed in that mine this year. Yet we find Mr.
Cunion's name signed to the returns — "Lawson no votes and Mr. Car-
penter 250 votes."
Local Union 3012 has not been in operation for some months. The
men have not been able to hold their organization there, yet we find from
the Forbes Local Union, "Lawson no votes, Mr. Carpenter seventy-five
votes." Local 3099 gave Lawson no votes and gave Mr. Carpenter 131
votes.
759 ^
A Delegate: I move that we adjourn.
President Hayes : I do not see any necessity of repeating that tabu-
lation; it is not interesting to the delegates. You have produced enough
without taking up any more time, Delegate Lawson. The chair has tried
to be very liberal with Delegate Lawson, but he does not think he should
try the patience of the delegates by going into this at such great length.
Delegate Lawson: If the delegation does not want to hear it I am
willing to take my seat. I am giving my reasons why this section of the
Ck>nstitution should be amended so that this sort of thing cannot be re-
peated.
President Hayes: I presume that Delegate Lawson, who was on
the international pay roll for more than fifteen years, knows the laws of
our international union. If there are any charges to be preferred
against international organizers the following section applies:
"When any officer of the organization, other than local, is charged
with an alleged official offense against the organization or any of its
members, the charge must be lodged with the Executive Board of the
branch of which he is an officer and the decision of said Executive Board
shall close the case in so far as such tribunal is concerned, but should
the accused or his accuser be dissatisfied with the decision of the tri-
bunal first trying the case, either shall have the right of appeal to the
next highest tribunal in authority, and so on until a final decision is
reached, as provided in Section 3 of Article III.''
Did you ever bring this matter to the attention of the International
Executive Board, according to the law in our International Union?
Delegate Lawson: I do understand the law of our organization, and
I understand also that if I make a false statement here I can be put out
of our organization. No, I have not brought this particular case to the
notice of our International President, but I did bring a number of other
cases to the attention of the former International President and the In-
ternational Executive Board, of which President Hajres was a member.
Delegate Pippin: I want to answer that.
President Hayes: Delegate Lawson has the floor. You will be
given the floor in due time.
760
Delegate Lawson: At the last meeting of the International Execo-
tive Board I attended, one year ago this month, I preferred charges
against two men who were international organizers, and I read into the
records affidavits concerning other organizers in this union. One of them
was Robert Bolton, who is still on the staff. I made statements against
another organizer, John Ramsay, and read statements from an Italian
paper which had been translated, and also read into the records of that
International Board meeting articles written by the editor of the Trini-
dad Free Press, John M. O'Neil. This organization was paying about
$8,000 a year to that paper. These statements were slanderous. I read
these things into the records, but did not prefer charges for the reason
that I believed that if a citizen walking down a street meets crooks or
law violators it is not up to him to have them arrested if they molest
him; it is supposed that the authorities will see that he has an oppor-
timity to go about his business.
«
I felt when those things were read into the records our President and
Vice-President of the international organization would see to it that they
would never occur again. But, let me say to you, they have occurred
again and again and again, and when this election took place they set out
deliberately to put me out of business. In the election just recently held,
in which I was elected president of our district, they again tried to put
me out of business and failed once more. I drew the attention of our
international officers to these matters and no action was taken.
President Hayes: I don't think you ought to make a wrong state-
ment to this convention. The International Executive Board, when deal-
ing with two cases you presented to them, accepted your verdict and re-
moved two organizers from the staff of the United Mine Workers. Why
don't you tell the convention that?
Delegate Lawson : I say except in these two cases, and I repeat if 1
have to prefer charges against every individual international officer that
is going up and down our State trying to destroy my good name I will
have no time for anything else, I will have a pretty busy job all the time.
Delegate Harlin, District 10: I would like to ask Brother Lawson
if he does not believe any man under charges ought to be giyen a trial
by this organization?
761
Delegate Lawson:* * Yes, I believe it all right; and I demonstrated a
good many times that I believed it, but I found it did not bring results.
At 5 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 9 o'clock a. m., Thurs-
day, January 24.
NINTH DAY-MORNINO SESSION
Indianapolis, Ind., January 24, 1918.
The convention was called to order at 9 o'clock a. m., Thursday,
Fanuary 24, President Hayes in the chair.
Discussion was resumed on the report of the Committee on Constitu-
:ion on Section 5 of Article IX, recommending no change in that section
and non-concurring in Resolution No. 121, containing a proposed amend-
ment to the section.
Delegate Lawson, Colorado: Speaking in opposition to the report
of the committee and in favor of the amendment to the Constitution, I
want to repeat that it is my desire to have this section amended, not be-
cause I want to curtail the authority of our International President in
selecting the men who may help him in his work of directing the organi-
zation, and it is not for the purpose of denying credit to men who have
held and now hold positions as international organizers; but it is for the
purpose of having something done to amend our Constitution that will
prevent a repetition of what has taken place in our district.
Last night before adjournment I read some of the returns that have
been tampered with in the State Federation of Labor election in Colo-
rado. I shall not read the rest of them, but make a very brief statement
concerning them and will try to get through as quickly as possible so
that those who desire to do so may speak on this question.
One other local I desired to speak of was the Cokedale local. It was
affiliated with the Colorado State Federation of Labor November 7, 1917,
and the election took place in October. No per capita tax had been paid
on that local to the State Federation of Labor or to this organization.
Men working in that camp who are members of our organization state
positively there was no local union in Cokedale at all. The Oak Creek
748
President Hayes: The motion to concur in the committee's report,
which is to non-concur in Resolution No. 84 and to adopt Section 3 of
Article II of the constitution, is before you.
A viva voce vote was taken. The chair, being unable to decide the
result of the vote, asked for a rising vote. Several delegates requested
a roll call. The chairman announced that after the rising vote had
been taken if a sufficient number of delegrates asked for it, a roll ctll
would be had.
/^ A rising vote was taken, the count being made by the messengers
and sergeants-at-arms, who announced that 958 votes had been cast in
the affirmative and 554 votes in the negative.
A number of delegates requested a roll call on the motion.
President Hayes: A roll call would consume an entire day. The
rules provide that 300 delegates must demand a roll call. Are there that
many who wish a roll call? There is no doubt in the mind of the chair
that there is an attempt on the part of some delegates in this convention
to obstruct the work. I want to make that point clear to this delegation
at this time. The chair is going to enforce respect for his office while
he is presiding over this convention. Are there 300 delegates who desire
a roll call ? The delegates who demand a roll call, in view of what the
chairman has said, will rise to their feet.
A number of delegates arose.
President Hayes: In the opinion of the chair, there are not 800.
The chairman then declared the motion to adopt the report of the
committee was carried.
Chairman Farrington, of the committee, continued the report, as
follows:
Article IV. No resolutions were offered and the committee recom-
mends no change. The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
The same report was made for Article V, Article VT, Article VII,
and Article VIII, that no resolutions had been offered proposing to amend
these articles and the committee recommended no changes. The report
of the committee was adopted.
749
Article IX, Sections 1» 2, 3 and 4, were adopted, no resolution pro-
posing to amend these sections having been submitted and the commit-
tee recommending no changes.
Chairman IVurrington: Resolutions Nos. 75, No. 121, No. 122, No.
146 and No. 200 relate to Section 5 of Article IX. The committee has
non-concurred in all of them and recommends no change in the section as
it now reads.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the reconmiendation of
the committee.
Delegate Helm, District 25, opposed the recommendation of the
committee and advocated the adoption of Resolution No. 121, which read
as follows:
RESOLUTION NO. 121.
Higginsville, Mo., January 3, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, The appointive power of the International President in the
appointment of International organizers and field workers has been a
source of discontent and dissatisfaction among the membership; and
Whereas, There has been instances where International organizers
have spent much of their time at the expense of the International Or-
ganization in hampering the district officials in performing their duties;
therefore be it
Resolved, That Section 5 of Article 9 of the International Constitu-
tion be stricken out and the following section inserted in lieu thereof:
''He may appoint such office workers as may be necessary to con-
duct the affairs of his office and a sufficient number of organizers and
field workers to conduct the affairs of the International Union, but no
International organizer or field worker shall assume his position as a
representative of the International Organization or draw any salary
from International Union until his appointment has been approved by
the International Executive Board and the District Executive Board in
which district the appointee holds membership, and that the number of
750
International organizers to be proportioned from each district according
to the number of paid-up members to the district and International Or-
ganization."
Submitted by Local Union 286, Higginsyille, Mo.
Delegate Helm, District 25: I suppose this is another resolution that
possibly will be considered at length. I arise at this time to oppose the
report of the committee and to speak in support of Resolution No. 121.
In the preamble of this resolution we claim that national organizers inter-
fere with the work of the district officials and that the appointive power
of the international president has been abused by some of his appointees.
We have had occasion in our small districts to come in contact with inter-
national organizers who have interfered to a larg^ degree in our confer-
ences with the operators when we were attempting to negotiate wa^
agreements. By reason of that fact disi^atisfaction was brought aboHt
in the ranks of our membership. I see no good reason why the appointees
of the international president, who ought to go out into the field and do
field work, and work in connection with the district organizations, should
not have their appointments approved of by the executive boards of the
districts from which they come.
I know this is not a popular issue to bring to the attention of this
convention, and I don't think it is one that will give anyone an opportunity
to accuse me or any other member of this delegation who supports the
resolution, of playing politics. If I wanted to play a successful game of
politics I would not come into the international convention and oppose
any measure that was proposed by the international representatives;
that is, I would not do so if I wanted to perpetuate myself in a job,
because the past history of our organization has been that in many
instances where district officers have been defeated by overwhelming
majorities of their constituents in their respective districts they were
immediately successful in obtaining appointments as organizers. If I
wanted to perpetuate myself in a job I would count on getting appointed
as an organizer if the men no longer wanted me as a district oflScial.
In that resolution we claim that the district officials have been ham-
pered in negotiating contracts; that there have been organizers on the
scene at the time we were, in conference, and they were in a condition
unbecoming representatives of the international organization, unbecom-
761
ing the humblest member of our organization, and as a result reflections
have been cast upon our organization by having them around when we
were negotiating agreements. If my remarks are questioned, I have
telegrams and replies to telegrams that will prove conclusively that such
a condition has existed in the past. I don't think there is anyone who will
question that if that condition has existed it ought to be remedied, and
we have taken this method of trying to remedy it. If my remarks are
contradicted by anybody when I say that organizers have hampered dis-
trict officials in their work and have been on the scene in a condition unbe-
coming representatives of our organization, I will later on read some of
the telegrams that were sent in the way of requests to have such organ-
izers removed from the scene.
I hoi>e the delegates will see fit to remedy the present laws and stop
the abuses of international organizers going on as they have been doing
in the past, casting reflections upon the integfrity of our organization and
at the same time preventing district officials from doing what is right and
just toward their fellow men. I don't want the convention to run away
with the idea that this is a personal attack on any individual; in fact, I
would like to have been relieved of the responsibility of bringing the
matter to the attention of this convention, but necessity has forced me as
a representative of the men in my district to bring to the attention of
the international convention impositions that are being imposed upon
the officers of our district by organizers who cannot get re-elected at the
hands of their respective membership.
Delegate Wilkinson, Secretary of the Committee: In the many con-
ventions I have attended I have never failed to find resolutions of this
character. There has always been some contention within the organiza-
tion as to the method of appointing organizers. The resolution that has
been presented by Delegate Helm seeks a new method of appointing
organizers. What is the method? It may be said that in the past the
international presidents have not used good judgment in appointing organ-
izers. However, we must recognize that the appointive officers of this
organization are responsible to the president. This resolution seeks, not
to make a change in the present system, but merely to transfer the power
now held by the international president and the international executive
board to the district president and district executive boards. That is
what this resolution contends for.
]
752
The committee, in non-concurring: in this resolution, believed that
the system now in effect is the only system that can be successfoUy
operated in our organization. There are many elected officials and
appointed officials that do not meet with my approval and do not meet
with the approval of a large number of the members in our organization,
but the present system, which has been in effect for many years, is the
only system }.hat can be successfully carried out. It has been said that
certain district presidents who have been defeated for office have been
immediately given positions as international organizers, and the men who
succeeded them as district officials objected to that procedure. I want to
say in behalf of this committee, and of myself as a member of the Inter-
national Executive Board, that in a majority of cases the men who have
had experience as district presidents are undoubtedly the best fitted to
perform the duties of organizers. Their experience and training while
serving as district officers fit them for these positions.
And why should men who have served their districts as officials be
denied the right to act as international organizers? If you adopt thix
resolution it will be impossible for an ex-district president to be appointed
as an international organizer, because the new district president undoubt-
edly will seek to prevent him from securing that position. The purpose
of this resolution is to transfer the appointive power from the Interna-
tional President and International Executive Board to the district presi-
dent and district executive board. Surely, the International President, who
is responsible for the conduct of the affairs of this organization, should not
have men foisted upon him as international organizers who do not meet
with his approval. That would be the inevitable result of the adoption
of this resolution.
Delegrate Mavrodis, Colorado: I rise to request the convention to
adopt this resolution. We have some international organizers in Colo-
rado who did not do anything but loaf in the streets. An organizer came
to our local last August and told me if I would go to the convention and
support President Moran I would get my expenses paid by the district
organization. I told him I didn't know about that, that there was plenty
of time to see about it. As soon as they found I was a delegate they
came and asked me what I was going to do in the district convention.
I told them I was going to support John R. Lawson. Then the interna-
tional organizer left the local.
758
Delegate Jones, District 12: How many organizers are on the pay
roll at the present time?
President Hayes: Less than under the previous administration.
Delegate Jones: I want to know so that it will govern me in voting
on this question.
President Hayes: Of whom are you asking tlie question?
Delegate Jones: I am asking Secretary Green.
Secretary Green : I cannot tell you now what the number is, because
I haven't the report here with me.
Delegate Jones: Will you give me that information tomorrow?
Secretary Green: Yes; I will prepare it and give it to you.
Delegate Flyzik, District 10: During the last fourteen years I have
been on both sides of the house. My constant attendance at these inter-
national conventions, I think, fits me to say a few words on the question
of selecting iijternational organizers. I am one of those who welcome
very gracefully any reform that will tend to purify the mine workers'
organization; I ani one of those who favor any legislation that will
reduce to the minimum the evils that some of the advocates of this legis-
lation are afraid of, but I do not want you men to be deceived. Examine
very carefully the resolution that contemplates changing the policy you
have adopted in the past and see whether or not the advocates of this
change are sincere and conscientious in their position.
One of the speakers who opposed the committee's report called your
attention to the evil condition that exists in his district. He pointed out
that the president of your international organization used his power to
select some defeated officer of the district he represents as international
organizer. May I at this time ask my friend who is more competent to
serve as an international organizer than a man who has had experience
as a district or subdistrict officer and has participated in the negotiations
for joint agpreements? But suppose the president of the international
organization attempts to select a defeated officer who may be opposed to
the new administration in the district. If the change that is conteipplated
by those who favor the resolution goes into effect what will be the policy?
764
The ablest man in the district may be selected as an international organ-
izer, but because a district officer does not like him personally or for
political reasons he will not be allowed to serve. Is that fair? I say
it is not.
So far as my own district is concerned, I don't care if you send in a
dozen organizers opposed to me; we will play the game fair, with the
cards on the table, and we invite all your officers to come there if they
desire to do so. No district official who is carrying out the fundamental
principles of this organization need fear any man who is on the pay roll
of the international union. Yet men stand up here and tell us we mnst
have this change because of the personal conduct of one or two men in
their respective districts. I don't care what kind of legislation you may
write into this constitution, it will never be broad enough or strict enough
to regulate the morals or the conduct of men; and I hope the day will
never arrive when this economic organization will attempt to undertake
that task. If any international organizer or other official does some-
thing that warrants his removal 3'ou have laws provided in the constita-
tion to remove him.
I favor the report of the committee. I believe it ought to be adopted.
Let us stop wasting the money of the mine workers t>n freak leg^lation.
What is your past record in this convention ? Let me tell you, boys. All
these so-called progressive reforms come from hostile communitiefl and
territories. While I have no desire to impugn the motives of any man
who may disagree with me, I have seen men on this floor opposing this
question that shouted at the top of their voices to uphold and perpetuate
the old system under a former administration. It seems to me the policy
is all right so long as the international organizers may be used to per-
petuate some of these district officials in office. I believe our interna-
tional president in the future should have the same pow«r he has had
in the past in the appointment of organizers. I hope ihe time will never
come when the highest tribunal of your organization must bow to the
vrishes of a district executive board.
Delegate Lawson, Colorado: Mr. Chairman, I arise to oppose the
report of the committee. I feel the time has come when something must
be done by this organization if we are going to preserve its integrity and
its good name. Therefore, I am very much in favor of a change in this
755
section of our constitution. And let me say at the outset that I do not
desire to leave the impression that any man who receives an appointment
as an international organizer is not a good man or a* good union man;
but there are on the pay roll of this international union men acting as
organizers today who are a disgrace to the United Mine Workers and a
discredit to themselves. I come from one of the partially organized dis-
tricts in which it is very necessary to have organizers to help in the work
of building up this great union. I have had a sufficient amount of experi-.
ence to be able to talk on this question and to point out some of the
things that this resolution would help to remedy.
The last speaker made a statement that we do not need to fear the
organizers. In our district we do not fear the organizers, but we are
ashamed to think that some of the men on the pay roll of this organiza-
tion would do the kind of work they do in that district in the name of
the United Mine Workers of America. I realize that it is possible that
a man who has held district office will make a good organizer in a field
where men are needed to do this great work; but I also realize what a
condition will arise when such men do not attend to their duties but
interfere with everything else except the work they are paid to perform.
In our district — Colorado, New Mexico and Utah — ^we have had an
election or two recently and we know something about the activities of
men in the pay of this union who call themselves organizers. Only a
short time ago we had an election for officers of the State Federation of
Labor of Colorado, and what do we find? Do we find men who are sup-
posed to be in that field to educate the men who are not in our organi-
zation and bring them into this great union expounding the doctrines of
unionism and teaching them what the United Mine Workers of America
stand for? No; but we find them doing everything in their power to de-
feat a member of this organization; we find them participating in one
of the rottenest election frauds in one of the most astounding attempts
to steal an election that has ever taken place in this organization.
I feel I would not be doing my duty to our membership at home,
that I would not be doing my duty in this convention if I did not draw
your attention to some of the things that have taken place in Colorado
within the last year or so. We found international organizers going up
and down the State doing all in their power to discredit members of this
756
union, going into the locals and interfering, in the elections, not trying to
build up a harmonious organization, not trying to do the things they are
sworn to do, not trying to do the things that will redound to the credit of
our union. Instead we found them doing everything in their power to
disrupt a district and keep it in turmoil. As one delegate said, this is a
question of who can keep himself on the pay roll. That is what has been
done by some of the organizers that have been sent into Colorado— they
have fought to keep themselves on the pay roll and keep their snouts in
the per capita tax trough.
I want to give you a few figures and make an explanation. I want
to tell you plainly why I believe this power should not be in the hands
of the International President. In the election of which, I have spoken,
the election of the Colorado State Federation of Labor, when this ontr
rageous but unsuccessful attempt was made to defeat me for president of
that organization, I found this condition existing in our district And
I say to you it was participated in by men on the pay roll of this Inter-
national organization. In Local 1393 thirty votes were cast for Lawson.
This was reduced to eleven votes. Mr. Carpenter, the man who ran
against me for president, received one vote. Mr. Carpenter's vote was
reduced to none. In Local 3095 Lawson received forty-five votes. That
was reduced to three votes. Carpenter received four votes, but that num-
ber was raised to 111 votes. In Local 834 Lawson received thirty-five
votes and Mr. Carpenter about the same number.
A Delegate : I rise to a point of order. We are not electing a presi-
dent of the Colorado State Federation of Labor.
President Hayes: The chair has no desire to restrict the delegate,
but he is not talking on the motion. He is discussing an election of the
Colorado State Federation of Labor.
Delegate Lawson: I am pointing out the need of a change in our
Constitution.
President Hayes: You may proceed. The chair has no desire to
take any advantage of you, even though you are not speaking on the
motion.
Delegate Lawson: Mr. Carpenter received thirty-five votes. That
number was raised by 136 by the time it arrived in the hands of the
757
tellers. Mr. Cunion, an international organizer from Iowa, according to
the statement of the secretary of that local union, went to th)e Firestone
Local Union and helped the secretary count the votes. Mr. Cunion car-
ried the two sheets to Denver in his pockets, and when he reached the
tellers the vote had been raised from thirty-five tp 136.
In Local Union 3030 Lawson received forty-six votes. Carpenter
fifteen votes. Mr. Carpenter's vote was raised by the time it got to the
hands of the tellers in Denver to 145 votes. I understand that Interna-
tional Organizers Pippin, Llewellyn and Dwyer were in the meeting.
Local 2060 gave Lawson eighty-four votes and Carpenter one vote. When
this vote arrived in Denver Mr. Carpenter had seventy-one votes. Local
3518 gave Lawson live votes and Carpenter twelve votes. Mr. Carpen-
ter's vote was raised to sixty-eight. Local 3008 gave Lawson twenty-
four votes, Carpenter one vote. Mr. Carpenter's vote was raised to 251.
Delegate Flyzik: I rise to a point of order. There is another side
to this. We will get the audit if you wish it. My point is that Delegate
Lawson is not discussing the question before the house.
President Hayes: Let the chair make a ruling. The point of order
is well taken, but the chair is going to rule that the whole matter will be
heard, because if these conditions exist this organization ought to know
it, the president of the union ought to know it and the laws of our or-
ganization will be enforced.
Delegate Lawson: Local 1878 gave Lawson seventy-nine votes and
Mr. Carpenter 121 votes. An international organizer named Dick Robin-
son has his card in that local. According to the president and other
members of that local union Org^anizer Robinson called J. W. Morris,
the president, on the 'phone the day of the election and asked him to hold
the election until he could get there. He was informed that it was too
li^te, that the election was going on. Organizer Robinson appeared in the
camp just at the time the ballots were counted and made the request of
the local president that he lay the return sheet down so he could get an
opportunity to raise the vote for Carpenter. When the vote was received
in Denver by the tellers Mr. Carpenter had, not 121 votes, but 421 votes.
In our district office we had a seal for the convenience of men in our
organization who might be going to the city whose cards, because they
758
were traveling around, would be getting delinquent. This local seal is
left there for such members as pay their dues. We found that Local
1082 cast ten votes for Mr. Carpenter. The return sheet was signed by
James F. Moran and Warren Pippin, acting president and acting secre-
jtary of our district. In the last ten or eleven months not one single cent
of tax was paid in this local union; they asked that they be exonerated
each month, and on the 18th day of this month, in this city, Warren Pip-
pin walked into the national headquarters and had this local onion exon-
erated for the months of October, November and December, and in this
convention today there sits the international organizer as a delegate from
that local union.
Local 3104 gave Lawson no votes and gave Mr. Carpenter twenty-
five votes. This local union has not been holding meetings; they have not
been able to hold meetings in that camp for some months and the charts,
seal and supplies are in the hands of an international organizer, Mike
Salvage, who is a delegate to this convention. The return sheet for this
local is signed by Mike Salvage and Mike Valda, a member of our union
in the Walsenburg district, and Mr. Valda makes an affidavit to the ^ect
that he never signed those returns. He also said that Mike Salvage re-
quested him to plump the votes of that and another local union.
Local 3003 gave Lawson no votes and gave Mr. Carpenter 250 votes.
This local union was organized last May and the company closed down
its mines and drove the members of our union out of the camp. The
charter, seal and supplies were taken into the Colorado State Federation
of Labor office in Denver and finally turned over to International Organ-
izer J. W. Cunion. That local union never had more than 130 members
when it was a fully organized camp, and not more than 149 men on an
average have been employed in that mine this year. Yet we find Mr.
Cunion's name sign^ed to the returns — "Lawson no votes and Mr. Car-
penter 250 votes."
Local Union 3012 has not been in operation for some months. The
men have not been able to hold their organization there, yet we find from
the Forbes Local Union, "Lawson no votes, Mr. Carpenter seventy-five
votes.'' Local 3099 gave Lawson no votes and gave Mr. Carpenter 131
votes.
769
A Delegate : I move that we adjourn.
President Hayes : I do not see any necessity of repeating that tabu-
lation; it is not interesting to the delegates. You have produced enough
without taking up any more time, Delegate Lawson. The chair has tried
to be very liberal with Delegate Lawson, but he does not think he should
try the patience of the delegates by going into this at such great length.
Delegate Lawson: If the delegation does not want to hear it I am
willing to take my seat. I am giving my reasons why this section of the
Constitution should be amended so that this sort of thing cannot be re-
peated.
President Hayes: I presume that Delegate Lawson, who was on
the international pay roll for more than fifteen years, knows the laws of
our international union. If there are any charges to be preferred
against international organizers the following section applies:
''When any officer of the organization, other than local, is charged
with an alleged official offense against the organization or any of its
members, the charge must be lodged with the Executive Board of the
branch of which he is an officer and the decision of said Executive Board
shall close the case in so far as such tribunal is concerned, but should
the accused or his accuser be dissatisfied with the decision of the tri-
bunal first trying the case, either shall have the right of appeal to the
next highest tribunal in authority, and so on until a final decision is
reached, as provided in Section 3 of Article III."
Did you ever bring this matter to the attention of the International
Executive Board, according to the law in our International Union?
Delegate Lawson : I do understand the law of our organization, and
I understand also that if I make a false statement here I can be put out
of our organization. No, I have not brought this particular case to the
notice of our International President, but I did bring a number of other
cases to the attention of the former International President and the In-
ternational Executive Board, of which President Hayes was a member.
Delegate Pippin: I want to answer that.
President Hayes: Delegate Lawson has the floor. You will be
given the floor in due time.
760
Del^^ate Lawson: At the last meeting of the International Execu-
tiye Board I attended, one year ago this month, I preferred charges
against two men who were international organizers, and I read into the
records affidavits concerning other organizers in this anion. One of them
was Robert Bolton, who is still on the staff. I made statements against
another organizer, John Ramsay, and read statements from an Italian
paper which had been translated, and also read into the records of that
International Board meeting articles written by the editor of the Trini-
dad Free Press, John M. O'NeiL This organization ¥ras paying about
$8,000 a year to that paper. These statements were slanderous. I read
these things into the records, bat did not prefer charges for the reason
that I believed that if a citizen walking down a street meets crooks or
law violators it is not ap to him to have them arrested if they molest
him; it is sapposed that the aathorities will see that he has an oppor-
tanity to go aboat his bosiness.
I felt when those things were read into the records oar President and
"^ce-President of the international organization woald see to it that they
woald never occar again. Bat, let me say to yoa, they have occoned
again and again and again, and when this election took place they set out
deliberately to pat me oat of basiness. In the election jost recently held,
in which I was elected president of oar district, they again tried to pot
me oat of basiness and failed once more. I drew the attention of oar
international officers to these matters and no action was taken.
President Hayes: I don't think yoa ooght to make a wrong state-
ment to this convention. The International Executive Board, whoi deal-
ing with two cases yoa presented to them, accepted your verdict and re-
moved two organizers from the staff of the United Mine Workers. Why
don*t yoa tell the convention that?
Delegate Lawson: I say except in these two cases, and I repeat if I
have to prefer charges against every individual international <^5cer that
is going up and down oar State trying to destroy my good name I wiU
have no time for anything else, I will have a pretty bosy job aU the time.
Delegate Harlin, District 10: I would like to ask Brother Lawson
if he does not believe any man under charges ought to be given a trial
by this organization?
761
Delegate Lawsonr - Yes, I believe it all right; and I demonstrated a
>od many times that I believed it, but I found it did not bring results.
At 5 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 9 o'clock a. m., Thurs-
ly, January 24.
NINTH DAY-MORNING 8E88I0N
Indianapolis, Ind., January 24, 1918.
The convention was called to order at 9 o'clock a. m., Thursday,
inuary 24, President Hayes in the chair.
Discussion was resumed on the report of the Committee on Constitu-
on on Section 5 of Article IX, recommending no change in that section
nd non-concurring in Resolution No. 121, containing a proposed amend-
ent to the section.
Delegate Lawson, Colorado: Speaking in opposition to the report
I the committee and in favor of the amendment to the Constitution, I
ant to repeat that it is my desire to have this section amendedr not be-
luse I want to curtail the authority of our International President in
electing the men who may help him in his work of directing the organi-
ition, and it is not for the purpose of denying credit to men who have
eld and now hold positions as international organizers; but it is for the
arpose of having something done to amend our Constitution that will
revent a repetition of what has taken place in our district.
Last night before adjournment I read some of the returns that have
3en tampered with in the State Federation of Labor election in Colo-
ido. I shall not read the rest of them, but make a very brief statement
>nceming them and will try to get through as quickly as possible so
lat those who desire to do so may speak on this question.
One other local I desired to speak of was the Cokedale local. It was
(filiated with the Colorado State Federation of Labor November 7, 1917,
nd the election took place in October. No per capita tax had been paid
1 that local to the State Federation of Labor or to this organization,
[en working in that camp who are members of our organization state
ssitively there was no local union in Cokedale at all. The Oak Creek
762
Local Union is much in the same position. Daring the month of May
last this local was consolidated with the Oak Hill locals yet it cast no
votes for Lawson and 145 for Mr. Carpenter. The Cokedale local cast
no votes for Lawson and 148 for Mr. Carpenter.
I have in my hand a brief list of locals whose votes were plumped.
The vote was taken in these locals by the members rising. I understand
the international organizer recommended this. The total of these votes
is eleven for Lawson and 1,100 for Mr. Carpenter. These are some of
the reasons why this evil should not be permitted to continue and why
the convention should take some action on this section of the Constitution.
I want to i)oint out these things in as impersonal a manner as possible,
because this is not a personal matter; it is a matter of right and justice;
it is a matter of the integrity of our organization in that State. The
name of our great organization must be preserved, for if this thing is
permitted to go on and on the organization finally will suffer because
of it
I have in my hand a circular letter dated November 1, 1917, signed
by ''James F. Moran, President." I am just going to read a few words
at the bottom of this circular letter, as follows: ''I give you this in-
formation so that you will be prepared to proceed to nominate good and
efficient men to office as soon as you receive official call for election."
That was sent out to the members of District 15 concerning the recent
district election.
I have in my hand a statement signed by Harry P. Connor, who in-
formed me that he had been approached by some international organizers
and permitted himself to be nominated for International Executive Board
Member. This statement is as follows:
4i
Hastings, Colo., December 21, 1917.
"This is to certify that James F. Moran and Robert Bolton asked me
to lay down and not make the race for International Board Member of
District 15. This request was made on the night of December 2, 1917.
They said if I accepted the nomination it would injure the chances of
763
«
Luke Brennan. I was nominated by four local unions and accepted the
nomination and mailed the same to Warren Pippin on December 11, 1917.
Signed: "HARRY P. CONNOR.
Witness : '
"BERT H. ALLISON.
"W. F. FORD.
"LON SW AFFORD."
That is another reason why I am opposed at this time to the report
of the conmiittee and why I believe something should be done to remedy
these evils.
I have an affidavit made in Huerfano county, Colorado, which reads :
"AFFIDAVIT.
State of Colorado, County of Huerfano, ss. :
u
"Now, on this 1st day of January, A. D. 1918, comes Angelo San-
chez, of lawful age, a resident of Huerfano county, Colorado, first being
duly sworn, on oath deposes and says. That he was at one time president
of Local No. 3104, United Mine Workers of America, located at Ideal,
Huerfano county, Colorado. Says that on the 31st day of December, A.
D. 1917, Mike Salvage came to me and asked me to go to Ideal and take
a sample ballot and show or instruct all members in good standing how
to vote on January 3, 1918.
"Affiant further deposes and says that Mike Salvage told him to be
sure and mark the cross for G. O. Johnston.
his
"ANGELO (X) SANCHEZ,
mark
Witness to mark:
"MIKE VALDEZ.
"Subscribed and sworn to before me at my office in Walsenburg,
Huerfano county, Colorado, this 1st day of January, A. D. 1918.
(Seal) "JOSEPH H. PATTERSON,
"Judge and Acting Clerk of the County Court, Huerfano
County, Colorado."
764
This is the organizer I spoke of whose name is sign^ed to the retona
in the Colorado State Federation of Labor election and is not even a man-
ber of that local union. ^In the statement made by Brother O'Connor,
whose name was not put on the ballot because it might injure the chances
of Board Member Luke Brennan, who was running against Brother E.
L. Doyle.
I want to draw your attention now to part of a statement that has
come into my possession from Local 3006. This is dated "Heybro, CoIom
July 27, 1917," and the part I will read is as follows:
"This is to inform you of statements by one Bob L. Lewellyn,
organizer for Rout End, Moffat county, Colorado: That John R. Law-
son must be supported by some unknown source that he is able to be on
the road continually from Denver to the southern coal fields of Colorado.
That John R. Lawson is a menace to organized labor in Colorado and
that pressure must be brought to bear at the present convention of the
State Federation of Labor to be held at Boulder, August 6, 1917, and he,
Bob Lewellyn, is launching a three-cornered fight in said convention to
get John R. Lawson out of the labor movement altogether in the State of
Colorado, and he. Bob Lewellyn, says it must be done."
This is signed by the officers of the local union and the seal is at-
tached. As a farther reason why this section of the Constitution should
be amended, let me go back to the time and the history of our organiza-
tion when I was in the Trinidad jail after having been sentenced to life
imprisonment at hard labor by a coal company's hand-picked jury. This
is in regard to statements made by Mr. Robert Bolton, who waa then on
the staff and who is still on the staff:
"I was in the city of Pueblo, Colo., during the month of July, 1915,
and while waiting for a key and open a room to get my suit case to
leave the city. Mr. Robert Bolton, then a national organizer for the United
Mine Workers of America, happened to pass by where I was standing.
"Having known him for a while and of him for a longer period of
time, I shook hands with him and in a few words made known to him my
intentions of leaving the city.
'*While waiting for the key I expressed my indignation of the wanton
prosecution of so many brother unionists and especially did I lament the
765
prosecution and the recent conviction of Brother John R. Lawson, also
the unfair means employed to bring it about.
"Bolton had only replied with a few words when I was astonished
at the opinion he expressed about Lawson, as he (Bolton) considered
Lawson an outlaw as well as the coal operators.
"Bolton then said in substance: 'That he thought Lawson had not
got near what he deserved and that his courting publicity had incurred
the ire of the powers that be.
«< (
'Also that he had not got what he deserved or anything approach-
ing it, and that a combination was being formed of which he (Bolton)
was a member that had for its prime object the setting forth of facts
that would show Lawson up for just what he was to the public and the
union.'
"In short, I would not speak of Lawson as he did even though he
was my mortal enemy and had wronged me beyond reparation.
"T. J. POTESTIO.
*
"Subscribed and sworn to before me this 16th day of October, 1916.
(Seal) "JOHN E. DAVIS, Notary Public
"My commission expires August 7, 1917."
This affidavit was read to the International Executive Board one
year ago this montbf and other similar affidavits were read, and nothing
has beeii done about it so far as I know.
Delegate McCleish, District 12: Has this convention a grievance
committee?
President Hayes: Yes.
Delegate McCleish: I think that is the place for Brother Lawson
to take his grievance. We have listened for quite a long time to this
correspondence, and for one delegrate I am getting tired of hearing these
disputes in regard to elections. We want to discuss the resolution before
the convention. I don't think it is right to waste our time listeiiing to
these affidavits. If Brother Lawson has been unjustly dealt with I think
he should take his case up with the Committee on Appeals and Grievances.
766
President Hayes: The chair wants to give Delegate Lawson fofl
opportunity to state any grievance he has against the international organ-
izers, and we expect them to reply when he has finished. There are two
sides to this story. Delegate Lawson has full latitude to discuss the
question.
Delegrate Lawson : I think this story must be tiresome to every one
of the delegates in this convention, and I know it must be extremely tire-
some and annoying to some of them. I believe our constitution should
be amended so that a repetition of this kind of thing cannot take place in
Colorado or any other district. I understand this may be misinterpreted,
or probably that the wording of the resolution is not what it might have
been. I understand what it will mean to the president of the organization
if his proper authority is curtailed, and I am not in favor of doing any-
thing that would hamper him in the proper work he has to perform for
this organization; but if this kind of thing is permitted to go on; if
organizers are to be permitted to become the adjuncts of any political
machine; if they are permitted to go up and down the United States
maligning the character and the reputation of men in the labor move-
ment, then I don*t understand the obligation I took when I became a mem-
ber of this union.
Now, Mr. Chairman, I am through for this time. I hope the ddegates
will consider this resolution and the report of this committee in a calm,
cool and dispassionate manner, and when they cast their votes that they
will vote to do the thing that will make our org^anization better and
bigger than it ever has been before.
Delegate Moran, Acting President District 15: I rise at this time
to support the recommendation of the committee and to oppose the reso-
lution before the house. This resolution comes from a district that is
100 per cent, organized and Is not bothered with organizers. I don*t
understand why they ask this convention for the privilege of appointing
organizers. This resolution says in part — and, in fact, this is the whole
of the resolution:
"Whereas, There have been instances where international organizers
have spent much of their time at the expense of the international organ-
ization in hampering the district officials in performing their duties."
767
I don't know of any instance where any international organizer ham-
pered the membership of Missouri or the district officials of Missouri. I
believe the men who are responsible for the actions of the international
organizers, the men they have to report to, ought to have the right to
appoint them. I don't believe this delegation should depart from the
rule that has been in force these many years. If an international organ-
izer does anything that is not rjght there is a remedy. I dont believe it
is right and just for anyone to come before this convention and ridicule
and malign the characters of the organizers — and he himself makes the
statement that nobody should malign the character of members of the
organizatioiv
I have been an official of this organization for a good many years,
and I have had no controversy with any brothers in the organization.
On the second, of last February I met President White in Des Moines.
At that time the autonomy of District 15 had been acted upon by the
International Executive Board and the charter was to be suspended on
the 15th of February. President White asked me if I would assume
charge of Colorado and see if I could not cement the forces over there,
because that district, as a result of internal strife and turmoil, had its
charter suspended. .As a result of that strike and turmoil the member-
ship had suffered. I knew John R. Lawson; I had known him for 'Six
years, when I worked with him side by side on the International Execu-
tive Board. During that six years we never had a word; we were good
friends. President White thought that, inasmuch as we had been good
friends, I might be able to bring harmony into the district. With that
object in view, and with that object only, I was sent to Colorado.
I am sorry this matter has come up in the manner it has, and I am
sorry to have to ask the indulgence of this convention to go into it; but
in justice to the organizers who worked in Colorado during my tenure of
office; in justice to those men who worked night and day and Sunday
in order to build up the organization, I feci it my duty to say a word in
their behalf.
When I arrived in Colorado about the 10th day of February I imme-
diately wrote to John R. Lawson. I will read the letter I wrote on that
occasion and then make my discussion as brief as possible. Delegate
Lawson has opened up a wide field and it would take me all day to answer
768
all the charges and all the allegations he has made in this convention. Ai
I said before, when I arrived in Colorado I immediately wrote to Delegate
Lawson. I thought when I wrote the following letter he would take it
in the spirit in which it was intended:
"Oxford Hotel, Denver, Colorado, February 13, 1917.
"Mr. J. R. Lawson, Denver, Colorado:
"Dear Sir and Brother — I believe that you are aware of the fact that
on February 15th, 1917, the international organization will take over the
affairs of District 15, U. M. W. of A., in harmony with the action of the
International Executive Board at the last meeting of that body, and I
wish to inform you that the undersigned has been appointed acting presi-
dent, and Warren Pippin of Kansas acting secretary-treasurer, with
instructions to report for duty at District 15 headquarters, Denver, Colo-
rado, on above mentioned date.
"Inasmuch as you are very active in the affairs of District 15, U. M.
W. of A., and believing as I do that you have the welfare of the organiza-
tion at heart, I at this time ask your co-operation and assistance in an
effort to establish a 100 per cent, organization in Colorado. I believe we
should be big enough to lay asidd any personal feeling that we might
have in this matter, and work together with good will and harmony, with
the object in view of giving to the miners and the dependents in Colorado
that measure of protection that will be theirs by the building up of onr
organization, and that they are entitled to in view of the many sacrifices
that have been made in the past in this field.
"Again asking your co-operation and assistance, as above set forth,
I remain. Yours very truly,
(Signed) "JAS. F. MORAN."
John R. Lawson answered that letter and refused to co-operate with
me in an effort to build up the organization in Colorado. Why did John
R. Lawson refuse to co-operate with me? I will tell you why — ^Lawson
wouldn't tell it. He had in view at that time a job with the operators as
labor commissioner and worked under cover for a long time before he
was discovered. When he was discovered he made the bluff that he
resigned, but I don't believe he has resigned yet. Perhaps John R. Law-
son, the great martyr, who ate chicken twenty-one times a week in the
jail, and had Louis I^ancannelli, who was in with him, cooking the chicken,
can tell that.
I called a meeting of the organizers and we outlined a policy in C0I07
rado. We made up our minds to do all we could to build up the organiza-
tion, and we did all we could. We worked hard, but there was always an
obstacle cropping up here and there through some inner force that we
could not discover then. We afterwards discovered that everything
thrown in our way by the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company was thrown in
our way, and everything John R. Lawson could do against the establish-
ment of the organization was done. The first meeting the C. F. & I. held
with the representatives of organized labor in Colorado I attended. There
were representatives from all the C. F. &. I. camps. Mr. Weitzel, the
manager of the company, said our organization was not a democratic
organization, that if it were it would have John R. LAWson as president.
The Colorado l^el & Iron Company wants John R. Lawson to be presi-
dent!
There are two sides to the question of the election. John R. Lawson
doesn't make any specific charges. If any of the organizers did wrong,
why didn't he prefer charges in the proper way? We work under a con-
stitution and if he made charges he would get redress, as he did on a
former occasion. I was on a committee with Brothers Harlin and Wilk-
inson when he preferred charges against two organizers and we sustained
his charges. Now, he has come into this convention and tries to create
prejudice against the organizers, although he has not advanced one argu-
ment why the report of the committee should not be adopted.
The State Federation election! I have a grip full of statements
here if I wanted to impose them on the convention. How was the election
of the Colorado iState Federation of Labor held? That election dragrfiT^d
on for a month. The mixed trades opened it on the day specified and
closed it a month later. Here is one thing Mr. Lawson failed to mention.
The barbers, who held no election at all, are recorded in the tellers' report
as having giving Lawson 250 votes — they voted everything, barber chairs,
razors, towels, cuspidors, everything they had! Did Lawson object?
Oh, no; that was for Lawson! He would not cast any reflections on the
allied trades. The teamsters cast 35 votes, and the tellers' report gives
Lawson, I believe, 350 votes. Anderson, the secretary-treasurer, who
25- Pro. M.
\
I
d
770
received all the reports, made a statement to several men that the mixed
trades plumped over 50 per cent, of their votes for John R. Lawson. The
president of the State Federation of Labor at that time, and who had
been president for several years, I believe, will verify that statement
If John McLennan is in the hall I want to ask him if that is true?
Delegate McLennan, District 15: Yes.
Delegate Moran: You bet it is true! But Lawson wouldn't say a
word about that. He comes here, as he went up and down Colorado dur-
ing the campaign that has just closed — ^he was a candidate for president
of District 15 — ^ridiculing the miners and publishing these things in the
papers, but he never said a word against the trades that voted for him.
I am positive that if the votes had been counted fairly and squarely
Albert Carpenter would be found to be elected president of the Colorado
State Federation of Labor. The miners, the men John R. Lawson c^mies
here and malig^ns, were the only ones that voted fairly and squardy.
How could the vote be changed ? If it was changed it was done for a
purpose — ^it was changed for the purpose of giving the election to Law-
son, and he was in on the changing. The miners voted as they always do
and sent their returns to the secretary of the State Federation of Labor.
He was the only one who had access to the ballots; he was a friend of
Lawson, worked tooth and nail for him, and I understand he knew the
vote; he knew how many Lawson had; how many to get him — and be
gave him enough to elect him. He had, I understand, several returns he
had not reported on because Lawson didn't need them.
Now, about the local union that meets at State Federation head-
quarters. Delegate Lawson says the seal is there. Why, bless his soul,
that is their meeting place! That crowd of men have been locked out
by the coal company because they put a check-weighman on the tipi^e.
They meet at State Federation headquarters because their charter is
there.
Delegrate Lawson referred to Organizer Cunion. Re happened to
be in the northern field and they gave him the returns for the Firestone
local union. The returns were given to Anderson without the seal being
broken. Who changed the figures? I am positive it wasnt any of the
international organizers.
771
We have in Colorado something you men perhaps have not thought
of. ^ Colorado is the hardest state in the union to organize, for this rea-
son. The Colorado Fuel & Iron Company, which is the Standard Oil
Company, is the strongest corporation in that country, and has what is
called an industrial plan. In every local union that we have organized
and in localities we have not organized there are two representatives of
the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company and two delegates that meet every
month at the suggestion of the company. These men are members of
our local union. They meet with the C. F. & I. representatives and go
over the supposed grievances. The C. F. & I. pays them their per diem,
their expenses, gives them a turkey dinner, and sends them home to
report to the locals. We have that to contend with. We have also the
C. F, & I. paper, which is distributed among the miners. It prints the
names and pictures of the delegates and their friends, and tries to get
them to repudiate the Mine Workers and work in harmony with the
company. They are succeeding in some places.
The C. F. & I. also has a pension plan, and the old men who have
worked there all their lives feel if they continue to work imtil they can
work no more they will get a little pension to give them enough to eat
for the balance of their lives. But you must remember that they will
not live long after the C. F. & I. gets through with them. However, if
they do not live up to every rule and obey every whim of this company
their pension is cut off.
John R. Lawson was traveling from one end of the district to the
other in Colorado with apparently no means of support. I knew he had
no money, for he was indebted to the international organization when he
was in -Denver. Whether the indebtedness was for a purpose or not
nobody but John R. Lawson knows. I thought he was working for the
coal company. I wrpte to the president of that coal company to find out
what Lawson was doing. Here is the letter I wrote to the president of
the Victor American Fuel Company:
"May 26, 1917.
''Mr. G. F. Bartlett, 311 E. & C. Building, Denver, Colo. :
''Dear Sir — I have been informed that Brother Lawson, a member of
our organization, who worked for you at Hastings, has quit down there
and accepted another position with your company.
772
''Woald yoa please inform me what his duties are and the nature of
his employment and whether or not his present duties are governed by
the joint asrreement entered into by and between the Victor-Amerietn
Fuel Company and the United Mine Workers of America.
"Awaiting an early reply, and with kind regards and best wishes,
I remain Yours very truly."
While I had not known anything about it I was criticised from one
end of the district to the other by some of Lawson's friends for doiag
what I could to prevent Lawson from getting employment. This was
going on in secret. I knew nothing about it until my attention was called
to it by this letter, and when I investigated I found it was genersDy
talked of by Lawson and his friends^ Here is the letter I received in
reply to my letter of May 26:
"Denver, May 29, 1917.
"Mr. J. F. Moran, Pueblo, Colo.:
"Dear Sir — Answering your favor of May 26 concerning empky-
ment of John R. Lawson, I understand you have been criticized for pre-
venting him from securing work, but desire to say you suggested that
we give him work when he applied for it at Hastings.
"As we are short of men, he is now making an effort to secure some
for us. I do not know of any connection between his employment and our
contract with Mine Workers. Yours truly,
"G. F. BARTLETT."
John R. Lawson was going around Fremont and other eonnties tell-
ing th«« members he was working in an appointive position under the
Governor to get the miners to work steadily and produce all the coal they
could during this war period, and never letting on whether he was labor
commissioner for the coal company or not. I wrote to John P. White
shortly after that while he was in Cheyenne, Wyo., and asked him if s
man in that capacity could hold membership in our organisation. Presi-
dent White answered and told me that a man who accepted a position
of that kind forfeited his membership in the organisation. I say to yon
now that unless John R. Lawson has joined since that time he is not s
member of the l^nitoii Mine Workers of America in aoeordanee with the
Constitution.
773
I received another letter from Mr. Bartlett. Lawson was found out.
Somebody told what he was doing. Mr. Bartlett telephoned to me, "Don't
tell anybody what Lawson is doing." I replied that I didn't think I
would. Then Bartlett wrote me as follows :
"Denver, June 2, 1917.
''Mr. J. F. Moran, 422 Thatcher Building, Pueblo, Colo. :
"Dear Sir — I presume you noticed the article in the Post this even-
ing about John R. Lawson, and I would like to know if you have given
the information directly or indirectly on which this article is based.
"Yours truly,
"G. F. BARTLETT."
He was sorry that people had found out John R. Lawson was his
labor agent!
I answered his letter as follows:
"Des Moines, Iowa, June 7, 1917.
"Mr. G. F. Bartlett, 315 E. & C. Bldg., Denver, Colo. :
"Dear Sir — I am in receipt of your favor of June 2 and contents
carefully noted.' In reply will say that I have not seen the article in The
Post regarding John R. Lawson, and I wish to state that I have not
spoken to any one concerning his employment. I presume Mr. Lawson
has given the information himself to some of his confidential friends, or
supposed friends, and they were glad to peddle it.
u
Trusting this is satisfactory, I remain
"Yours truly,"
The article in The Post is said to be a very vicious article. I will
not read it. It does not say a word against John R. Lawson's character
or his integrity, ability or honesty ; but it does say "that John R. Lawson
accepted a position with the operators and may never again dig any coal
in Colorado or anywhere else." That is the sum and substance of the
article in The Post. It is a long article, and if I have misrepresented it
John R. LawBon is here to contradict me. It told only the truth. In the
774
Boulder convention Lawson accused me of approving of the article.
What I did say was that the article told the truth, and it did; he did
accept the position and perhaps he will never dig any coal again.
After the article appeared in The Post the Denver Labor BulletiB
came out with a vicious article attacking me and Secretary Pippin, call-
ing us ''the invaders," and charging us with trying to deprive John B.
Lawson of his membership in the organization. This Denver Labor B1l^
letin is opposed to the United Mine Workers and is supporting John B.
Lawson. The Bulletin went to such an extent that the State Federation
of Labor of Colorado, which met on the 6th of August last, repudiated
that paper and took away its support.
To show you what has been going on I will read an affidavit. First
I want to speak of Harry Connor, who accuses me of asking him to lay
down and not run for International Board Member. That is a deliberate,
vicious falsehood, and Harry Connor knows it. But I don't believe Harry
Connor ever told it. I know him. He told me in the Oxford Hotel in
Denver, when the question was up, ''Jim, I cannot run for National Board
Member because my membership lapsed and I only joined the organiia- ,
tion three months ago." He had no intention of running for Interna-
tional Board Member, and I don't believe he made that statement that
has been read.
Here is an affidavit that was handed me a few dajrs ago. I have
three or four more, but I will read this one:
"AFFIDAVIT.
"State of Colorado, County of Huerfano, ss.:
"Personally appeared before me this day Eli Romich of the county
of Huerfano and State of Colorado, and being first duly sworn according
to law, deposes and says: That on or about the 26th day of July, 1917,
John R. Lawson came to me and began talking politics to me secretly,
and I told John that I did not understand the political affairs and I told
him if he had anything to say to talk straight to me, so he told me that
I ought not to kick about Super or pit boss and that I was making good
money and that the contract was no good, and if I did not cease com-
plaining that I would be given a wet place or fired and I couldn't be rein-
stated under the contract. I did not agree with him and in a few days
I was discharged and arrested and fined for having too much powder in
my place. I was the only one amongst all the miners at Ravenwood
mine, notwithstanding there were a good many more had extra powder
in the mine, and it was known to pit boss and super. It seems to me that
this was a put-up job by Lawson or someone else because I did not agree
with his policy. A few days after I told my story at the meeting and
later on E. L. Doyle came to me and was trying to get me to say in the
presence of a witness that Mike Salvage, H. D. Friel and R. F. Robinson
promised me a job for what I said against Lawson. I said I could do
nothing because I can't talk good English, read or write, so then he tried
to get me to say they offered me money or would give me money.
"ELY ROMICH.
''Subscribed and sworn to before me this 11th day of January,
A. D. 1918.
(Seal) "VICTOR MAZZONE, Notary Public.
"My commission expires June 1, 1919."
Delegate Marks, District 6: I understand the man who made the
affidavit could not talk good English?
I
Delegate Moran: It was interpreted. It is sworn to before a
notary public. Quring the last election of state officials in Colorado
John R. Lawson went from one end of the state to the other cam-
paigning. He went as far as Gallup, New Mexico, and for the life of me
I don't know how he could do it. I don't know where the money came
from, but I know Lawson didn't have it. He criticised the international
organizers, the organization and everybody. I will say for the commit-
tee of international board members that conducted the election, Watkins,
Zimmerman and Van Horn, that they were told if they could find out
that the international organizers interfered to bring me the information
and I would report to President Hayes and I knew they would be re-
moved. The organizers worked night and day and Sundays to build up
this organization and they did it over the protest of Lawson.
When I assumed charge of Colorado on February 15, 1917, we had
the vast membership of 250 — 250 members after Lawson's eleven years
in office! At the present time, as a result of the work of these organ-
774
Boulder convention Lawson accused me of approving of the artick.
What I did say was that the article told the truth, and it did; he did
accept the position and perhaps he will never dig any coal again.
After the article appeared in The Post the Denver Labor BulletiB
came out with a vicious article attacking me and Secretary Pippin, call-
ing us "the invaders/' and charging us with trying to deprive Jdm B.
Lawson of his membership in the organization. This Denver Labor Bul-
letin is opposed to the United Mine Workers and is supporting Joho B.
Lawson. The Bulletin went to such an extent that the State Federatioa
of Labor of Colorado, which met on the 6th of August last, repudiated
that paper and took away its support.
To show you what has been going on I will read an affidavit. First
I want to speak of Harry Connor, who accuses me of asking him to Isy
down and not run for International Board Member. That is a deliberate,
vicious falsehood, and Harry Connor knows it. But I don't believe Harry
Connor ever told it. I know him. He told me in the Oxford Hotd in
Denver, when the question was up, "Jim, I cannot run for National Board
Member because my membership lapsed and I only joined the organin- ,
tion three months ago." He had no intention of running for Interna-
tional Board Member, and I don't believe he made that statement that
has been read.
Here is an affidavit that was handed me a few days ago. I have
three or four more, but I will read this one:
"AFFIDAVIT.
''State of Colorado, County of Huerfano, ss.:
"Personally appeared before me this day Eli Romich of the county
of Huerfano and State of Colorado, and being first duly sworn aocording
to law, deposes and says: That on or about the 25th day of July, 1917,
John R. Lawson came to me and beg^an talking politics to me secretly,
and I told John that I did not understand the political affairs and I told
him if he had anything to say to talk straight to me, so he told me that
I ought not to kick about Super or pit boss and that I was making good
money and that the contract was no good, and if I did not cease com-
plaining that I would be given a wet place or fired and I couldn't be rein-
stated under the contract. I did not agree with him and in a few days
I was discharged and arrested and fined for having too much powder in
my place. I was the only one amongst all the miners at Ravenwood
mine, notwithstanding there were a good many more had extra powder
in the mine, and it was known to pit boss and super. It seems to me that
this was a put-up job by Lawson or someone else because I did not agree
with his policy. A few days after I told my story at the meeting and
later on E. L. Doyle came to me and was trying to get me to say in the
presence of a witness that Mike Salvage, H. D. Friel and R. F. Robinson
promised me a job for what I said against Lawson. I said I could do
nothing because I can't talk good English, read or write, so then he tried
to get me to say they offered me money or would give me money.
"ELY ROMICH.
''Subscribed and sworn to before me this 11th day of January,
A. D. 1918.
(Seal) "VICTOR MAZZONE, Notary Public.
"My commission expires June 1, 1919.''
Delegate Marks, District 6: I understand the man who made the
affidavit could not talk good English?
Delegate Moran: It was interpreted. It is sworn to before a
notary public. Quring the last election of state officials in Colorado
John R. Lawson went from one end of the state to the other cam-
paigning. He went as far as Gallup, New Mexico, and for the life of me
I don't know how he could do it. I don't know where the money came
from, but I know Lawson didn't have it. He criticised the international
organizers, the organization and everybody. I will say for the conmiit-
tee of international board members that conducted the election, Watkins,
Zimmerman and Van Horn, that they were told if they could find out
that the international organizers interfered to bring me the information
and I would report to President Hayes and I knew they would be re-
moved. The organizers worked night and day and Sundays to build up
this organization and they did it over the protest of Lawson.
When I assumed charge of Colorado on February 15, 1917, we had
the vast membership of 250 — 250 members after Lawson's eleven years
in <^ce! At the present time, as a result of the work of these organ-
776
izers who have been so much abused, we have in the neigfaboriiood «f
7,500 dues-paying: members, and for the fint time in sixteen yean a
the history of Colorado we have a self-sopporting district there.
I don't know whether Lawson is elected ; we will wait until we haw
the vote counted to decide. I believe from the unofficial reports 1 htve
that the miners of Colorado elect^ somebody, but it wasn't John B.
Lawson. When the new officers take office these ''invaders," these *'pi^
eaters/* as they are called, including: myself, will be in a positkm to
turn over to the duly elected officers of that district a self-sustainin;
org:anization and one that will not be any more trouble to the inter-
national, but it will be in a position to support its own officers.
Delegate Lawson: May I later on ask Brother Moran a few
question?
President Hayes: You will have that privilege.
Delegate Harlin, District 10: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Dekgsta
— With the exception of matters reported upon by my committee, thii
is the first time I have taken the opportunity to speak upon any qws^
tion from the floor of this convention. I want to say, Mr. Chainntii,
that like a great many other delegates I must confess that upon seven!
occasions I tried, without success, to secure the floor, and I want to ask
your patience now while I discuss briefly Ihe pending question.
This is a matter of extreme importance; it deals with more than
the question of the policy of the international organisation. By virtue
of the subject-matter injected into this question by Delegate Lawson on
the floor of this convention, it now deals with the honor and integrity of
men who are members of our organization, and some of whom I am
pleased to call my friends. I want to speak, if I am privileged, fn
defense of some of the men who have been indicted and who are not
here to say a word in their own defense.
I sat in this convention the other day and saw the enthusiasm and
felt the thrill, when Secretary Green read his ringing challenge to the
supreme court of the United States. That court has seen fit to challenge
a great fundamental right, the right of men and women to organise;
but I want to say to you that, great as that right is, there is a greater
human right than even that, and that is the great fundamental principle
777
of human liberty that guarantees to every man who is accused of wrong-
doing a hearing and a right to a fair and impartial trial by a jury of
his peers. So I heard with amazement yesterday evening a man who
is a delegrate to this convention stand before this vast assembly and
render indictments against many men, some of whom are not present,
and ask that they be condemned, convicted and punished without a
hearing. This right I have spoken of is protected in this constitution,
and the gentleman who spoke yesterday evening and this morning knows
full well the procedure he ought to have adopted in prosecuting the
charges he made against members of this organization.
This great right, Mr. Chairman, has been handed down to us out
of the mists of the centuries, consecrated by the blood of millions of
human beings; it is a right in the fight for which emperors have trem-
bled and kings have tumbled from their thrones. I think this organiza-
tion can do nothing less than see that members of our organization will
have a trial. We know that every man that may be mentioned cannot
have the opportunity of the floor in this convention to defend himself;
therefore, I believe the gentleman who made these charges ought to have
preferred them according to regular procedure so that the men he
indicted might have an opportunity to say a word in their own defense.
"This fight brought up on the floor of this convention dates a long
way back, away back, if .you please, to 1910, the year that saw the
commencement of the strike in the Northern Colorado coal field. At
that time Delegate Lawson was a friend of the international administra- ,
tion. T. L. Lewis was then president of this organization and John R..-
LawBon was one of his henchmen. The floor of this convention in that'
year and in previous years would ring with the voice of John R. Lawsonj
defending every policy of the then international president, including the)
appointment of international organizers. That year this man who now
shrieks to the heavens for justice was a member of the Committee on
Appeals and Grievances; he sat there on the trial of a man who wa^
international board member for Colorado, and the result of that tria)
was to unseat this man and find a verdict in behalf of John R. Lawson,
who sat himself on the trial committee. ^
Delegate Lawson: I deny that charge.
778
Delegate Harlin : You were an organizer at that time. Verily, my
friends, how the times have changed !
This is not a clean-cut fight for a principle. I have been able to see
in this convention a thread of organized and premeditated ^ort to dis-
credit the international administration, and upon every qnestkm tint
could be popularized on the floor of this convention that oppoaitiai his
developed and an attempt has been made to play upon the paasioDS and
prejudices of men in order that discredit might be brought to those wiio
have been given the responsibility of administering the affairs of this
international union.
I know something of the situation in Colorado and I believe I oai^
to be g^iven the privilege of speaking a few words in connection with
that matter. I had occasion to go to the Southern Colorado coal fields
in September, 1913, immediately after the great strike in the Sootfaen
flelds was called. On the September* morning I arrived in Trinidtd,
Colo., I reported to the office of the United Mine Workers in that city
and there met William Diamond, who was in charge of that office. He
said he had just received a telephone call from Forbes, Colo., smd tiie
men there informed him that they were being menaced by a group of
armed guards, that they were being menaced by two machine guns sad
they wanted somebody to go out there and help than. Along with sonc
others, I volunteered.
In the party that went to Forbes that morning wIm the editor of
the United Mine Workers' Journal, Edgar Wallace. Accompanying as
also were two men on the pay roll of the United Mine Workers of
America, Murphy and Schneider. For our protection, I say franUyf
we carried high-power Winchester rifles. We drove until we came in
sight of the tent colony at Forbes. Before us on the road we could see
some twenty or more armed guards and accompanying them there was
an armored automobile, an automobile encased in steel within which sit
a man who operated a machine gun. He himself was protected from
attack by rifle, because no rifle bullet could penetrate that sted frame
of the automobile. We halted, of course, when we saw the cordon of
guards around the tent colony.
It is very significant that Mr. Murphy and Mr. Schneider were very
courageous that morning, so courageous that they wished to make s
779
demonstration in the face of these armed giiards. I felt afterwards
that it was very suspicious. I advised that we get out unarmed and ask
those men what they were doing. The rest of the story is not pertinent,
except that after a parley the guards went away. The significant part
is that Mr. Murphy and Mr. Schneider were on the pay roll of this
organization by virtue of the action of John R. Lawsoh and E. L. Doyle,
of Colorado, and that very morning, when they were anxious that we
make a demonstration, they were drawing pay from the Baldwin-Felts
Detective Agency. And then you wonder why it is they were anxious
that the arrangement that has held good for years should be continued!
One of those men, formerly a guard in the Northern Colorado coal
fields, was securing all the information he could and later was used
against John R. Lawson himself when he stood trial in Colorado. These
are hard, cold facts that no amount of sentimental argument can over-
come and it behooves this convention this morning to weigh carefully
and well their action, to determine in their own minds whether this and
other fights in this convention are legitimate fights for some principle,
or whether they are brought before the delegates for the purpose of
utilizing some issue that may be popularized to discredit the administra-
tion of this organization.
Now, I want to say a word in behalf of international organizers.
It has never been a very popular thing to do. I commend the present
vice-president of the organization because he had the courage to do that
in the report he submitted. The organizers have been vilified and
abused until in the minds of many men there is a conception that no
organizer is a fit person to associate with. These organizers are called
upon to leave their homes. Within their breasts there bums an enthu-
siasm for the advancement of this organization, and times without
number they have gone with indomitable courage into the very lairs of
the gunmen of the great industrial centers of this country. Some of
the men who have been indicted on the floor of this convention are
friends of mine, and with all the vigor I can command I intend to fight
in this convention that these men be given a fair and impartial trial.
For that principle, my friends, I would fight for the meanest wretch
that ever walked the face of God's green earth. I don't think we should
take seriously the position of a man who, knowing he can prefer these
I
780
charfces in the proper way, chooses to make some rambling: statement of
accusations on the floor of this convention.
Delesrate Lawson mentioned speciflcally Robert Bolton, who is not
present in this convention, but who is out working for the organizatkm.
He felt much displeased because on a former occasion he brou^t to the
attention of former President White the fact that he did not like Robert
Bolton and because of his unsupported statements I presume he felt
Robert Bolton ought to be summarily discharged. I don't believe we
stand for that kind of principle in the United Mine Workers of Americi.
By the way, I think Delegate Lawson was instrumental in th6 first place
in appointing Robert Bolton as an organia&er, and that ia a very good
reason why we should permit him and others like him to select inter-
national organizers in the future, I suppose!
Following the big strike in Colorado things did not look very good
out there. I have in my hand a tabulation of the membership in the
district that we have in Colorado. In 1915 we had 520 dues-paying
members in Colorado; in 1916 we had approximately 1,000 members in
that district Just a year ago this month the International Executive
Board, in view of the condition that existed in Colorado and other imsll
districts that were not self-supporting, decided to change the inter-
national policy affecting those districts, and instead of paying a corps
of district officers their salaries they decided to suspend the eharien
of these districts and place the work of organizing in the hands of
representatives of the international union. And so it was that the
charter of District 15 was suspended. The charter of Alabama and of
Southeastern Kentucky and Tennessee was suspended and international
organizers took charge of the affairs of the organization. Of course*
that did not please Mr. Lawson and he made a great speech against it.
.\ year before that time Board Member Lawson had been on a com-
mittee of which 1 was chairman w*hen the autononiy of District 17 and
District 19 was suspended, so when he got up to protest against suspod-
ing the autonomy of District 15 it did not create a very good effect
Sinct« that time the international organizers hl^ve been in charge of
atrair:^ in these other small districts. What is the result? I beliefe it
is r\'8ults that count : it is deeds and actions that ought to be the con-
vincinKT ar^runuMU in this convention. The results accomplished in Colo-
781
rado. Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee speak more eloquently than any
words of mine could as to the wisdom of the policy of the international
organization and the work of the international organizers. Within three
months in Colorado, due to the change in policy, a joint conference was
arranged with the Victor-American Coal Company. In that conference
a wage agreement was signed, and I do not believe any man who had
anything to do with the negotiation of that wage agreement need make
any apology for it on the floor of this convention.
I had the honor, with President Hayes, who was then vice-president,
to represent the Colorado miners on the sub-committee that made that
agreement. We secured from the company that had been a most im-
placable foe of the United Mine Workers in times gone by a contract
presiding for a check-off and for all the essential thing^s contained in the
agreements of Kansas, Missouri and even District 12. Shortly after
that the men in charg^e of Colorado signed up other companies and today
we have upwards of 6,000 members paying dues to this organization;
they are self-supporting, and on the first day of April the autonomy of
District 15 will be restored.
What happened in Tennessee and Eastern Kentucky? Perhaps I
should not tell the story. I am a member of the International Executive
Board and I believe the story could be better told by some members of
the rank and file of District 19 ; but in that district, helpless, with hardly
any membership, after we took direct charge we succeeded in organiz-
ing practically every man in the Cumberland Mountains of Eastern
Kentucky and Tennessee. Today they have an agreement, they have
pit committees, and I believe they will be willing to testify on the floor
of this convention to the work that has been done by the much malignned
men who happen to be organizers of this international union.
I believe there comes a time when a lot of the gruff that has been
spread before the delegates of this convention should be called and
even though it be unpopular to take that stand I am taking in defense
of those men, I take gpreat pleasure in assuming that position this
morning. I stand, Mr. Chairman, unqualifiedly for the report of the
committee. If my advice counts for anything, if I have merited the
confidence of any man in this convention, I advise that the report of the
c<»nmittee be adopted. I understand that subject-matter that may be
a little remote from the question under consideration has been injected
782
into this discussion, but I believe that in securing an understanding of
what has happened and a knowledge of the facts in the case the money
we have spent in going into this matter has been well spent.
So, Mr. Chairman, in closing I desire to say that if we wish to
protect this organization, if we wish to secure the best results in tiie
future we will not at this time make the change contemplated in the
resolution pending before the convention. I believe the men who go at
the behest of the international officers into the various non-union dii-
tricts where the great industrial predatory powers of America are in
control ought to be selected directly by the men who have been given
the responsibility of administering the international affairs of this
organization. That can be done by the International President with the
consent of the International Executive Board. I feel it would be a fatal
mistake to adopt the proposition submitted by those who drafted the
resolution, and I advise the delegation to adopt the report of the com-
mittee and leave the section now in the constitution unchanged.
Delegate O'Neil (John M.)» Colorado: Mr. Chairman and Dele-
gates of the Convention — I do not desire to abuse your patience. I hold
in my hand a condensed history of my stewardship while editor of the
Free Press of Trinidad, Colo., for three years under the supervision of
your international officials. I know that a majority of the delegates in
this convention are worn out, tired and weary of oratory, and I realise
they are anxious to return to their homes as soon as possible; therefore,
I will not take up the time of this convention by reading this lengthy
article, but will turn it over to the convention after I get through and
then it will be the property of the international organization.
I have listened to the speech, or rather the harangue of John R.
Lawson, and if I did not know the man I would be tempted to believe that
he was the most unfortunate victim of wrong and persecution who had
ever lived in any age of history, and yet that he was the most perfect
and patient man who had ever been bom since Christ was crucified on
Calvary. I told you that I would only read a few pages of this report,
and it will be the part of the report which referred specifically to John fi.
Lawson.. Who is John R. Lawson? What has he achieved, and to what
monument can he point as a preacher of the gospel of unionism vhUe
on the pay roll of your international organization for a period of twelve
long years? And as international organizer for four years, if I b*ve
i
788
been informed correctly, he never organized one single local union — but
all through his official career he courted that fulsome adulation that
nauseates the intelligence of human beings in a normal mental condition.
*
''To get a glimpse of the stature of John Lawson it is only neces-
sary to read the story of his life as told by John to Harvey O'Hig^ns,
who dressed up his data in three installments which appeared in the
Metropolitan Mag^azine commencing November 15, 1916. I have read
some history concerning Ihe great men of the past whose bones have
crumbled into dust; I have pondered over the prowess of a Napoleon
and a Wellington, and have felt my nerves tingle as I contemplated an
Alexander weeping for more worlds to conquer. But, as I read the
word-painting of Harvey O'Higgrins, picturing the life of Lawson, as told
by himself, my mind flashed back to the days when the vivid imagina-
tion of the novelist fabricated that peerless story of fiction that made
inmiortal such names as Sixteen- String Jack, Dick Turpin and Claude
Duval. In the ghost-story penned by Harvey O'Higgins, Spartacus,
the Roman gladiator, looks like a pigmy compared to honest and fear-
less John, for when the invincible John struck a man in Colorado he
went whirling through the immensity of space until he hit the bosom
of old Mother Earth in California, fell in the state of Arizona, or
dropped in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
"John, through the publicity which he gained by his official connec-
tion with your organization, became known to the great automobile
manufacturer of the city of Detroit, and when Mr. Ford launched his
peace ship, an invitation was sent to John, requesting that he accom-
pany the celebrities, whose mission across the seas was to bring back
the doves of peace to the battlefields of the warring nations of the Old
World. John, in his modesty, shrinking from the limelight like a coy
maiden from a bald-headed specimen of ancient manhood, published the
letter of Ford and likewise hitf letter of declination.
"When these letters were published America wept, and the sighs and
sobs that broke from the trembling lips of 100,000,000 people upon the
soil of Young Columbia were pitiful to hear, as forty-eight states of
our Union contemplated the irreparable loss that must follow through
John's failure to cross the seas as a prince of peace to quench the fires
of war that had crimsoned Europe's sky with the flames of a raging
and roaring hell.
784
"When 'Kaiser Bill' and the war lords of Europe learned that tlie
hero and martyr of Ludlow had declined to be a guest on the peaee ship,
there was joy and jubilation among the royal-robed autocrats of the
German 'Empire, for they felt that if the unconquerable spartan of
Colorado had pressed his pedal extremities upon the shore of Europe,
the 'partner of God' would have unconditionally surrendered, and the
royal dictum would have been issued from the throne that the flags of
war must be furled and the sword sheathed, to make way for the coming
of the millennium, when war shall be no more.
"John has been lauded as the hero and martyr of Ludlow— but
where was John on that ever memorable day, the 2(Hh of April, 1915,
when the lives of men, women and children went out to satiate tt»
vengeance of industrial oppressors? John was in Trinidad, twelve miles
away from the scene of battle, and when the tidings were brought to
Trinidad that the tented city at Ludlow was being fired upon by the
state militia and the paid man-killers of coal corporations, John Barlidi,
Peter Gorman and John Lawson entered an automobile and drove toward
Ludlow, but when the automobile came within range of the machine
guns, the missiles from the machines of death halted the automobile, and
John Barlich and Peter Gorman got out of the automobile and laid flat
upon the ground to escape the messengers of death that were shot from
the smoking lips of the most modem weapons of death and destruction.
What did John do? Did he lay upon the ground like his associates?
No! John's feet hit the earth with such rapidity that the jack-rabbits
on the prairies of Las Animas County have never boasted of their
sprinting abilities since John broke the record from Ludlow to Trinidad.
"In the middle of December, in the year 1915, the Federal Industrial
Relations Committee sat in the legislative chamber of the state capitol at
Denver. John appeared before that commission, with Frank P. Walsh
as chairman, and read a prepared and compiled document giving his
conclusions on conditions that had prevailed in the coal fields of Colo-
rado. It was to be presumed that John gave a full and complete history
of industrial conditions and the many infamies that had been perpetrated
during the strike under the regime of 'law and order,' as established by
the ultimatums of the captains of industry. But it seemed that John
did not tell all, for in the next month — the month of January — brave
and dauntless John was the star actor before the same Industrial Com-
mission in the city of New York, to tell again the story that was woven
^rom the brutal economic conditions in Colorado and from the crimes
that had been committed, while broadcloth anarchy sat upon the throne
of power and authority."
A delegate arose to a point of order and stated that Delegate O'Neil
iKras not discussing the question before the house.
President Hayes: The chair is trying to give every delegate a
hearing. I did not allow Delegate Lawson to be interrupted.
Delegate Hall, District 6: We are discussing a report of the
Committee on Constitution and not John R. Lawson, international organ-
isers or any one else.
President Hayes: The chair ruled the other day that Delegate
L«awson would have full opportunity to discuss any phase of the orgran-
izer question, and it is only fair to grant the opposition the same oppor-
tunity. The chair declares the point not well taken.
Delegate O'Neil: Since I have been in this convention I have not
interrupted any delegate. I have listened to Mr. Lawson and I have
never raised a single exception to any word he uttered. In the beginning
of his harangue the gates were opened wide for Mr. Lawson to cover
every field, and Mr. Lawson did not hesitate to malign and calumniate
almost every man in the employ of the international organization. I
"want to show who and what Mr. Lawson is. Mr. Lawson himself opened
the gates wide and made it possible for us to impeach his record.
I want to call attention to the fact that aiter the Hastings disaster
in Colorado, when 121 victims were ushered into eternity through an
explosion, John Lawson became the employment ag^ent of the Victor-
American Fuel Company, the second most powerful corporation operat-
ing in the state. No one would have censured or criticised Mr. Lawson
for securing such employment had he placed his cards upon the table
with their faces up. But Mr. Lawson secured his job clandestinely and
kept the fact of his being an employment agent from the miners. He
did not take these miners, for whom he pretended to sweat blood, into
his confidence. He still kept his card in the United Mine Workers'
organization regardless of the fact that the position he had accepted
made him one of the confidential men of the second largest coal com-
I
786
panics in the state of Colorado. I want Mr. Lawson to esqidaio vpas
the floor of this convention why he kept the fact of bein^ a eoafidestial
agent of the Victor-American Fuel Company under cover.
I told yon in the beginning that I would not abuse your patience.
I merely wanted to show in a brief way who and what John R. LawMO
is. I have no personal ax to grind, I have no personal ambition to lenc.
In giving you this brief history in connection with John Lawboo'i
career in Colorado I am only performing my doty as an empl^qre of your
international organization.
A Ddegate: Is that any reason why we should not amend tie
constitution?
President Hayes : Your question is not a proper one.
Delegate O'Neil: If the gentleman will keep his chair f <ff s fet
minutes I will be through. I have passed the three-score mikstone In
the pathway of life and in a few more years my work wiU be finiihfii
but I want to feel that in the evening of my life yonr organisation sad
the whole labor movement of this country will move onward and upwtid
to a grander situation where there will be shining the stars d*
civilization.
Delegate Farrington, Chairman of the Conunittee: I have bsoi
sitting here patiently listening to this discussion since about 4 o'doek
yesterday afternoon and I have been wondering how lon^ it woold be
before the delegation got tired of it.
At this point the speaker was interrupted by several delegates.
Chairman Farrington : I would hate to be sent to a conveatioB by
my local union with the knowledge that the only ability I had was to
holler "louder/' or **sit down/* or "previous question.^ Under drcnm-
stances of that kind I would feel I was the rankest kind of impoftiff
upon the members making up the local union I came here to represent
If a man comes here who can neither speak in defense of or against the
policies of the organization, and he is not wiUing to hear those who csn,
that delegate ought to be at home.
Delegate Morris, Local 1421, District 12: There is no chance for t
delegate to speak.
787
Chairman Farrington: I have not stopped any one from speaking.
President Hayes: The chair resents that statement. I have en-
savored to give everybody an opportunity to speak, but you must
imember there are 1,650 delegrates here. I will recogn^ize you next.
Chairman Farrington: Do you want the floor now? I will sur-
inder it if you do.
Delegate Morris: I care not where a man comes from or who he
presents if he comes to this convention trying to voice the sentiments
' the men at home he is immediately exposed to all the dirty, sarcastic
urs possible, not only he himself but the men at the face. One delegate
ated that a miner did not know what he did want. I want to compare
lat man with Mr. George F. Baer, of Pennsylvania, president of an
ithracite coal company. I am here to defend the men I represent from
lose slurs and abuses. I may get a black eye at the convention, but
don't want to see the men I represent get a black eye. George F. Baer
dd the rights and interests of the laboring men would not be pro-
cted by labor agitators, but by good, christian men to whom God in his
finite wisdom has given control of the industries of this country. The
ily difference between him and the men who cast slur^ at the men at
le face is that God Almighty, according to Mr. Baer, gave the country
• Mr. Baer, Mr. Rockefeller and Wall Street and those men who cast
lese slurs.
A child of ten years could come here and see how things are work-
^. They ran the big forty-two centimeters in on the automatic penalty
ause. This is what I want to say in regard to the autocratic rule in
lis convention. Such men as Bismarck, that we read about, this grreat
*ainy man that laid the foundation for the slaughterhouse in Europe
lat is under the present management of Kaiser Bill —
A Delegate: I arise to a point of order. The delegate is not speak-
g to the question.
President Hayes: The delegate is not speaking on the motion be-
•re the house, but the chair rules that he will be heard. He stated that
16 chair was not recognizing any delegates from the pick, and I am
ling to let him speak as long as he wants to.
I
788
Delegate Morris: We see things are drifting in this orgmnixttioB
just like they drilted in the Western Federation at the time I was t
member of Local No. 1, Butte, Mont. They had a clique there, with the
president the paramount ruler. He would sit up there with his hammer
and one of the Amalgamated Copper Comimny's curs would get up snd
make a motion for the benefit of the copper company and be seconded I7
twenty or thirty men representing the Amalgamated Copper Compsnj.
There would be a lot of honest and conscientious men there, too, ind
they would voice their sentiments and protest against these dirty con.
If an honest, conscientious man got up to talk he would be immediately
told to ''sit down," or somebody would say: ''Out through the door
with him!" It has been proved that the Amalgamated Copper Company
had three to four hundred men in Local No. 1 and when one of them got
through talking he was immediately applauded by these^ stool pigeooi.
When an honest man got up it was: "Out through the door with him!"
Delegate Farringrton, Chairman of the Committee: As one member
of the Committee on Constitution I object to our report being confnaed
by the introduction of matter that has no relation whatever to it. Ewr
since 4 o'clock yesterday aftenioon this delegation has sat here liiteiiisg
to the discussion of a subject which is not related to the committee's
report and to which we have not attempted to afilx our action in any
manner, shape or form. I also object to the imputation that this com-
mittee has attempted to insult any delegate in this convention. So far
as I have been able to discern, no member of this committee has made
a single offensive remark to any delegate here, unless that delegate
should be gifted with a feeling of prejudice that puts him in a position,
where he wants to regard our remarks as being offensive.
It has been said that the steam roller is working in conventkmi.
A remark or a charge of that kind is an insult to the intelligence of thii
delegation ; it is a reflection upon the 1,600 men sitting in this convention
for the purpose of passing upon the policies of our organization. When
men in debate lose the side they represent then they begin immediately
to say "machine politics.'' It was ever so, and I presume it always
will be. I would dislike to think that the delegates in this convention
are so destitute of ability to pass judgment on these policies as to4dk>w
themselves to be run over by a machine, as has been charged of certain
men who have lost their side of the question in the debate coming before
789
Uie convention on the various policies. I am satisfied the delegates in
this convention are thoroughly competent to pass judgment on any
question that may be submitted to them, and they are competent to do
that in an impartial way. I am satisfied that no machine, no matter how
effective it may be or how smoothly it may run, can deter this delegation
from passing fair, impartial and intelligent judgment upon every ques-
tion coming before the convention. And when that judgpnent has been
rendered, I am perfectly satisfied that the delegates will feel they have
done that which is best for the United Mine Workers of America. But
I am sick and tired of hearing this eternal charge of men who are de-
feated on the various issues coming before the convention that the
convention is being dominated by a machine, and whenever a man makes
that charge, I repeat, that he insults the intelligence of this delegation.
I want to now speak briefly in defense of the committee's report
The trouble with the United Mine Wbrkers is that we do not have posi-
tions enough to go around; we do not have jobs enough. I am satisfied
that the grreat bulk of, our membership are willing that the appointive
power of the president shall remain as it is, but there are always certain
men among us who, because of their inability to secure some position
with the organization, are eternally introducing resolutions proposing
that the appointive power of the president be taken away from him, in
the hope that by so doing they may be fortunate enough to get struck
by lightning and land in some of those jobs. That is the truth about it,
Mr. Chairman.
This resolution proposes in part that the appointment of organizers
iliust be confirmed by the district executive board of the district from
which those organizers come. Suppose the convention should adopt the
resolution and the plan proposed therein should become operative in this
organization, would that fact prevent an occurrence such as has been
complained of by Delegate Lawson? Would the fact that the appoint-
ment of these organizers is confirmed by the respective district executive
boards prevent the thing Delegate Lawson has complained of? The
argument that has been occupying the time of this convention since
yesterday afternoon has no place in the convention at this time. If
Delegate Lawson had any complaint to lodge as to the conduct of any
organizer in Colorado, we have a Committee on Appeals and Grievances
in this convention appointed for the purpose, of hearing just such com-
I
790
plaints MB he has made. That is where his complaints should have been
filed instead of taking up the time of this convention and attonptiiig
iio defeat the report of the Committee on Ccmstituticm to which his
ariniment has no relation whatever.
However, the subject has been opened up and I just want to eall
your attention to this fact: The initial trouUe in Colorado was earned
because of the fact that the International Elxecutive Board suspended
the charter of that district. That was done because the district was not
self-sustaining and had to depend entirely upon the international orgsoi-
zation for financial expenses. Delegate Lawson as a member of the In-
ternational Executive Board sat on a committee that suspended the char-
ters of the two West Virginia districts.
A Delegate: I rise to a point of order. That question is to come
before the Committee on Appeals and Grievances.
President Hayes: Your point is not well taken.
Chairman Farrington : Your point .should have been made some
time ago. I was hoping some one would raise it. As I said. Delegate
Lawson, when a member of the International Executive Board sat on
the committee that suspended the charters of District 17 and District
29, West Virginia, and when the time came to apply the same policy-
concurred in by Delegate Lawson for West Virginia — to Colorado he ob-
jected, and that is the thing that caused all the trouble. Delegate Law-
son, I am informed, was offered a position by the President of this In-
ternational Union and told that he might go to work for the interna-
tional organization and use his power and influence and whatever abil-
ity he might have to build up the organization in Colorado. Delegate
Lawson refused to accept that appointment.
Now, Mr. Chairman, I believe the results accomplished by the Inter-
national Union in years gone by demonstrated the effectiveness and the
desirability of continuing the appointive power of our International Pres-
ident as it has been in the past. It is true we may not all get jobs or-
ganizing, but I am satisfied that, taken as a whole, men ii^o are thor-
oughly capable of discharging their obligations as organizers will be se-
lected for the positions, and they will do the very best they can to boild
up this organization.
791
I, too, have some reason for complaining about the appointment of
organizers. Organizers have been appointed from Illinois by the Inter-
national President over my protest, but I do not feel that fact in itself
18 8u£9cient to warrant this convention changing the policy that has
proved so advantageous to the organization in the past. I take it the
thing this membership wants is to build up our organization. If that is
done we should not have much reason to complain about the details in the
matter. I complained about the appointment of organizers, but the
President of this International Union, evidently felt that my objections
were not well founded; he evidently believed the men whom he had se-
lected were capable of rendering efficient service to the organization.
And, after all, he is the one who is held accountable for the success or
failure of this organization and he should be privileged to exercise his
judgment and disregard mine if he chooses to do so. I may have a per-
sonal dislike for some of the things the President may do, but because
of that personal dislike I have no desire to haijnper him in his efforts to
build up the membership of the organization.
I hope the committee's report will be adopted. If the best interests
of this organization are to be served the report will be adopted.
Delegate White (J. P.), District 18: I take the floor at this time
to defend the course I pursued while President of this great organiza-
tion. I have watched very carefully the studied attempt — a sort of last-
ditch fight of some kind — that has been going on here for some days to
adopt a policy that might give comfort to those who would seek to
hamper the organization and cast aspersions on those who swelter under
responsibilities. I am by no means a stranger to this controversy; we
have had this to contend with in one form or another for, lo, these many,
many years. Every man who has occupied a position of trust and re-
sponsibility in this organization has met from time to time the same op-
position, the same attempt to fasten upon him the full responsibility for
all the work of this organization, and then in the same breath try to
limit his power to cope with the problems, that confront this mighty
organization. I sat in this convention on more than one occasion when
this sort of fight has been carried on. I think two years ago I stated
that I thought I analyzed the cause of the fight that occurred each suc-
ceeding year when I said the great trouble was that we had created more
792
members than we had offices to bestow. Time has vindicated that state-
ment fully in my humble judgment.
This resolution emanating from the Southwest is similar to resolu-
tions that have come from other sections of the country, and has for its
object the curtailment of the power of the President to make such sp-
pointments as will enable him to prosecute the work of organizing and
building up this union and take away from him that right to appoint
organizers. If it were adopted he would have to go to those sectioni of
the country where our district presidents reside and gain their consent
before he might appoint men for the purpose of carrying on the work
of this organization. Speakers have sought to leave the im]lression that
the President of this organization has rested the success of his polidef
for the organization on his personal ambition, on his ability to appoint
men who, according to Delegate Lawson and others, have no higgler re-
gard for their functions as orgranizers than to do the personal Indding
of the man they receive their appointments from. The delegates and the
members know there is not a single particle of truth in that statement
For nearly seven years I had the honor to preside cfver this great
organization, and I never predicated my success upon my appointments.
I have met you face to face in every controversy where my good name
or the honor of the organization was at stake. I have traversed yonr
great jurisdiction, and I have not been content solely to meet the dfieert
of the organization, but went out on the hillsides and addressed the mul-
titudes of men that compose this organization. I never hesitated to ac-
count fully for any official act of my administration.
The dark side of this is held up here to make yoxL believe there are
some dire consequences about to overtake you. Again the straw man is
put out to delude those who are not conversant with all the facts in the
case. We have listened here to the internal affairs of an election in
Colorado that had no place in this convention, that has no relation to
the issue before us; but Delegate Lawson saw fit to take advantage of
the situation in order that he might drive prejudice into the minds of the
delegates in the hope that it would help to adopt the resolution. There
is no reform wrapped up in this proposition; it would not remove the
evil complained of if adopted. The President of this organisation, if he
desires men to assist in the non-union fields or elsewhere, must go and
793
conault the president of some district and his associates if in the opinion
of the International President there resides in that district a member
of our organization competent to perform the duty of an org;anizer.
It comes with poor gn^ace from the lips of John R. Lawson, a man
who has received every consideration from this organization of ours,
when he says that he never received justice in .the unfortunate contro-
versy that found him a prisoner in Colorado. In five tremendous mass-
meetings in the anthracite field, when he was under indictment and
facing a hostile and prejudiced court, the International President of this
organization and the organizers in the anthracite coal field, the officers
and sympathizing members passed resolutions daily in their meetings
and sent their mighty protest to the President of the United States, to
the Governor of Colorado and to every authority we hoped might bring
influence to bear to get this man his day in court. John Lawson sat on
our International Executive Board during the almost seven years I was
president and he cannot say and no other member of that Board can say
that in the slightest degree he was ever hampered or singled out by the
President of this organization for special treatment or to do anything
against him that was not do^e to every member of that Board. And in
the years I was associated with him I am pleased to testify personally
that my )'elations with John were most cordial.
These much-despised organizers are used for political expediency in
this hour, as they have been used in years gone by, and not one single
word is said by these men who seek to bring about this change in our
law of what has been accomplished through the aid and help of these
individuals. In the seven years of my official service 1,872 locals were
organized in the United Mine Workers of America. According to the
report of your statistician we had during that time an increase of 179,000
members. What administration, taking them all in, has done more in a
like period? The insurmountable barrier that held the men in non-union
fields in check have been broken down and the gospel of our union planted
in their midst. And the men who are today receiving the condemnation
of John R. Lawson and others of his kind were some of the agencies that
contributed 'to the improvements that are reflected in the reports of your
international officials.
There never was an organizer, when charges were preferred against
1
794
him by any bona fide representative of our organizatioii, that did not
have his affairs investigated, and if we found his conduct was not toA
as to inspire confidence and insure us that he was a proper rq»resaits-
tive of the organization, we removed him from the staff. The last set
that John R. Lawson performed as a member of our IntematiiHial Ex-
ecutive Board was to present charges involving the conduct of two inta-
national organizers, and I immediately removed those men by wire fron
the service of this organization. These two men were lifelong fricndi
of mine.
These resolutions are introduced by the most part to detract, em
if it is in a small way, from the credit that is due the men that have bMB
charged with the responsibilities of your organisation, and also witii tiM
hope that there may come to those who oppose the policies of the oigani-
sation that have proved so fundamental some few crumbs of eomfori
AU men who make appointments make mistakes. We place confidence io
the fidelity and integrity of men and sometimes we are in error; tiicy
fall away from the standards that should guide their conduct; but the
organization is amply protected if our laws are employed, because no
self-respecting president can preside over such a great army of men if
he seelLs to fasten upon this organization employes who are not whst
they ought to be, and I most earnestly resent the insinuation that the
president, during the years of the past when he served you, employed
these organizers to perpetuate himself in power.
The international organizers, for the most part, during my entire
term worked in the districts with the consent of the district presidoit,
and the complaints that are now coming from Colorado have no founds-
tion in fact, so far as the power of the president to appoint is concerned,
because that district organization is being handled and its affairs sre
being conducted by the international organisation. And when the time
comes to give back the autonomy of* that district I have no doubt the
same policy will prevail there that prevails in other districts and the
men who are sent in there by the International President will work undtf
the direction of the district president. The district presidents here who
wish to do myself and my administration simple justice will testify to
the truthfulness of 'what I have said.
I have heard a great deal said during my travds throughout the
796
lontry about the International President having to bolster his political
>wer up by appointments of this kind. The records of the organiza-
on will show that not a single organizer was eyer employed by me for
lat purpose, and I removed a number of organizers on complaint of
en in the local unions when I was satisfied their removal meant prog-
»B for this organization. I am satisfied that the good sense and sound
idgment of the men in this convention will continue to repose that
ithority in the President of the organizJEttion. It is true I refused at
mes to appoint men at the instigation of district presidents, but with
1 respect to the district presidents,.! hold the authority given the In-
Tnational President under the law gives him a right to select men from
nong the membership on such a basis as he sees fit to exercise. The
me for the district president to favor this resolution to criticise the
itemational President is when he sends men to their districts to work
^inst the interests of those districts. In that case you have a remedy,
le machinery of your organization is always in operation. A man who
hoping to continue himself in power through the use of unscrupulous
snchmen cannot long preside over the destinies of a great democratic
'ganization of this kind.
The improvements that have come to the mine workers, the great
rowth in the representation in our international .convention, is the
irest guide that the policies of the past have been successful. And
len we have men journeying to this convention who seem to be more
»ncemed about lessening the authority of the President of this great
lion by such arg^unents than they are concerned about the future
rowth and progrress of the United Mine Workers. The president of
)ur organization is clothed only with the powers, or practically so, that
ere given him at the foundation of this organization.
When I first became your president, as the records will show, there
as little or no effort being made to organize the great non-union fields
lat were menacing the progress of the mine workers of this country,
nr organization was honeycombed with internal strife and warring
ovements. Dual movements had been built up on a large scale and
>pe for success had almost fled from the hearts of men who had laid
le foundations of this organization. The proud position your presi-
mt occupies today was a very thankless task in 1911. These matters
ive all been related to you, the obstacles were surmounted from time
0
796
to time, this movement took on new force and gave expression to the
hopes and wishes of the members. Fields are now organised in part of
this movement that then had no organization. We have been busy ii
extending our influence into those non-union fields. As the reeonb
show, our organization is gaining new members in Tennessee, Alabamt,
West Virgrinia, Colorado, Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Look over the
records of your organization and see what administration has efsr
gained more in the way of extending your movement and establidunff
broader democracy within the affairs of the organization than has been
gained under the present policy.
There is no real sentiment in the districts where these resolutkms
come from for a change in our laws in this respect. I have the com-
plete files in the office from all local unions and the complaints in regard
to this policy are very, very few. The great body of men here would be
led to believe, however, that something very terrible would overtake tbe
mine workers unless this new-found philosophy is substituted for the
policy that has been so successful during your entire career.
When I took the office of president in 1911 I was called upon in Co-
lumbus, Ohio, to say a few words. In thanking the membership for con-
ferring upon me this great honor I told the delegates I would safeguard
well the accomplishments of the men who had preceded me in this high
office and safeguard to the best of my ability those things that made it
possible to build up the splendid organization we then had. I have car-
ried out that pledge.
It is exceedingly unfortunate that there should have been injected
into this convention on a resolution of this kind and character a debate
such as we have been listening to for many hours. One would be led to
believe that all this had come about because the International President
has been clothed with authority to appoint certain men to positions from
time to time, and yet we find there has been no effort made to bring this
to the attention of the proper authorities by the men making the com-
plaint. John Lawson will testify to the fact that my associations with
him were such that there could not be in the slightest degree any per-
sonal enmity whatever. I endeavored in all the years I served with him
on the International Executive Board to help him in his work to the best
of my ability.
797
I hope this question will not be determined upon personalities or
>on the outgrowth of an election of the State Federation of Labor of
^lorado. If wrong hue been done to John R. Lawson or to any other
ember of this organization there the way to correct that and curb' the
en in the employ of the international organization is to follow out the
w you have laid down for the government of your members. There is
» reason for changing the constitution. If the resolution is adopted the
*
'esident will be hampered by the men who will have the authority to
iss upon the organizers who are to work for you, and yet the president
ill be responsible for the success or failure of this great organizatiop
id its affairs.
Despite all that has been said about your organization not being
nnocratic, there is no other labor organization in the country that is
ore democratic. You can analyze all the trade union movements of
lis country and you will not find one that is predicated upon a broader
smocracy than is found in the United Mine Workers of America.* I
ive too much faith in the intelligence of the members of this organiza-
on and the delegates to this convention in particular to rush to the con-
usion, even it it is true that somebody has done John R. Lawson an in-
istice locally, that he cannot get his day in court the same as any other
ember when he submits any charges he has to make.
I hope the report of the committee will be adopted and we will give
ir president the same power that all his predecessors had, and see if
3 will not measure up to the responsibility. »
A motion was made and seconded to close debate.
President Hayes: Delegate Lawson requested permission to ask a
lestion some time ago. The chair will grant him the privileg^e at this
me. Let us be fair to Delegate Lawson. He made these charges.
Delegate Lawson : International Board Member Harlin told the con-
mtion what had taken place relative to suspending the charters of th'e
^est Virg^inia districts. He said I had voted to take them away. *He
dd Colorado has been organized because the charter was taken away, or
ords to that effect.
Delegate Harlin, District 10: I have in my possession the commit-
ie's report which Delegate Lawson signed. It suspends the autonomy
7M
of Districts 29 and 17, West VirKinim. His sisnatore Is attached to tint
report. With regard to your other qaestioii, if I understand it ariglEt, it
is that the change in Colorado was responsible for the increase in mmr
bership. In reply I can only direct the attention of liie dtkgitis to tke
rssnlts accomplished in Colorado.
Hayes: Ton have had the privilege of asking the
tions. Delegate Harlin has replied. The motioii is to dose debate. TW
diair wants to speak on this question, too, but he will have to fvng^ \n
rights. If I am given an opportunity I can say a great deal on tiie Cofe-
rado situation, but I am going to surrender my personal pririfefe oo
that if this convention dosea ddMte.
The motion to close debate was carried.
President Haires: There were several delegates who wanted ti
speak on qoestions of personal privilege, but nothing is in order now bat
the'c<Hnmittee*s report. The motion is to eoncnr in the eQmBdttee*^ n*
port, which affirms the present section and aon-eoDeim in SeaohitioB 12L
The motion to adopt the report of the Committee oa CoDstitatiaB,
whidi recommended that Section 5 of Artide IX remain nadwigei
and recommending n<Mi-concarrence in Resolotioos 75, 121, 122, 146 aad
200, was carried by viva voce vote.
At 12 o*dock the convention was adjoonied to lUMK p. m. of tbc
ssame day.
The convention was called to order at 1:30 o*dock p. m^ Thimdsj.
January 24. Presides! Ha3res in the chair.
President Hayes: We have with us today a very distiagviibed
mecxber of the Woooes's Trade Union League who dciiics to lay befbie
the convention the ideals and hopes of the ergaaisatMai she representii.
1 tak« frn»t pleasure in preKstzng Miss Emma Stegliagcn. of the
Nations: Women *s Tiade Union League of
799
ADDRESS OF MISS EMMA STEGHAGEN.
Mr. President and Brother Delegates — It is almost foolish for me
tell you, when your time is so precious, how greatly pleased I am to
come before this convention of the miners. The organization I represent,
the National Women's Trade Union League, is an organization of
women workers and their allies. We are organized for. the purpose of
helping the unorganized women to come into the labor movement. We
feel that our organization is fitted for this purpose. We are composed
of women trades unionists, individuals and also afiiliated organizations
of women's trade unions. We are banded together for the purpose of
getting better organization among women workers and getting equfd pay
for equal work. When a woman does a man's work we feel she is
entitled to a man's pay. We do not want to force women into men's
work, because we feel that situation will be adjusted, although in this
strenuous time of war more and more the women are going into men's
work; and therefore we feel at this time it is more than necessary that
we care for the women workers so that they may not underbid the men,
and it is,only the unorganized woman who will underbid a man in going
into his work or any other work.
We are out for the eight-hour day, a living wage and full citizenship
for women. That is our platform. Our first object, however, is organi-
zation of women into trades unions so that they can do for themselves
the thing that you men are doing in your miners' organization, so that
we can have democracy in the workshop as well as democracy in the
government The National Women's Trade Union League, through its
different branches in many parts of the country. New York, Boston.
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, Springfield, 111., St. Louis, Kansas
City, and even in Los Angeles, is doing everything possible for this
organization of women.
We have been active in many strikes that have involved women —
in New York in the great cloak makers' strike not so long ago, in Chi-
cago in the garment workers' strike, the waitresses' strike and the ladies'
garment workers' strike just recently in Chicago. The Women's Trade
Union League is well adapted to this work. When the girla are arrested
for picketing we get bail for them and help them. We find out the needs
of the strikers and do what we can for them. We have been very suc-
cessful in this through the aid of our allies. Those allies are women who
800
Rive of their wealth and those who are not so wealthy help us to do this
work. We cannot as yet finance our own organization. In England
where the Women's Ti:ade Union League has been established for thirty
years — and we patterned in America after this English organization—
they have a special way of financing the organization, but we have not
come to the point where we can do this.
I want to tell you now something of the things we have done to help
the government carry on the war. In our national convention in Kansas
City last June we appointed a Committee on Women in War and drew
up standards of women's work. These standards have been adopted by
all the Women in Industry Committees, both federal and state; in fact,
everywhere the women have come together to try to do work for the
war we have gotten to them our standards, because we are part of the
Women in Industry Committee. The Women's National Trade Union
League is recognized as better able to give those standards than any
other organization: so all the women's organizatif»i8 that are active in
war work have adopted our standards and are worldng hand in hand
with us.
We are not going to lower the standards daring the war; we are
looking for the time that peace will return and iiHien our brothers cone
back from the war we want to keep places so that they will not feel we
have lo^A-ered their wages. That is why we have introduced the stand-
ards before all the Women in Industry CoBEunittees. I could tell joa
many other things we an^ doing and that we intend to do, only the time
is short and I do not w^nt to take up so much of your predons time.
In our last national convention we decided to go before conventioiis ox
this sort and toK our story, tell what we are doing for the women, what
^A-v want to vio for the wx^men. tell about our standards, our work in
strikes and other activities of organizatioiis. We fed that men's iOgBBr
nations ou^ht to do something to help finance our organintion until
>AV are on such a fvX'tir^ that we can finance it ouradvcs^ until we hare
a suftoier.t or^r.isation airvng wofcen to do it. We have been befori
a nun'tSer .^t .vr.ver.t^or.s and w« hax>e had vefy good resolta. 1 am goinf
to ask you now to help us a ::ti:e financially. Some oiigmnintioiis are
i::>ir.j: u:^ a r.v»r.:h:y surr. jir.i others give us tump snmsL A number of
>>jNAT^ AjTv^ I S::tvv :h< r.':r.<r^" organixataoii gmve $50 m month to the
Womor.s Traoc I r.vr. levMToe. 1 belieiY it wmM the mimeni' dekgatkm
801
in the Seattle convention of the American Federation of Labor that saw
the necessity of having something done for the organization of women
and introduced a resolution to the effect that the American Federation
of Labor levy an assessment of one per cent, for that purpose. That
money was spent on the organization of women workers through the
American Federation of Labor; but the Women's Trade Union League
really is fitted to go before women and organize them many times when
the American Federation of Labor has no one in the field. We feel we
should have some support separately and do our work in our own way.
I am going to close by saying that I am very thankful that I have
been able to come before this convention. I appreciate it and thank you
very much. We will thank you also for 'whatever you can do to help us
financially.
President Hayes: In behalf of the convention I desire to thank
Miss Steghagen for her address and assure her of the hearty support
of the United Mine Workers of America in extending the scope of the
Women's Trade Union Leagrue.
ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT OF TOBACCO WORKERS*
INTERNATIONAL UNION.
Mr. A. McAndrew: Mr. Chairman and Brothers — For over fifteen
years I have been attending your conventions and saying a word in
behalf of union label tobacco, cigars and cigarettes. In former years
I have distributed union-made tobacco in the convention, but unfortu-
nately this year, owing to the high price, none of the manufacturers will
donate tobacco for that purpose. In former years the delegates said the
tobacco that was distributed was the best that could be secured. It does
not seem the members at home think that way for the trust tobacco is
sold generally in your localities. Men who are getting high wagres and
short working hours are not receiving the consideration at your hands
they ought to expect.
You have a Service Flag that represents a small army of men. In
civilian life those men possibly used union label tobacco and cigarettes.
The American Tobacco Trust, through newspaper advertising and paid
agents, are getting up subscriptions to send tobacco to the boys in the
trenches. Not one pound of it is union-made tobacco. I have told you
26— M. Pro.
I
I
timti ftnd again the conditions that exist in the factories operated by tUi
ccrporatlon and I will not take up your time this afternoon r^eatiDf
what I have aaid in the past. The Tobacco Workers' IntematkBiI
Union and the American Federation of Labor are soliciting a fund to
dUtrlbute union label tobacco to the men in camp in this country and
on the other lide. If you make a donation for tobacco in 3^our kcal
union, ■•• that It is sent to Secretary Morrison of the American Fedcn-
lUin of I^abor or to our organization. We will see that union label
(MbaoiHi In sen^ wherever you desire it
In Louisville, Ky., where we had two large union factories, using
Mm lalH>l for eight or ten years, those people told us there was no use
liuUliitf tht> label on, that it was expensive and they had to pay a hic^
I Mill iif wagM than the other factories. They complained that as a cod-
iiiM|Ui»uo«» of this they were losing money. One of these concerns offered
Out union men in the factory a tw^ity per cent, reduction. The men
rufuHtiil ti) accept it and were locked out. The other factory, in collosioD
with the Arst, declared for an open shop and said the label no longer
helped them. A lot of their goods have been sold throughout the mining
aiictiuns. One of the principal brands of the Burley Tobacco Society is
i^albd City Club. We appeal to you to show these two factories thst
union men are consistent, that you are going to look for the union label
on your tobacco and cigrarettes when making purchases.
When you go into a store to make a purchase, whether it be tobacco,
bit^ad, shoes or any other necessity, you will know if a union label is
attached that no little child's fingers has been employed in its produc-
tion in the hours intended for childish sleep. Dealers sometimes say:
'*What does the union label stand for?** Knowing the conditions oar
men and women receive through the agreement for the use of that label,
1 »ay it stands for the noblest sentiments of the human race. It is the
emblon) thr\>ugh which the working people can conquer humanity's higb-
handiHi oppressors; it is the only guarantee of industrial peace. Every
mun anil womnn in this hall toiiay is an employer of labor. When yoo
try to make \^>ur mino a union mine if the operators do not come to yoor
terms you will criticise them, but you will go out at the same time sod
give ontployment to non-union labor through your purchasing power.
In oKv(ii\|:. 1 wish you success and Godspeed. I hope when yoor
del»tH»rat»on!* hetv ar\* completeii you will have done something for the
808
benefit of the men at the pick. I hope also that you will not forget the
other men and women who are endeavoring to better their conditions.
Delegate Helm, District 26: I wish to correct a statement in
the press.
President Hayes: I trust the delegate will make his remarks brief
and not enter into any controversial matter, because that will require an
answer. Nothing is in order but the correction.
Delegate Helm: I have been misquoted and I want to make a cor-
rection. In looking over what is termed the "Convention Reporter*' I find
a part of President Samuel Gompers' speech, wherein he refers to the
Bolsheviki of Russia. In his arraignment of the Bolsheviki he refers to
them as being labor union wreckers. Mr. Adams, in the Convention
Reporter, refers to delegates and officers who have taken part in dis-
cussions in this conv^ition as Bolsheviki and union-wreckers. I want to
say for his benefit that I am no labor union-wrecker. My efforts here
have been honest and sincere. I don't think it is proper for a gentleman
of that character to be i)ermitted to remain in the convention, maligning
the character of men who come here with honest intentions and
purposes.
President Hayes: At the request of President Keeney of West
Virginia, Mr. Harold Houston, an attorney who has been interested in
cases for the mine workers, will address the convention.
ADDRESS OF MR. HAROLD HOUSTON.
Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Convention — I certainly appre-
ciate the courtesy that has been extended me and I appreciate the privi-
lege of looking into the faces of such a magnificent representation of
American labor. I came here with no particular message; I came
merely to look upon the coal miners of the United States in one of their
great conventions. But there is one thing that has been in my mind,
and while I have been here but a short time — I reached here only yes-
terday afternoon — I have been looking for some expression that may
show the attitude of the organized miners of the United States toward a
question, not alone of importance but of paramount importance, not
alone to the coal miners of America but td all the workers and espe-
804
cially all the organized workers of the United States. I have heard mnm
talk here this afternoon dealing ¥rith your internal controversies, anil
I sometimes wonder if yon are forgetting during tiiose controvenifli
the main enemy you have to fight when yon are at home.
West Virginia daring recent years has earned a right at the coaneil
tables of organized labor. West Virginia is the home of many thingi,
and one thing in particolar — ^hostile labor legislation and hostile jndidil
dedsions. I would like to know before this convention adjourns, and I
know the rank and file of the miners of America would like to know
what you are going to do in the face of the recent decisions of tiit
Supreme Court of the United States, especially the one handed down
recently in the case of the Hitchman Coal Company vs. John MitdidL
That decision means that when a coal operator or an employer reqauei
as a condition of employment that the men agjee, either verbally or is
writing, not to join any labor union, why then the representativeB of
your organization dare not go to them and even in peaceable terms sad
by persuasion attempt to get them to join your organizatioiL That
means, I take it, if enforced, the death of not only the United Mine
Workers of America but all organizations.
That case originated about ten years ago in the state of West
Virginia, just a little ways below Wheeling. The Supreme Court of
the United States in this crucial hour of the nation's history has taken
the opportunity to strike what I believe is a fatal blow at organized
labor, if something is not eventually done. There are two things that
possibly can be done and only two. There are only two eourses open.
You must either meekly submit and bow before that decision, lay down
flatly in the face of it and accept that decree, or you must serve notice
upon the Congress of the United States — which is the only tribunal that
can correct that wrong — that unless within a given time some action if
taken to nullify that infamous decision the miners of the United States
will lay down their picks.
You can talk about appealing to the courts, but that decree stuids
because it is the final decree of the highest tribunal of the land. That
court will not rehear it, it will not be reconsidered and there is only one
method by which it can be nullified and that is by an act of congress.
Of what use is it to the American worker to win democracy on the
battlefields of Europe if you are going to lose it here at lumie? We hsve
805
our internal enemies, and the working class of America can rest assured
of one thing — I want you to mark this, I know I have the reputation of
a radical, and all that — but when the armies of America return in tri-
umph from Europe they are going to be ready for the working class of
America here at home. The workers of Russia have taught a few
lessons that America should learn. Why, think of it, a country to which
we have been accustomed to refer as a land of tyranny and almost
barbarism has called a constituent congress and there is not a single
capitalist in the whole bunch. Here in America we have scarciely a
legislature that truly represents the workers of America.
Unless some action is taken that will prevent such acts of the court
in the future and prevent hostile legislation such as has been passed in
the last few years, the American labor movement, if not destroyed, will
be so completely dehumanized that it will be of no use. Of what use will
500,000 members or a million members of the United Mine Workers of
America be if they are going to meekly bow to every decision of every
petty court? Knowing the value of your time, I want to thank you for
this opportunity of looking into your faces and assure you that in all
the struggles to come — and they are going to be many — you are going
to find the organized miners of West Virginia on the firing line.
Delegate Howat, District 14: A question of personal privilege.
President Hayes: The question of personal privilege will be enter-
tained under Miscellaneous Business.
Delegate Howat: Day before yesterday it was agreed that I could
reply to former President White when the question before the house
yesterday was disposed of. I think I ought to have that opportunity.
President Hayes: You will have it under Miscellaneous Business.
I don't think we ought to consider it at this time, because it will probably
bring forth replies from other delegates who may question your
statements.
Delegate Howat: I don't want to wait to make my reply until the
delegates are ready to go home. I want to make it now.
Delegate White (J. P.) : He never tried to get the floor when 1
referred to him particularly. He has no right to take the floor now and
806
engage the delegates in discussion. Before he gets the floor I want him
to state the personal reference he wants to reply to.
President Hayes : There is nothing in order now but the report of
the committee. The chair has ruled that Delegate Howat will be heard
under Miscellaneous Business.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTION.
Chairman Farrington continued the report of the committee as fol-
lows: The committee recommends no change in Sections 6, 7, 8 and 9
of Article IX. No resolutions proposing to amend these sectionB were
offered. We recommend the adoption of these seetiona without change.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
Chairman Farrington: The committee recommends no change in
Section 10 of Article IX. Resolutions 101, ISO and 199 contain pro-
posed amendments to this section. The committee recommends non-
concurrence in these resolutions.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
Sections 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, 24, 25,
26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, of Article IX, were readopted, no reso-
lutions proposing to amend these sections having been submitted and
the committee recommending no changes.
Chairman Farrington: The committee concurred in Resolution No.
126 and recommends that Section 35 be amended by adding the follow-
ing paragraph:
''The Tellers shall also meet at headquarters and open and tabulate
the nomination returns and file their report with the Secretary-Treasnrer
80 that he may send out notifications, as required by Section 6, Article
XI. In arranging the ballot, the Secretary-Treasurer shall plaoe the
names of the different candidates on the ballot in graduated order, in
accordance with the number of nominations received."
Delegate Wieck (E.), District 12: The resolutions ask that the num-
ber of nominations received by each candidate be given on the notifica-
tion. Is that included in the committee's report?
807
Chairman Farrington: It is not. The committee did not think it
necessary to notify each candidate, for the reason that the report pro-
vides that the names shall be placed on the ballot in graduated order.
The candidates receiving the highest number of nominations shall be
given precedence on the ballot.
Delegate Wieck (E.): I don't know that I want to oppose the
committee's report very much, but I want to state why the resolution was
sent in asking that candidates be told the number of nominations they
receive. Our district has such a section in its constitution. In the last
international election I know it to be a fact that Brother John Walker
was not notified, and I don't believe he knows now exactly how many
nominations he received. I believe every candidate should know the
number of nominations he receives. I cannot see any harm in that, and
I believe it will have the effect of keeping men's names off the ballot when
there is no possible chance for them to be elected. If some of the men
nominated knew the exact circumstances in some cases they would not
be candidates.
Delegate White (J. P.) : I don't know where Brother Wieck gets
his information, but if I remember correctly the statement appeared in
the press that John H. Walker received so many nominations. John H.
Walker evidently had that information. I think possibly the Secretary
might have imparted it to him.
Delegate Wieck: I said he had no official information. Duncan
McDonald, then secretary-treasurer, sent a letter asking how many nomi-
nations he had received for the various offices he had notices he had been
nominated for. I think it was secretary and delegate to the American
Federation of Labor. Secretary Green answered and gave him that in-
formation, but he gave him to understand in that letter that that infor-
mation was not to be given out and he was doing Duncan McDonald a
favor by giving it to him. I don't think such a condition should be al-
lowed to continue. I believe every candidate should know how many
nominations he receives.
Secretary Green: In reply to what Brother Wieck has said. Since
I have been Secretary-Treasurer of this organization if any candidate
]
tot
for office wanted to know the number of nominations he rec«iyed he hu
been given that information.
Delegate Wieck: But you gave Duncan McDonald to understand
the information was not to be given out and that ]rou were doing him a
favor by giving him that information.
Secretary Green : I don't know what interpretation was gained from
the letter I wrote. I presume I said the laws of the organization in so
way provided that that information should be given, but I was not re-
strained or limited by law from giving any candidate for office informa-
tion as to the number of nominations he received. However, it has not
been customary to notify each candidate how many nomiiiations he re-
ceived and how many his opponent received; but we have endeavored to
furnish every one with the information which the laws of our organisa-
tion permits whenever it is asked for.
Chairman Farrington : Under the present law the nominations have
been tabulated by the secretary's office. The law provides that the inter-
national tellers, in addition to meeting and tabulating the election re-
turns, shall, if this amendment is adopted, meet in headquarters and
tabulate the nominations also. The law is in harmony with the district
constitution of Illinois. There is no section in the Illinois constitution
that requires that each nominee shall be notified as to the number of
nominations he receives. It has been the practice over there, however,
to give that information to all the nominees.
The motion to concur in the report of the committee was carried.
Sections 86, 37, 38 and 39 of Article IX were readopted, no resolu-
tions proposing to amend them having been submitted and the committee
recommending no changes.
Article X. The committee recommended the following substitute for
Section 1:
''The salary of the President shall be $5,000.00 per annum; Vice-
President, $4,125.00 per annum; Secretary-Treasurer, $4,125.00 per
annum; Editor of the official Journal, $2,500.00 per annum; International
Executive Board members, $175.00 per month when employed; tellers,
auditors and delegates to the A. F. of L. convention, $7.00 per day whm
809
•mployed. ESach of the above mentioned officers and editor shall receive,
in addition to their salaries, all legitimate expenses when employed by
the organization away from their places of residence."
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
President Hayes asked that Delegate Moore, President of the Ohio
District, preside during discussion on the report of the Committee on
Oncers' Salaries. President Moore, not being in the convention, the
chairman requested the president of the Pittsburgh District to preside
during the consideration of that portion of the committee's report.
Delegate Murray, Pittsburgh District, in the chair.
Chairman Farrington: Our constitution specifies the wages that
shall be paid the various officers of the organization. However, since
that section of the constitution was adopted the mine workers of the
country have received two substantial increases in wages. The officers
of the organization felt that they were entitled to some consideration
because of that fact and because the conditions under which they must
live had radically changed since the section was written into our law.
The International Executive Board assumed to increase the wages of the
officers as set forth in the constitution. The matter has been disposed
of by this convention by reason of your action on the report of the Com-
mittee on Officers' Reports. President Hayes, in reporting to the con-
vention, brought to your attention the fact that the officers^ salaries had
been raised over and above the rates specified in the constitution. The
Committee on Officers' Reports, when reporting to the convention, en-
dorsed the action of the International Executive Board. That report of
the committee was adopted, and by doing so this convention has already
adopted the increase in salaries, so that in ^reality the matter has been
disposed of and the only thing left for the Committee on Constitution to
do was to amend the constitution in accordance with the instructions of
the convention when you acted upon the report of the Committee on Offi-
cers' R^K>rts. The action of the committee merely rearranges the pres-
ent section of the constitution so as to oonfonn with the action of the
International Executive Board in this convention.
The motion to adopt the recommendation of the committee was
carried.
810
Dele^te Foster, District 6: I wmnt to aak if it
President's smimry to get the 92 a dMj incremse we got?
Chairman Farrincrtoc: Evidently this convention
cause they concurred in the report of the Committee on
and the report of that committee provided for the thin^
the Committee on Constftotion.
Delegate Fester: In Secretary-Tieasurcr Green's
of ez-Prendent White is listed at 16.000. How does it
is $6,000?
$1,006 IB dbi
tfaoaght ao be-
by
the salary
hk salary
Chairman Farrington: Thai is a isaner that docs not rriata to dw
Const! tation Committee's report. If yon have fonnd a typographical
error in the Secretary's report, take :t up with him. and don*t delay the
report of the committe*.
Delegate r:-*ier: I ior.'t think it is '.*ysiv,g money when we try to
save money if we th:yix it is poiisg the way jt should not go.
Chairmar. Murray: I would suggest for the benefit of Delegate
Foster that he permit Secretary Green to reply to his question. This
question has already been d:sp:se-i of by the convention. Immediately
after action hai b-een taken up:-n :t Dele^te Foster proceeded to ask a
question frj^m the chairman of the Committee oc Constitution. I would
suggest that we permit the question you have asked of the chairman of
the Commiriee en Constitution to r-e fully answered by Secretary Green.
After your question has "r*er. przr-erly answered, in order that the pro-
ceedings :f the crnvrr.ti.r. may rot be iisturc-ed. I will suggest that you
:hen take ycur s^a:. inasmuch as the matter has already been acted upon
by the convenrl?n.
De:eea:e r\-«ter: I don't war.t to disturb the proceedings of this
convention, but wher. -at v.-»ted ?n the report of the Committee on Oilcers'
Reports — ari I vrte.i .r. ra-.vr ?f it — I did not think we were voting on
the officers' salaries. :u: :n th-e recommendations of President Hayes. I
knew the question .: salar.es wou't ::me up under the report of the Com-
. h«'
Sev'retary Or^^r I wat.: to rxrl&:r.. :r. answer to Brother Foster.
:hat if there :< arv :,*rr :r. mv rer*:r: that s-ets forth that ex-President
811
White was paid a salary of |6,000 it must be a typographical error, be-
cause his salary was $4,000 a year. That is all he was paid.
Chairman Murray: I trust the information imparted to Delegate
Foster will be satisfactory.
Delegate Harper, District 12, arose and proceeded to discuss the
qoeation.
Chairman Murray: Let me suggest that it is unnecessary to have
any suggestion on this question at this time, inasmuch as the conven-
tion has already acted upon the report of the Committee on. Constitution
on this matter. If you desire to have any information pertaining to the
report of the committee you can ask that question, but it is not debatable.
Delegate Harper: I arise on a question of personal privilege.
Chairman Murray : I know of no delegate that was attacked, Broth-
er Harper. If you have any questions to ask kindly confine yourself to
something that can be properly entertained by the chair at this time.
There is nothing before the convention at this time but the report of the
Committee on Constitution. The committee will proceed with the report.
A number of delegates arose and attempted to speak on the question
just disposed of.
Chairman Murray: It is unnecessary at this time for any concerted
effort to be made by any certain element in this cohvention to disturb
the progress of your deliberations.
Delegate Marks, Ohio: Hasn't a delegate the right to ask the presi-
dent for information?
Chairman Murray: Certainly he has. I suggest that all the dele-
gates be seated and every delegate will be given fair consideration.
A number of delegates asked loudly for a roll call.
Chairman Murray: There isn't any use whatever asking in that
way. There is a way in which you can get a roll call.
Chairman Farrington: So far as the Constitution Committee is
concerned, if there is any part of our report the delegates want informa-
m
812
tion about we will give it to you if you will keep those rowdies in the eon-
vention still long enough for us to do so.
Delegate Harper: We want some information.
Chairman Farrington : Why don't you keep still until some one can
grive it to you. I don't know what all this conunotion is about. If then
is anything about this report any of the delegates want any informatioD
on, if you will keep still we will be glad to give you any informatioii
we can.
A Delegate: All we want is a fair vote and if it is carried we will
be satisfied.
N
Chairman Farrington: What do you want a vote on?
A Delegate: On officers' salaries.
Chairman Farrington: The chair declared the motion carried on
a viva voce vote. If you want a rising vote, why don't you ask for it?
Why don't you have a little order so it can be asked for properly?
A number of delegates again asked for a roll call.
Chairman Murray: There seems to be a general misunderstanding
among the delegates concerning the motion I declared had been passed
by the convention a short time ago. There is apparently a demand being
made by a certain portion of the delegates for a rising vote on the report
of the committee. It is not the intention of the chair to deprive the
delegates of the right to properly vote their sentiments on any question.
Inasmuch as this disturbance has arisen and inasmuch as there is some
misunderstanding among the delegates I shall' present this matter to
you and take a rising vote on it.
The section of the constitution as amended was read by the chair-
man of the Committee on Constitution.
Chairman Murray : The motion before the house is to concur in the
report of the committee. All those in favor of adopting the report of
the committee will arise.
Delegate Harper: I think the delegates were misled in the adop-
tion of the report of the Committee on Officers' Reports. We did not
818
ialize what we were voting on. What part of the constitution delegates
le authority to the International Executive Board to raise the officers'
ilaries?
Chairman Murray: Your international and district representatives
iiring the year just past succeeded, despite the terms of a contract,
espite our contractual relations, in securing two substantial increases
i your' wages to meet the high cost of living. The executive board
Bcided a similar increase should be granted the officers of the organi-
ition to meet also the high cost of living, with the distinct understand-
ig that whatever they did would be submitted to this convention. That
'as done and it was unanimously adopted by this convention when the
iommittee on Officers' Reports brought the matter before you. Theire is
othing now before the convention but the report of the Committee on
onstitution. The chair desires to be fair to each and every delegate,
nd if there has been any misunderstanding a rising vote will be taken.
A rising vote was taken which was counted by the messengers and
^rgeants-at-arms. These tellers announced that 882 votes had been
ist in favor of the recommendation of the committee and 268 opposed
t the recommendation of the committee.
A number of delegrates stated that they wished to be recorded as
jposing the motion.
Chairman Murray: The report of the committee has been concurred
I and adopted by an overwhelming vote of this convention. Any dele-
Gite who wishes to register his vote against this part of the committee's
»port will write out his protest and present it to the secretary of the
invention.
Delegate Foster, District 6: I arise to a point of order. You are
>t entitled to act as chairman during these proceedings because you are
lairman of the Committee on Officers' Reports, the report that has been
lit through here.
Chairman Murray: Your point of order is not well taken. The
xestion before the house pertains to an increase in the salaries of
Beers, and I am not a salaried international employe but the officer of
district organization.
Delegate Rogers : Does our agreement expire at the end of the war?
i
I
S14
Chairman Murray: Yet.
«
Delegate Rogers: Do the salaries of the officers expire at the
same time?
Chairman Murray: The salary of the officers is a strictly coniti-
tutional matter that is legislated for by the del^^tes in the ocmventioD.
If the delegate will refer to his constitution it wHl be unnecessary for
him to ask me that question.
Delegate McCleish, District 12: I understood you to make the asser-
tion that this is a constitutional matter. Our contract is signed op for
the period of the war, as a war measure. Do yoti think the officers are
any better than the men at the pick when they get their salaries at a
constitutional matter?
Chairman Farrington: The contract runs for the period of the war
or not longer than two years. That contract specifies certain rates of
wages that will be paid our members. I am satisfied if the war ends
tomorrow that rates of wages specified in that contract will not be
lowered. The work of this committee reminds me of a little story 1
heard the other day. The vote taken on the last proposition adopted by
the convention indicates very clearly that the great overwhelming ma-
jority of the delegates in this convention are in favor of orderly pro-
cedure. The minority who voted against the committee's report indicates
there are only comparatively a few men in this convention who seem to
be actuated by a disposition to halt the work of the convention.
A number of delegates stated that they had not spoken but they
had voted against the report.
Chairman Farrington: That proves that those who are creating
the disturbance are even fewer in number than those who voted against
the committee's report.
The following delegates desired to be so recorded as opposed to the
report increasing officers' salaries:
Delegates D. S. McCall, Local Union 295, District 25; George 6r>
baker, Local 124; Isaiah Spatzer, Local 2596; Stanley Seroski, Local 984;
John C. Rumberger, Local 1023 and Local 1669, District 9; Edward G.
Renn, Local 160; Frank Trykowski, Local 1725; R. B. Walker, Local
3643, District 19; F. K. Linhard, Local 552, District 6; Thomas Fleming,
Local 2612, District 10; Charles Croci, Local 2682, District 10; William
Hays, Local 1443, District 9; Emil Coda, Local 397; Joe Marcinko, Local
8041, District 11; Joseph Strickland, Local 2411, District 11; Earl Atkin-
son, Local 155, District 11; William Gillen, Local 884, District 11; Frank
Bender, Local 2449, District 6; Ivor Johns, Local 1971, District 12; Alex
Allison, Local 383, District 6; Charles C. Rogers, Local 1748, District
6; Frank Johnston, Local 1053, District 12; Eklward Nicholas, Local 2622,
District 11; Lewis Orel, Local 2886.
Delegate Gillen desired to be further recorded as objecting to not
being allowed to debate the proposition. '
Delegate Marcinko, Local 8041, District 11, desired also to be
recorded as voting against paying the salary of John P. White as as-
sistant to the fuel director, and also being recorded as opposing the pen-
alty clause in the Washington Agreement.
Delegate R. E. Walker, Local 3643, District 19, and P. F. Gammon,
Local 8262; John Emery, Local 3646; William Nelson, Local 3644, Dis-
trict 19; desired to be recorded as voting against the penalty clause in
the Washington Agreement and against paying the salary of former
President White as assistant to the fuel director.
President Hayes in the chair.
Chairman Farrington: The committee recommends no change in
Section 2 of Article 10, no resolutions were submitted and we recommend
its adoption without change.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
Article XI, Section 1. The committee nonconcurred in Resolution
26, containing an amendment to this section, and recommends no change
in the section.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
Chairman Farrington: No resolutions were submitted proposing to
amend Section 2 of Article XL The committee recommends that the
section be amended by striking out "1916'' and inserting in lieu thereof
"1918."
\
816
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
Chairman Farrington: The committee recommends that Section
3 of Article XI be amended by striking out the word ''on'' in line two
and inserting in lieu thereof ''for at least three months prior to and in-
cluding."
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
Chairman Farrington: This means that in future in International
elections, if our report is concurred in, a man will have to be a member
of the organization three months previous to the date in which the elec-
tion is held.
Delegate Savage, District 6: Will that apply to newly organized
local unions?
Chairman Farrington: It will apply to them providing they are
made up of men who have not belonged to the organization three months
prior to the election; but if the membership is made up of old members
it will not apply.
Delegate Savage: Suppose there are 100 new members and 50 old
members go into that local union, how can we determine?
Chairman Farrington: The records of the local union ought to
determine that fact.
Delegate Dempsey, District 1: How are the tellers going to deter-
mine the membership? I understand the tellers now make their count
upon the number of members in good standing in the month of Novem-
ber. Do I understand, if the report of the committee is adopted, they
will base their count upon the three months including the month of
November?
Chairman Farrington : They will base it upon the number of mem-
bers who vote, or should vote. The law is not changed in any material
respect, excepting it requires members to belong to the new organiza-
tion a greater length of time than the old law did. The old law said a
man had to be a member on the first of December preceding the election;
817
in other words, ten or fifteen days prior to the election. If this is
adopted he will have to belong three months previous to the election.
Delegate Greenway, District 11: If this section is amended will it
not conflict with the obligation which gives every man certain rights?
Chairman Farrington : No. The obligation sets forth that the mem-
ber shall enjoy all the rights and privileges of the organization. Those
rights and privileges are restricted by any section that may be written
into our law. What are the rights and privileges of a member? Only
such as are given him by reason of our law.
Delegate Hall, District 6: The section as proposed provides that
members shall be in the organization three months before they can vote.
If a local union is in arrears for assessments to this branch of the orgran-
*
ization will it be entitled to vote ?
Chairman Farrington: If a local union is in arrears for dues
and assessments will it be in good standing in all branches of the
organization?
Delegate Hall: Most assuredly not.
Chairman Farrington: Then they would not be allowed to vote.
I
Delegate Hall: Our constitution provides that local imions and
members must be in good standing befbre they are entitled to vote. It
also provides in another section that if they fail to pay their assessments
they are placed on the delinquent list and are not entitled to representa-
tion in the convention. In the past they have been allowed such repre-
sentation. Now I think the time has come in the history of this organi-
zation to set aside the precedent of seating delegates and allowing local
unions to vote when they are in arrears for dues or assessments.
Delegate Gay, District 18: I rise for the purpose of opposing the
report of the committee. I believe we have enough contention in our
elections under the present law, and I am satisfied if the report of the
committee is adopted it will leave more room for contests. I certainly
hope the delegates will vote the report down. I am opposed to the report
generally and hope it will be voted ^own.
Delegate Haywood, District 12: I rise to support the report of the
committee. This has been a matter of contention for years. I hold that
816
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
Chairman Farrington: The committee recommends that Sedaon
3 of Article XI be amended by striking out the word "on" in line two
and inserting in lieu thereof "for at least three monthis prior to and in-
eluding."
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendatioD of
the committee.
Chairman Farrington: This means that in fnture in Intematiooal
elections, if our report is concurred in, a man will have to be a member
of the organization three months previous to the date in which the el6^
tion is held.
Delegate Savage, District 6: Will that apply to newly orgmniied
local unions?
Chairman Farrington: It will apply to them providing they are
made up of men who have not belonged to the organization three months
prior to the election; but if the membership b made up of old members
it will not apply.
Delegate Savage: Suppose there are 100 new members and 50 old
members go into that local union, how can we determine?
Chairman Farrington: The records of the local union ought to
determine that fact.
Delegate Dempsey, District 1 : How are the tellers going to deter-
mine the membership? I understand the tellers now make their ooimt
upon the number of members in good standing in the month of Novem-
ber. Do I understand, if the report of the committee is adopted, they
will base their count upon the three months including the month of
November?
Chairman Farrington : They will base it upon the number of mem-
bers who vote, or should vote. The law is not changed in any material
respect, excepting it requires members to belong to the new organiza-
tion a greater length of time than the old law did. The old law said %
man had to be a member on the first of December preceding the election;
tI
817
in other words, ten or fifteen days prior to the election. If this is
adopted he will have to belong three months previ6us to the election.
Delegate Greenway, District 11: If this section is amended will it
not conflict with the obligation which gives every man certain rights?
Chairman Farrington : No. The obligation sets forth that the mem-
ber shall enjoy all the rights and privileges of the organization. Those
rights and privileges are restricted by any section that may be written
into our law* What are the rights and privileges of a member? Only
such as are given him by reason of our law.
Delegate Hall, District 6: The section as proposed provides that
members shall be in the organization three months before they can vote.
If a local union is in arrears for assessments to this branch of the orgran-
ization will it be entitled to vote?
Chairman Farrington: If a local union is in arrears for dues
and assessments will it be in good standing in all branches of the
organization?
Delegate Hall: Most assuredly not.
Chairman Farrington : Then they would not be allowed to vote.
Delegate Hall: Our constitution provides that local unions and
members must be in good standing befbre they are entitled to vote. It
also provides in another section that if they fail to pay their assessments
they are placed on the delinquent list and are not entitled to representa-
tion in the convention. In the past they have been allowed such repre-
sentation. Now I think the time has come in the history of this organi-
zation to set aside the precedent of seating delegates and allowing local
unions to vote when they are in arrears for dues or assessments.
Delegate Gay, District 13: I rise for the purpose of opposing the
report of the committee. I believe we have enough contention in our
elections under the present law, and I am satisfied if the report of the
committee is adopted it will leave more room for contests. I certainly
hope the delegates will vote the report down. I am opposed to the report
generally and hope it will be voted (Jown.
Delegate Haywood, District 12 : I rise to support the report of the
committee. This has been a matter of contention for years. I hold that
818
when we take in members and give them the vote immediately after tak-
ing the obligation before the election it is a big blander. The report of
the committee will eliminate some of the things we believe happen in
some of the elections in the partially organized districts. It has been
claimed that organizers came in and voted new local unions in favor of
certain candidates. This report of the committee will elimiiimte that to
some degree. How can a man vote intelligmitly who has just come into
the organization? How can he be expected to? We complain that local
union tellers mark ballots for our members. Are we going to oppose a
reform now that will give the member an opportunity to acquaint him-
self with the officers and what this organization wants befcoe he is enti-
tled to vote ? I hope the report of the committee will be adopted.
Delegate Gay, District 13 : I am surprised at this committee mak-
ing such a report. I did not expect it. Do I understand the answer
given by the chairman of the committee to Secretary Savage of District
6 when he stated it was not the intention of this section to govern newly
organized local unions?
Delegate Haywood : I did not. I expect it would cover the members
who are in the organization less than three months.
Chairman Farrington: Of course, the conunittee feels duly humfl-
iated because they have done something Delegate Gay did not anticipate
they were going to do and has caused him so much surprise and dissatis-
faction, but I am satisfied Delegrate Gay misunderstood my answer to
Delegrate Savage's question. I said this question of law would apply to
newly organized locals if those locals were made up of new members of
the orgranization, but that it would not apply to newly organized locals
if the locals were made up of old members of the organization.
The reason the conmiittee makes this reconunendation to the con-
vention has been covered by the remarks of Delegate Haywood. It has
been charged that during past elections the administration has been
guilty of going out and inaugurating strikes in non-union fields for the
purpose of getting a large number of men into the organization and that
those men have voted in the elections in favor of ^e administration.
We don't say that that is true, but it is possible, and we want to remove
the possibility of anything of that kind being done.
819
Upon motion of Delegate Delbarre, Diitrict 5, debate was closed.
The motion to adopt the recommendation of the committee was
carried.
Article XI, Sections 4, 6, 6, 7, S, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 14, 16, 16, 17, 18,
19, 20, 21, 22, 28, 24, 2IS, 26, 27, 28 and 29 were readopted, no resolutions
proposing to amend them having been submitted and the committee
recommending no changes.
Chairman Farrington: Resolution No. 188 proposes to amend Sec-
tion 1 ef Article Xn. The committee nonconcurs in the resolution and
recommends that this section be amended by striking out the words
''third Tuesday in January" in line 8, and insert in lieu thereof ''second
Tuesday in September." That will mean that if the recommendation
of the committee is adopted our convention, instead of being held be-
ginning with the third Tuesday in January will be convened on the sec-
ond Tuesday in September.
•
The recommendation of the committee was adopted unanimously.
Chairman Farrington: The committee recommends the readoption
of Section 2, Article XII. Resolution 154 proposes to amend this section.
The committee nonconcurs in the resolution and recommends the adop-
tion of the section as it now reads.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
Sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 14, 16, 16, 17, 18, 19 and
20, Artide XII, were readopted, the committee recommending no changes
and no resolutions proposing to amend these sections having been sub-
mitted.
Chairman Farrington: The committee recommends the readoption
of Section 1 of Article XIII. Resolution No. 27 relates to this section.
The committee nonconcurs and recommends the adoption of the, section
without change.
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
Sections 2, 3 and 4 of Article XIII were readopted, no changes hav-
ing been suggested by the committee and no resolutions submitted.
820
Section 1 of Article XIV was readopted, no resolutions having been
submitted relating to it and the committee recommended no change.
The committee recommended the following in lieu of Section 2 of
Article XIV:
"No applicant for membership in the United Mine Workers of
America shall be regarded as being a member in good standing until ^e
full amount of his initiation fee has been phid or a check-off order
authorizing the collection of the same has been filed in or through the
local union where application for membership is made, and the obliga-
tion has been administered, except in case the applicant has religions
scruples against taking the obligation. In such case the obligation shall
be waived providing the applicant gives notice of his objections to taking
the obligation at the time his application for membership is filed. In
all cases applicants for membership must pay dues and assessments for
the month during which thoy start work.
"Mine managers, top foreman, operators' commissioners, persons
engaged in the sale of intoxicating liquors and members of the Civic
Federation, shall not be eligible for membership.
"Any member accepting membership in the Industrial Workers of
the World, the Working Class Union or any other labor organization
not affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, shall be expelled
from membership ii) the United Mine Workers of America and no mem-
bers of any such organization shall be permitted to have membership
in our union unless they forfeit their membership in the dual organiza-
tion immediately upon securing membership in the United Mine Workers
of America."
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
Delegate Potter, District 18: I would like the chairman of the
Constitution Committee to answer a question. In his interpretation of
that clause he says no person can belong to the United Mine Workers
unless he is afiiliated with the American Federation of Labor. What
about the Canadian locals that belong to other organizations?
Chairman Farrington: The recommendation of the committee will
not disturb their condition in any manner whatever. I think the organ!-
zation you have in mind is in Nova Scotia, and it is affiliated with the
Canadian Trades and Labor Consrress; the Canadian Trades and Labor
Congress is affiliated with the American Federation of Labor; therefore
the committee's report does not disturb that condition in any way
whatever.
Delegate Wieck (E ), District 12: I have no great objection to the
committee's report, with the exception of their action on the Boy Scout
proposition which they have stricken from the constitution. Action was
taken in the Illinois State Federation of Labor on the Boy Scout question
after it had been studied by a committee in that body for a year. The
committee reported to the convention last October in Joliet. They
reported that there were two organizations of Boy Scouts, the ''Ameri-
can Boy Scouts" and the ''Boy Scouts of the United States"; that one
of these organizations is decidedly militaristic in its teachings and the
other is not. That committee recommended that org^anized labor had
rothing whatever to do with the militaristic organization and recom-
mended the other organization as a good thing for the children of the
working people of Illinois. I don't know whether our committee knows
about this report or not. I believe it should be taken into consideration
by this convention and by this committ^. The report to the Illinois
State Federation of Labor was not snap judgment, but was the result
of a thorough investigation made by a committee, headed by Matt Woll
of the Photo-Engravers' Union. They studied the question for an entire
year, reported to the convention and that was the action taken. The
delegates from Illinois will remember the stand of organized labor of
that state on this proposition.
Delegate Jackson, District 23: I rise to oppose that part of the
report which exempts from taking the oblig^ation people who have reli-
gious scruples against it. If they are too good to take the obligation
the organization is too g^ood for them. I don't think taking the obliga-
tion interferes with any man's religious belief. If a man will not take
an obligation to see that every human being is g^iven justice he ia not a
fit member of this organization. Men have died for this organization
and I oppose this recommendation with all the power at my command.
Many men will refrain from coming to the local union meetings and g^ive
as an excuse that they have religrious scruples against it.
822
Delegate Bittner, District 19: I desire to say that the reason the
committee incorporated this section relative to releasing those men from
taking the obligation who have religious scruples is that it has been a
ruling of our international union in the past. We are changing no rul-
ing of the organization in so doing. In 1907 President Mitchell, in his
report to the international convention, so reported and the convention
by unanimous vote decided that this should be the procedure of the
United Mine Workers of America. Our report only puts into the consti-
tution what has always been a ruling of our international organization.
During our campaigns of organization in Southeastern Kentucky,
Tennessee and Alabama we found in many localities men who desired
to become members of the United Mine Workers of America, but could
not take the obligation because of religious scruples. We believed it
would conserve the best interests of the United Mine Workers of Amer-
ica to exempt these people from taking the obligation. So we have
recommended that they be taken in if they pay their dues, assessments
and initiation in the organization. This organization has nothing to lose
by adopting this report of the committee and it will aid materially in
organizing sections of this country that are still unorganized. The con-
stitution of the United States gives a man the right of freedom of wor-
ship, and the United Mine Workers of America as a labor organization
should not, and I do not believe will, take any action that will in any way
take this right away from the men who work in the coal mines of this
country.
Delegate Lawson, District 15: Perhaps I did not thoroughly under-
stand the report of the committee, but I want to ask this question:
Does this mean that a member of our organization who goes to work on
the railroad and joins a railroad brotherhood will be expelled from this
organization?
Chairman Farrington: No, it means nothing of the kind, Delegate
Lawson. It means men who join these various dual organizations that
are trying to get a foothold in the mines of this country.
Delegate Grills, District 12: Does it mean that a mine manager
shall not be allowed to join the union?
X 823
Chairman Farrington : It says he cannot hold membership while he
is a mine manager.
Delegate Reese, Local 1897, District 12: Does this apply to an
organization such as the Franklin County Ways and Means Committee
or the Belleville Educational Society in Illinois?
Chairman Farrington: No, we don't think they are big enough to
draft into an international constitution. We will fix that in our district
convention.
Delegrate Lavender: I am going to register my protest because the
mechanics and the inside shops in Huntington, W. Va., refused to armor
the car that spread death in West Virginia will be excluded and these
people with religious scruples who did that work will be allowed to hold
membership. For that reason I am going to oppose it. I have come in
contact with that character of people in several instances in my travels
and fights for the interests of the mine workers of this country. I am
opposed to another amendment in the report. We have dual organiza-
tions, it is true. I see the signs of some of that dualism in this conven-
tion here today. I know it is not the intention of the constituents at
home to have delegates come here and act in an unmannerly way when
we are trying to settle the affairs of the organization. Rise and register
3rour protest when the time comes with your voice and your vote. We
should stop making such a noise here. You cannot get results in the
way you have tried to, telling delegates to sit down and raising a shindy
all over the hall. Let's get our heads together. There is no man living
that believes more in religious scruples than I do, but I don't believe
any man should say he hasn't a right to take this obligation. It is as
good an obligation as the one he takes in the churches of this country.
I believe in every man in the mines subscribing to the laws under which
he lives, and if he violates those laws he should atone for it.
Pteaident Hayes announced that the Garment Workers were to
have a ball in the hall during the evening and had requested that the
convention adjourn at 4 p. m. to allow the hall to be placed in readiness.
At 4 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 9 a. m., Friday, Janu-
ary 26.
824
TENTH DAT-HORIillM SESSION
IndimnapoliB, Ind., January SS, 1918.
The oonveiition waa called to order at 9 o'elo^ a. bl, Fridaj, Ju-
aary 25, President Hayes in the chair.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION.
Delegate Neatzling, secretary of the committee, reported as fol-
lows:
Indianapolis, Indiana, January 25, 1918.
To the Oflkers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth ConsecutiTe and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We, your Committee on Transportation, after eTamining the
furnished by the various district secretaries, beg leave to submit tbe
following statement showing the number of delegates, number of loal
unions represented, number of votes i^d amount of transportation bj
Dist. Number of
No. Secretary Delegates
1 John Mack 68
2 Richard Gilbert 102
5 William Hargest 161
6 G. W. Savage 178
7 John Yourishin 20
8 Ed. Haverkadip 7
9 James J. McAndrews 83
10 William Short 18
11 William Mitch 104
12 Walter Nesbit 345
13 John Gay 58
14 Thomas Harvey 100
15 Warren Pippm 25
16 Wm. Trickett 20
17 Fred Mooney 84
18 Ed. Browne 7
NO.L.U.
66
99
159
224
26
28
88
25
102
261
62
105
48
14
89
6
No. Votes
152
810
389
367
70
24
178
50
301
884
148
188
49
48
118
25
Amount
Trsnsp.
% 2484J^
2,795.44
2,691^
2,234.07
984.50
20.00
2,480.42
2,668J4
414.81
3387^
1,415.82
8,458.76
2348.70
486.70
1.16U1
689.92
49 David Robb 90 dO 105 1,181.90
20 J. L. Clemo 45 42 62 1,096.40
21 E. F. Ross 69 66 126 3,194.14
22 James Morgan 22 26 62 2,008.32
28 H. H. Vincent 38 40 60 459^5
24 John Crutchfield 9 11 16 195.42
25 Geo. Hepple 35 37 87 1,965.96
27 Stephen Ely 13 16 42 1,411.45
28 Ill
29 John Gatherun 50 51 60 488.76
Total 1752 1772 3652 $40,709.09
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN J. MOSSOP,
ALBERT NEUTZLING,
T. G. MORGAN,
Transportation Committee.
»
The report of the conunittee was adopted.
ADDRESS OF MEMBER OF UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
COMMITTEE ON WAR SAVINGS.
Mr. Charles L. Blaine, secretary of the Boot and Shoe Workers'
Union, representing the government as a member of the Committee on
War Savings, was introduced by President Hayes and addressed the
convention as follows:
Mr. Chairman and Delegates — I realize that it is somewhat of an
imposition to ask the privilege of addressing your convention so late in
its sessions; but I feel it my duty to say a few words as a representative
of organized labor on the National Committee of War Savings appointed
by the government. I want to call your attention to a few of the reasons
why I think organized labor should pay particular attention to the war
savings plan. I know you will agree with me that one of the principal
things necessary for successfully carrying on this war is finance, and I
believe very little on this subject has been discussed before this con-
vention or before any of the conventions of organized labor since the plan
decided upon.
826
So far the government in its endeavor to secure extra foadi Ut
earrying on the war has only issued for sale liber^ bonds. The goim-
ment discovered, however, that the large denomination of ciwn the 8mi&-
est Ixmd was, with hut few exceptions, beyond the reach of tfie srdiiisiy
wage-earner. The result was that they eonld not make pm thnwrn of
bonds except through the installment plan, hdped oat bf Hie eosl op-
erators and other employers. Complaint was made that tiie hivcstBOt
was not given to the employe until he had made his last payment, so tiist
whatever interest accrued <m the former payments the manirfartorer or
operator retained. In many cases it was reported that when uHa wore
discharged or they voluntarily left their employment they found it diift-
cuH to secure the money paid on their investment.
The government then decided to issue what is called a war savinfi
certificate, which will permit every man, wranan and child in this eoontry
to make an investment in government securities in the interest of briiif-
ing to a successful conclusion the war now in progress. The savinfi
stamps are sold at the rate of |4>I2 in January, $4.18 in Fd>niary, snd
so on, 1 cent being added for each month. The stamp is of tlie denonriiis-
tion of $5 and will be paid on January 1, 1923. The idea of the govern-
ment is to discount the interest, which is 4 per cent, coaapounded qusr-
terly, making it a five-dollar investment almost immediately. In ordff
to make it possible for even the children to invest in war savings, whst
is called a 25-cent thrift stamp has been issued. Any one baying theie
thrift stamps, after securing sixteen of them, can take them to any post-
office and secure a war savings stamp by paying tiie extra 12 cents or
13 cents.
I am not going into further details, because those you can secure
from the different committees that have been appointed Hiroaghont the
country, but I want to call yon attention to the fact that one of Uie noit
essential features of the plan is that it will encourage ttirift among the
wage-workers of this country, and thrift among the wage-workers, ss
you will have to admit, creates more independence among them and mskeo
it easier for them to secure wages and conditions. In addithm, this will
give every man, woman and child an opportunity to do scMneCliing in fbe
interests of the war. There are many of us who, because of age or
physical disability, cannot shoulder a gun, but we can by this plan riiow
827
that we are willing: to back up the men who have shouldered fpaxiA and
are going to give their lives in some instances for the country.
The financial interests of this country, for some reason, always seem
to control the big things that happen, and I believe that is true of every
business I know of. The people that control the finance will control the
actions. Nqw here is an opportunity for the organized forces of the
country to invest in government securities, giving them more oppor-
tunity to have something to say about government affairs. A couple of
weeks ago, in the Ohio district convention, I heard what I consider a good
definition of a slacker. Private Peat, in addressing the Ohio miners'
convention, said: "Any man or woman who has been given an oppor-
tunity to do anything in the interests of bringing about a successful con-
clusion of this war and has failed to do so is a damn slacker!" I am
quoting his own words exactly, and I say to you, brothers, that any of
3rou who fails to do something that you know you can do in the interests
of this war and fails to do it is a slacker. Any man, woman or child who
does not make a purchase of war savings stamps is a slacker, provided
there is ability to do so, of course.
In my experience since the war began, and possibly it is the same as
yours» I find we have in the manufacturing class men who have realized
the situation that confronts our country and have stepped forward and
volunteered their services gratis in the interests of the government. Men
have volunteered one day, two days, a month or a year, and some even
for years, to give their time to the government. This is a class that is
patriotic. There is a second class of men who have not waked up to the
fact that we are in a serious situation, men who prefer to go along in a
normal way and not be interfered with. There is a third class who can
see nothing but an opportunity for excess profits. These men want to
make fortunes out of the war and want the other people to do the fighting
and financiering.
We have thousands of men in labor's ranks who are giving all the
time they possibly can to government work. They cannot volunteer their
entire services because they are not financially able to do so, but I know
men everywhere I go who are giving all their spafre time to the service
of th government. There are other wage-earners, many of them mem-
bers of organized labor, who do not realize the situation and they, too.
are going on in a normal way as far as they are permitted to do. Tlwn
is also a third class of wage-earners that have no interest in the coimtrj,
have no loyalty for it and but little respect for it except as they can make
a living out of it Then we have in that class the agitator, the false rqh
resentative of labor, the man who will say anything to secora notoriety
regardless of the damage he may do to the government.
Now, with these three classes on each side the ttdng to do is for the
first class on each side to convince the second class on each side, bring
them in with them and force the others to behave themselves. Organ-
ized labor has made its pledge to support the government The organi-
zations of capital have made their pledge to support the government
Let us see who keeps his pledge best. That may be in the nature of a
challenge, but so far as I am concerned, I hope when the wmr is over the
verdict will be that both kept the pledge.
I have in mind a statement that was made on the platform yesterday
in connection with laying down your picks. I would like to see 3roa go
back to your homes and make every effort possible to get your meaiben,
your families and friends to back up the government in connection with
this war-saving plan. The only advice I can give you in connection with
the position of organized labor in this war is that we must always keep
one thing in mind when we consider the matter, and that is the men at
the front Keep in mind your own m^nbers, the members that make it
possible for you to display the largest service flag in the world. Ke^
those things in mind when you are considering a situation that is going
to affect the war. Don't make it possible for the members of your own
union to be able to put any blame upon your organization or upon the
members of organized labor and say that because of some act of thcirt
they were not properly equipped to enable them to meet the enemy.
President Hayes: I trust the delegates will take heed of what
Brother Baine has said and that each of you will buy war savings stamps
and when you go home advise your families and friends to do so.
The chair desires to state before debate starts that I believe I ex-
press the sentiment of this convention wh^i I say you are anxious to
get through with the work of this convention by Saturday evening at
the latest. It is the function of the chairman of a conventioii to try to
829
interpret the wishes of the delegates, and in view of that fact the chair
is going to enforce the five-minute rule as provided for in the rules gov-
erning this convention.
REPORT OP COMMITTEE ON CONSTITllTION.
*
Delegate Farrington, chairman of the committee, read the report
pending, the substitute offered by the committee for Section 2 of Ar-
ticle XIV.
Delegate Anderson: Mr. Chairman and Delegates to this Conven-
tion— ^There is one clause in the committee's report I am opposed to, and
that is making a distinction in our membership in taking the obligation.
But a few years ago, if I know anything about it, God, for Christ's sake,
pardoned my sins and made me free from sin.* I don't believe in sacri-
ficing one of the main principles of our union to satisfy the mind of any
one who has religious scruples. While the religious organizations are
fighting for the freedom of men and women from the bondage of sin and
cormption, the United Mine Workers of America are fighting to free the
miner and mine laborer from the oppression of those who have oppressed
him for years. If it is right for me to be a mine worker it is not right
for me, because of religious scruples, to refuse to take the obligation. It
will not conflict with the obligation any man owes to his church or his
country.
I protest against such a section being included in this constitution.
Let us all come into the organization the same way and recognize the
fact that we are fighting for freedom, that we are fighting to come out
from under the yoke of bondage. A man in eastern Tennessee went to
his house one day and said to his wife, "I want something to eat." She
had nothing cooked but some sweet potatoes. She told him she had noth-
ing else, and gave him the sweet potatoes. He filled his mouth and began
to eat. He soon began to choke and said, "Give me some water." She
said there wasn't any in the house, but he kept on saying, ''Waier, waier,
gimme dishwaier, or anjrthing."
Chairman Farrington: I had a better story than that to tell yes-
terday, but you wouldn't listen to me. The committee has merely re-
duced to writing a rule that has been prevalent in our organization ever
]
880
since we have had an org^anization. The report of the committee is ne-
ommended as a matter of expediency so that our organization may be
able to grow in some of the non-union sections of this country. In the
Southern States there is a religious sect, the members of which have ob-
jections to taking our obligation. We may say that they most take our
obligation, but when we do that we adopt a rule that prevents them from
joining the United Mine Workers of America, and, so far as any mt-
terial effect the committee's report may have on the organization, that
effect is immaterial in this particular instance.
I take it that the chief ambition of the United Mine Workers of
America is to grow and thrive and bring to the men who mine the eoel
in America the improvements in working conditions they should have.
The committee is only reducing to writing a rule that has been preva-
lent in the organization ever since we had an organization. John Mitchell,
Lewis and former President White all had made rulings while occupying
the presidency of this union that were identical with what the committee
recommends to the convention for consideration. I don*t think there can
be any serious objection to the report of the committee. While we may
have individual prejudices against the adoption of this suggestion, we
want to keep this thing foremost in our minds, that the chief functioii
of the United Mine Workers is to organize the non-union miners of this
country, and if we can, by the adoption of a rule of expediency, take into
our organization thousands of miners in the Southern States who have
religious scruples against taking the obligation, we should arrange ovr
plans so as to make it possible to do so.
Delegate Wilson, Oklahoma: We have these people in our eoontry
and as many as 200 did not want to take the obligation. If we hsd
turned them loose they would have ruined every condition we had on oor
track. I dont brieve in taking those people into the orgmnizatiofi with-
out the obligation.
Delegate McKnight : I rise at this time to endorse the report of the
committee. I believe the committee has shown their loyalty to the coon-
try and to the organisation. I have been president of a local union for
years and have obligated as many as 1.500 miners into the organization.
My pledfcv to each one was perfect freedom as far aa religion was con-
cerned. I don*t believe tho«e men who are kicking agminst the report of
881
the committee know what perfect freedom is. If they did, they would
not talk as they do. We promise our candidates for initiation that there
is nothing in the obligation that conflicts with their civic and religious
duties. Now what are some of the delegates trying to do this morning?
Trying to take that perfect freedom from some of those men.
I have had men come to me and say, "We are willing to abide by the
laws of the organization ; we are willing to pay all dues and assessments,
but we don't think it is fair for the organization to tpike from us some-
thing the laws of our country gives us, and that is the freedom to wor-
ship God according to our own conscience." One brother said to force
them in. He said he had been saved. Twenty-seven years ago Grod par-
doned me my sins, and if I am compelled to take an obligation to do
something my conscience does not approve of you are taking from me
something that flag up there gives me. I therefore heartily approve the
report of the committee and beg you not to try to force any man to take
an obligation that conflicts with his civil or religious duties.
A brother back here said he had 200 of these people in his territory
and they would be a menace if they were turned off. If I want to serve
God in my own way I don't think the government of this country would
try to force me to serve Him in some other way. If I am true to God
and my fellow man I don't want to take an obligation that I cannot take
with a clear conscience.
Delegate Jones (T.), District 12: According to President Farring-
ton, this is a matter of expediency. It seems to me that will only add
to the confusion. In the section of the State where I live we have large
locals that are hard to control under present conditions. If this amend-
ment is adopted it will add more to the confusion and a lot of members
will not get to vote. The adoption of this amendment to the section will
have another bad effect. In our country we have a system of having
meetings of all the delegates in each county. They meet once a month
and discuss conditions in the different mines. If we are trying to adopt
some kind of resolution to govern all the mines in our district conven-
tions, after hearing the amendment proposed by the committee yester-
day I have come to the conclusion that if this amendment to Section 2 is
adopted it will prevent us from meeting. There may be something in
1
this that will prevent us from meeting. I therefore enter a protest
against this. I am absolutely opposed to it.
We have been talking about freedom of speech, democracy and all
that sort of stuff, but I believe the adoption of this amendment to Section
S will prevent the miners of Elinois from meeting or they will be dssaed
as dual organiiations. Several statements have been made about om
cvuaty BMetiags, and I believe if this report is adopted as recommended
by tiM cummittce it will work a great hardship on the miners of niinois.
I aM ftns in that belief. So far as religious scruples are concerned, I sn
gi Hie ^Moa of some of the preceding speakers — if a man cannot take
tbe vMi^tioB of this organisation he isn't good enough to belong to it
U 1^ aiaa takia the oath of allegiance to this United States Govemmeot
r^tx^^tiMM 9crupl«« are not taken into account. I am absolutely opposed
1^ the aairnilwifnt of Section 2 as proposed by the committee.
IVhyate Zibh, District 12: I want to make an amendment to the
wiHtvMi. I move that we do not concur in the committee's report and that
w^ a«kH^ the old section in the constitution.
rrc«ident Hayes: That is not an amendment, it is a negative mo-
X'hMi. You can accomplish the same result by voting down the commit-
t*^** report.
Delegate Dobbins <Ed.), District 12: A man does not have to tike
an \^th in court if he has religious scruples against it. So that the con-
vention can vote on this, I move the previous question. (Seconded])
Delegate Haywood, District 12: I arise to a point of order. The
luover of the motion made an argument before making the motion.
President Hayes : The chair did not consider that an argummt
The motion to close debate was carried.
Delegate Baker, District 28: I desire to ask with reference to the
willection of initiation fees. In our district we collect on the installment
|tUn. 1 wish to understand if when a man signs the checkoff for his
Uiiliiitiun fee and it is collected in installments of $2.S0, is he consid-
vittd M niember of the organization in good standing before the entire
luUlHtiui) fee is collected?
888
Chairman Farrington: No.
Delegrate McCleish: I want to ask, if tliis convention concurs in the
committee's report, will that abolish all the county associations as dual
organizations to this great organization of ours?
Chairman Farrington: The committee's report has nothing what-
ever to do with county meetings in Illinois. It deals only with men who
hold membership in the I. W. W., the Working Class Union or any other
dual labor organization.
•
The motion to adopt the report of the committee on Section 2 of
Article XIV was carried by 747 votes in the affirmative to 512 votes in
the negative.
President Hayes: All the delegates who desire to be recorded as
opposing the committee's report will hand their names to the secretary.
I don't think there is a sufficient number of delegates making the request
to warrant calling the roll. If there are 300 delegates who desire a roll-
call your request will be granted.
The request for a roll-c|ill was not supported by the requisite num-
ber of delegates.
The following delegates desired to be recorded as opposing the re-
port of the committee on Section 2:
Delegates Pascoe, Local 893, District 12; Ed Schmiedeke, Local
2686, District 25; A. D. Lavender, Local 1399, District 6; Tom Jones,
Local 2657, District 12; J. W. Muse, Local 694, District 12; J. L. Sims,
Local 625, District 11; Frank Zibb, Local 644, District 12; P. T. Gor-
man, Local 3262, District 19; C. S. Gillespie, Local 3369, W. Va.; Peter
Lembo, Local 480; Paul Beemer, Local 3136; Alex Allison, Local 383;
George W. Reid, Local 1922, District 14; Charles C. Rogers, Local 1748,
District 6; John Arscott, Local 1800, District 12; W. H. Pascoe, Local
892, District 12; Arley Staples, Local 232; Ivor Rowlands, Local 232;
T. J. Price, W. Va.; Jack Corso, Local 2376, District 12.
Section 3 of Article XIV was readopted.
Chairman Farrington: The committee recommends that Section 4
of Article XIV be amended by striking out "eight dollars" on fourth line
and inserting in lieu thereof ''fifteen dollars." ,
27— M. Pro.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
Seetiona 5 and 6 of Article XIV were rcadopted without changa <a
amendments.
Resolutions 28, 58, 171, 193, proposed amendments to Section 7.
The committee recommended nonconcur lence in tiiese resolntiotts, and
recommended the following as an additional paragn^h to the secti«i:
'^ Applicants for membership most pay the full amomit of tiie initii-
tion fee -into the local where application is first made; the foil amoant
to be paid within three months or the first payment shall be foifeited.'
A motion was made and seconded to ad<^ the reoommendation d
the committee.
Delegate Soper, District 12 : I onderstand this will be paid into the
local anions where a man makes his application if he pays it ahrayi ixi
three months. A brother made application to our local who had paid
part of his initiation fee in Iowa. After our checkweig^iman had checked
off the balance of the initiation fee this was referred back to the Ions
locaL The Iowa local reported back to our secretary that they could not
five him a card. Our secretary wrote bade that they would have to gi?e
a card or send the man his money. The man paid the balance of bis
initiation fee to our locaL In that way the initiation fee cost him f 15-
If a man changes from one district to another he should not lose the part
of his initiation fee paid in the district where he first makes applica-
tion.
Chairman Farrington: I am satisfied that one of the applicants to
which the delegate refers happened to come over to Illinois with a re-
ceipt showing that he had paid $5 into one of the Iowa local unions.
The local union in Illinois wanted to know whether they should accept
the five-dollar receipt in lieu of S5 on his initiation fee. I told the local
union not to accept the receipt, but to either make the applicant get a
transfer card or pay the full initiation fee. He toc^ the matter up wi&
the Iowa local union and. of course, could not get a transfer card fron
Iowa because he had not paid the full amount of his initiation fee. That
trouble was precipitated simply because they seem to have a rule in Iowa
that is in violation of the requirements of our international consti-
tution.
885
Section S, Article XV, of our intemational constitation reads: "Hie
'ansfer card must show that the member receiving: it has paid all obli-
Bitions up to and including the month in which it was issued, also at
hat class of labor he was employed." Of course, the Iowa local union
>uld not issue a transfer card, and the Illinois local union could not admit
lat man to membership on his receipt, because they wanted the initia-
on fee. The man was in between the two laws — ^he could not get his
ird from Iowa and he could not get membership in Illinois without pay-
tg the fee. The committee provides that when a man makes applica-
on in any local union that local union will receive the entire amount, and
e must pay it within three months. After paying the initiation fee he
in receive a transfer card and go about his business. This trouble will
3 obviated if the report of the committee is adopted.
Delegate Soper: You say all the initiation fee must go into one
cal? The local in Illinois checked off the balance and would have for-
arded it to Iowa, but they would not give him a card. We did not think
lat was right.
Chairman Farringrton: I don't know of any better answer I can
ake to the question than to say if the report of the committee is adopted
lere will be no possibility of similar cases occuring in the future. The
»mmittee's report is intended to prevent the thing you have cited to the
invention this morning.
Delegate Norman, District 15: Did I understand the committee to
icommend no change in Section 5?
Chairman Farrington: Yes.
Delegate Norman: In Section 4 we have increased the charter fee.
I the event a local is organized by a local organizer, which section will
i in effect? It seems to me that ought to be changed.
Chairman Farrington: That section of the constitution has al-
iady been adopted and unless the chair rules that I may make an ex-
anation to the delegate I shall not do so because it is out of order.
Delegate Norman: I tried to get the floor to ask an explanation
^fore the section was adopted.
886
The motion to adopt the report of the committee on Secticm 7 vu
Section 8. The committee recommended no change. Resolution Ho.
66, proposing to amend the section, was non-conciurred in hy tite
committee.
Delegate Smith, District 19: Is there anjrthing in the ConstitntioB
that allows boys less than sixteen years of age to work in the mines?
Delegate Bittner: There are no States that the eommittee knovi
of that allows boys to work inside the mines, but in nearly every Stste
they aUow them to work on the outside where we have jurisdiction over
the outside men.
Section 8 was adopted.
Section 9, Article XTV, was adopted without change or amendment
Chairman Farrington: In connection with that section the eom-
mittee has a matter we think ought to be brought to your attention.
We. think it ought to be acted upon by the convention, although we did
not deem it advisable to write the section into the ConstitutioB.
Some time ago the International Elxecutive Board recommended to
our local unions that wliere men entered the mflitary service of the
nation during this war they should be exempt from the payment of does
and assessments during their period of service. The reoommendatioD.
of course, was merely a recommendation. In face of the law of tiie
organization the International Executive Board was without authority
to make the recommendation mandatory. The Committee on Consti-
tution believed it should be made mandatory, and we offer this resolo-
tion for the consideration of the convention. We do not believe the
resolution should be written into the Constitution as a constitotioiial
amendment, yet we do believe the convention ought to take some definite
action on the question. Therefore the committee recommends the adop-
tion of the following resolution:
The International Executive Board having ruled that memben of
our organization now in the army and navy be exonerated for the period
they are engaged in the military services of our country, we recommend
that the International Executive Board be given authority to make this
rule mandatory.
837
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the resolntion.
Delegate Blake, District 12: I would like to ask the chairman of
the committee a question. We have a death benefit in District 12 and
we also have local benevolent funds. Does this determine that such
death benefits shall be paid the dependents of men who die in the army?
Chairman Farringrton: Your district executive board has already
ruled that if any of our members lose their lives while in military service
the indemnity will be paid to their heirs. So far as any death indenmity
that is provided for in the various local unions, that is a matter which
each individual local union must determine for itself.
Delegate Grills: Our local has ruled that it shall be paid. We have
thirty-nine of our members in the army.
Delegate Morgan: I am in favor of the recommendation of the
committee, but I think it should specify that it should apply during the
time of the war. I should like to have it amended to state that it be in
effect until the war is over.
Chairman Farrington: The resolution already provides for that.
Delegrate Gish, District 23: Just a few minutes ago we passed an
amendment to Section 2 of Article XIV. In that article we exclude from
membership in this organization the Boy Scouts. Is that correct?
Chairman Farrington: No, the contrary is true.
The motion to adopt the resolution was carried.
Sections 10' and 11 of Article XIV were readopted.
Section 12: The committee recommended that Section 12 be amended
by striking out the words "fifty cents" and inserting in lieu thereof the
words "one dollar," the section to read: .
"The local dues to be paid by each member shall not be less than
one dollar per month, with such assessments as may be levied by the
different branches of the organization."
Chairman Farrington: In the following section the committee
recommends that the per capita tax paid to the International Union shall
be raised 25 cents a month, so that in the future it will be 50 cents per
886
The motion to adopt the report of the committee on Section 7 wu
carried.
Section 8. The committee recommended no change. Resolution No.
66y proposing to amend the section, was non-concurred in by the
committee.
Delegate Smith, District 19: Is there anything in the Constitiiti<m
that allows boys less than sixteen years of age to work in the mines?
Delegate Bittner: There are no States that the conunittee knom
of that allows boys to work inside the mines, but in nearly every State
they allow them to work on the outside where we have Jurisdiction over
the outside men.
Section 8 was adopted.
Section 9, Article XIV, was adopted without change or amendment
Chairman Farrington: In connection with that section the com-
mittee has a matter we think ought to be brought to your attention.
We. think it ought to be acted upon by the convention, although we did
not deem it advisable to write the section into the Constitution.
Some time ago the International ESxecutive Board recommended to
our local unions that wliere men entered the military service of the
nation during this war they should be exempt from the payment of dues
and assessments during their period of service. The recommendation,
of course, was merely a recommendation. In face of the law of the
organization the International Executive Board was without authority
to make the recommendation mandatory. The Committee on Consti-
tution believed it should be made mandatory, and we offer this resolu-
tion for the consideration of the convention. We do not believe the
resolution should be written into the Constitution as a constitutional
amendment, yet we do believe the convention ought to take some definite
action on the question. Therefore the committee recommends the adop-
tion of the following resolution:
The International Executive Board having ruled that members of
our organization now in the army and navy be exonerated for the period
they are engaged in the military services of our country, we recommend
that the International Executive Board be given authority to make this
rule mandatory.
887
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the resolution.
Delegate Blake, District 12: I would like to ask the chairman of
the committee a question. We have a death benefit in District 12 and
we also have local benevolent funds. Does this determine that such
death benefits shall be paid the dependents of men who die in the army?
Chairman Farringrton: Your district executive board has already
ruled that if any of our members lose their lives while in military service
the indemnity will be paid to their heirs. So far as any death indemnity
that is provided for in the various local unions, that is a matter which
each individual local union must determine for itself.
Delegate Grills : Our local has ruled that it shall be paid. We have
thirty-nine of our members in the army.
Delegate Morgan: I am in favor of the recommendation of the
committee, but I think it should specify that it should apply during the
time of the war. I should like to have it amended to state that it be in
effect until the war is over.
Chairman Farrington: The resolution already provides for that.
Delegrate Gish, District 23: Just a few minutes ago we passed an
amendment to Section 2 of Article XIV. In that article we exclude from
membership in this org:anization the Boy Scouts. Is that correct?
Chairman Farringrton: No, the contrary is true.
The motion to adopt the resolution was carried.
Sections 10' and 11 of Article XIV were readopted.
Section 12: The committee recommended that Section 12 be amended
by striking out the words "fifty cents" and inserting in lieu thereof the
words "one dollar," the section to read: .
"The local dues to be paid by each member shall not be less than
one dollar per month, with such assessments as may be levied by the
different branches of the organization."
Chairman Farrington: In the following section the committee
recommends that the per capita tax paid to the International Union shall
be raised 25 cents a month, so that in the future it will be 50 cents per
1
838
month. The question naturally follows that if you are only going to
raise the national per capita tax 26 cents per month, wherein lies the
necessity for, raising the dues an additional 50 cents per month? The
reason lies in the anthracite region. The officers coming from those
districts inform the Constitution Committee that they are not ndw re-
ceiving sufficient revenue to conduct the affairs of their district organi-
zation and local unions in the way they should be conducted. They feel
if the dues are to be raised they should be raised a sufficient amount
not only to pay the additional per capita tax to the International, but
to enable them to collect a sufficient amount to conduct the affairs of
the district organizations and the local unions in the way they should
be conducted. They feel if the dues are to be raised they should be
raised a sufficient amount, not only to pay the additional per capita tax
to the international, but to enable them to collect a sufficient amount to
conduct the affairs of the district organizations and the local unions.
That is why the committee recommends raising the dues to a minimum
of one dollar instead of fifty cents.
Delegate Mates, District 9: I desire to oppose the report of the
committee. I am in favor of allowing a liberal increase that will insure
the national organization enough to meet expenses. I believe the com-
mittee's report should be chang^ed to allow that the minimum dues shall
be 75 cents. That would give the local 15 cents and allow the balance
to be divided betwen the district and local. I think the international
can g:et along on an increase of 15 cents. I am in favor of allowing the
international 40 cents, the balance to be divided between the local and
district organizations. In the anthracite region where I come from it
is a difficult task to collect the 50 cents. We do not enjoy the blessing of
the check-off in the anthracite region.
Delegate Hall (L.), District 6: I arise to move an amendment to
the committee's report, that we strike out "one dollar*" and insert
"seventy-five cents." (Seconded.)
My reason for offering the amendment is that I feel a dollar will
not meet with the approval of a large majority of the membership of our
organization. I feel that we should increase the per capita tax to some
extent, but not to the extent recommended by the conmiittee. The chair-
man of the committee states that in the following section to be con-
sidered they have a recommendation to strike out 25 cents and inserting
889
50 cents. I am in favor of advancing the per capita tax to all the
branches of the organization, but not to the extent recommended by the
committee. According to the report of Secretary Green, we had an
average paid-up membership last year of 367,381, which gave a revenue
of $1,102,143 for the year. That was collected from the 25 cents. At
the 50-cent rate that is recommended by the committee the amount will
be doubled. I am satisfied to have the minimum dues 75 cents, allow
10 cents additional to the international and divide the balance between
the local unions for their expenses and the expenses of the districts.
An advance of 10 cents to the international, on the average paid-up
membership we had last year, will amount to $440,857.20 increased
revenue.
According to Secretary Green's report, the membership increased
during the twelve months of last year, from January 1, 1917, to Novem-
ber 1, 66,143. We are increasing the membership, and naturally the
revenue will increase. Another reason I think 10 cents additional to
the international will meet the requirements is that the auditor's report
shows during the last year they have done remarkably well in paying
off the loans to the various districts. According to the secretary's
report, the international owed $877,&60 to the districts. They have paid
$661,882. That was done with the 25 cents per capita tax. Now why
make it 50 cents?
I realize that the international has been to a great expense in the
last year. The charters in Districts 15, 19, 17 and 29 were suspended,
but according to the reports read on the floor of this convention the
membership has increased in those districts now to such an extent that
they will be self-sustaining and will take away the extra burden that
has been placed upon the international in the last year. If the districts
I mentioned are going to be self-sustaining and take that burden off
the international organization it is another reason why 10 cents would
be enough to carry on the business of the international. In District 6
we allow 10 cents to the district, 10 cents to the sub-districts and 20
cents to the local unions.
Chairman Farrington: As far as the committee is concerned, we
have no objections to offer to the amendment of Delegate Hall. The
committee was merely trying to meet a difficulty in the three anthracite
districts that could be met by action in this convention better than if it
1
840
had to be met by the district organizations themselves. You 4Qtiust not
lose sight of the fact that our international constitution provides only
the minimiun dues that shall be paid. If any of the district organiza-
tions find it necessary to raise their dues they can do so. As far as the
committee is concerned, we need have no further argument on the amend-
ment offered by Delegate Hall; we are willing that it shall be adopted
by the convention. Many of our local unions are now paying more than
one dollar a month, but as far as the international constitution is con-
cerned that is left to the districts and local unions for their own determi-
nation. The constitution provides only for the minimum and not the
maximum amount of dues that shall be paid into the organization.
Delegate Henderson: You don't know what this will do to the
anthracite coal regions. We have to spend all our time now trying to
get the members we have to pay 50 cents. In the last district convention
we had resolutions asking for the closed shop and the check-off. The
men of the anthracite coal region are begging for the check-off and
cannot get it. What is the reason? Because I don't think our officers
want it. There is only one thing to keep the anthracite district together
and that is to get the check-off for us. If we get that we can pay as
much as any other district in the United Mine Workers.
Delegate Kennedy, District 7: The delegate who just spoke is not
from my district, but I want to take this ineans of informing him and
the entire delegation that the officers of the anthracite and the inter-
national officials have fought as hard as any other set of officers in this
country to get the check-off and thus far have failed to secure it. One
of the reasons we have been unable to secure it is the fact that when
we negotiated the contracts we were able to represent only about one-half
of the anthracite membership. The operators said: *'Get your own men
to recognize the union before you try to force somebody else to recog-
nize it.'*
The substitute offered by Delegate Hall provides for 75 cents does.
Whether the delegate who preceded me knows it or not, the anthracite
delegation met in this hall day before yesterday and went on record
providing that if the dues were raised they would go back into the dis-
tricts and do their best to make the men pay the increase. If the
brothers from that region, instead of criticising, would come to the front
and fight to compel the men in the anthracite region to pay their dues
841
we would be much better off. In the district I come from we have a
closed shop, not on account of the check-off but on account of the fact
that our men are fighting: every day in the month to keep that member-
ship up to 100 per cent. If the dues are raised here we intend to go
back and continue that fight. When the next section of the constitution
is to be discussed, we propose to suggest a remedy that will cure the
evils complained of in the anthracite so far as insufficient funds are
concerned. Until we reach that section I have nothing further to say,
except that the officers and the active men in the anthracite region are
not only doing their best but are doing their damnedest to make the
organization there a complete success. In our district they have
achieved that and are going to continue on and on until eventually we
will have complete official recogrnitfon of the check-off.
The amendment offered by Delegate Hall was adopted and the
report of the committee as amended was adopted.
Chairman Parrington: The committee concurs in the resolution
No. 134, and recommends that Section 13 of Article XIV be amended by
striking out "twenty-five cents" in the third line and inserting in lieu
thereof "fifty cents." The section will then read;
"Every local union shall pay direct to the International Secretary-
Treasurer a per capita tax of fifty cents per month per member and
such additional assessments as may be levied by an International con-
vention, referendum vote of the members or in accordance with Section
25 of Article IX, payment of per capita tax to be based upon the amount
of dues collected each month by the local union."
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
Delegate Dempsey, District 1: I move to amend by striking out
fifty cents" and inserting "forty cents."
4«
A delegate moved to amend the amendment by striking out "forty
cents" and inserting "thirty-five" cents," but no second to the amendment
was heard by the chair.
Chairman Farrington: I feel there are those in this convention
officially connected with the international administration who are better
842
prepared to speak in defense of the committee's report than the chair-
man of the Constitution Committee could possibly do. The committee
has recommended, however, that the international per capita tax be
increased to 50 cents per month, because we believe a lesser amount than
that is not sufficient to successfully conduct the affairs of the inter-
national union. I think we need only review the past history of the
organization in order to convince ourselves of the truth of that
statement
Any one who knows anything about the financial affairs of the
international union knows that that branch of our organization has lived
a hand-to-mouth existence for a number of years. As a matter of fact,
the international union now owes the organization I represent $100,000.
They have owed it to us for several years, despite the fact that they
have been doing everything in their power to meet their obligation to
District 12. The only reason they have not been able to meet the obliga-
tion is because the revenue coming into the international is not sufficient
to allow them to do so. I call your attention to this, not as an indictment
against the officers of the international union, but merely to show you
that the revenue going into that branch of the organization must be
increased if our international union is to be placed on a high, dignified,
efficient basis of operation.
The international union at one time owed the district organization
I represent $350,000. There were other district organizations to which
the international union was proportionately obligrated. As a matter of
fact, there was scarcely a district organization under our jurisdiction to
which the international did not owe more or less money. It is true the
amount owed the Illinois miners* union was far in excess of the amount
owed any other district organization; but, considered from a per capita
tax basis, the obligation of District 12 was no greater than that of many
of the other districts. We cannot conduct the affairs of the United
Mine Workers' organization successfully on a shoestring. If we arc
going to get results for the membership the membership must contribute
to the organization an amount sufficient to enable the international to
accomplish those results; and it is an indictment against the organiza-
tion to know that the revenue coming into the international union is so
small as to keep it almost constantly under financial obli^tions to the
district organizations that do have money in their treasuries.
843
I think the accomplishments secured for the membership of this
organization during the recent past have been sufficient to warrant the
Committee on Constitution recommending to the convention that you
contribute to the organization that brought about those accomplishments
a sufficient amount of revenue to enable the officers to accomplish addi-
tional results, by placing them in a position where they can carry on
the affairs of the organization in the efficient manner they should be
carried on.
- You perhaps know now, and if you don't you will before this con-
vention adjourns, that this delegation is groing to be called upon to deviso
some plan that will enable the international union to raise $800,000 to
defend it against recent federal court decisions that have been rendered
against us. Gentlemen, we cannot do all these things on a shoestring.
If the United Mine Workers of America is going to continue to prosper
and bring results to the membership we must contribute to the organiza-
tion a sufficient amount to enable it to do so. There are districts in this
organization that have large treasuries and those districts are constantly
being drawn upon by the international union to conduct the affairs of
that branch of our organization, simply because the revenue coming
into the international is not sufficient to enable them to carry on the
work of the organization. As one member of an organization where we
have a large treasury, where the membership is willing to contribute
generously to the support of the organization, I say I am tired of giving
constantly to the international to enable that branch to carry on its
work. I don't think it is fair to the members in the districts where they
do have large treasuries to be constantly drawing on them simply be-
cause the members as a whole are not paying into the international a
sufficient amount to enable the officers to carry on its work.
In Illinois we have about $1,800,000 in our treasury, and I think I
can say that before this convention adjourns the Illinois miners will be
called upon to contribute a large part of the $800,000 that must be raised
in this convention. You ought to give this matter serious consideration.
Don't lose sight of the fact that we must have money to carry on the
work of the organization, and if the international hasn't the money the
districts that have it will be called upon to pay the bill. The committee's
report proposes that this burden of expense, instead of being carried by
844
tha (lifltrict orgranizations having large treasuries, shall be distributed
uvvr all the membership of this orgranization.
There is another thing we must not lose sight of, and that is that
the expense of conducting the affairs of the international union has
increased recently just the same as has the cost of everything else, and
where it took a thousand dollars a year ago it p^haps now costs $1,500
to accomplish the same result. Now let us be generous about this thing,
boyn ; let us not take a position that we are going to deny to an organi-
xation a sufficient amount of money to carry on its affairs, particularly
In the light of the accomplishment of that organization within recent
months. 1 hope we will discontinue this practice of hollering "Question"
and *'Sit down** and things of that kind and that we will get down in our
Hoata and give this matter some sober consideration. I am satisfied if
you do that the report of the committee will be adopted.-
SiH*retary Green: I feel it my duty as the financial officer of this
orirunixation to say just a few words upon the proposition you are about
tti act on. First, I want to say that if you expect this intemationai
uni«>n to discharge its functions, to meet the necessities of each occasion
UN it arises and respond to the demands that are made upon it you most
furnitih the international union the money to do it. Let me remind you
I hut the financial obligations of this organization are constantly increas-
inir. The dues to the American Federation of Labor have been increased
on tho membership in our union so that we will have to pay during the
oon\ing year out of the intemationai treasury thousands of dollars more
in per capita tax to the American Federation of Labor than we did last
yoar. Secondly, the increase in office supplies, stationery and salaries
to 1h> paid to officers and field workers will amount to thousands of
dollars. All of these increases must be met^ This morning you voted
that we must pay out of the little money we now have as transportation
to YOU over $40.iHH\ and that will take pretty nearly all the money 1
have to pay you.
Why. jcvntiemen. an? you p^'^ing to stop and reason a moment? Are
you jTv^ir.^ to b<» nitriair>ily and stingy with us all the time and expect is
to r.^Mt our c^y.i^tionsT Eighty thousand men. women and children is
I'^istric: !:<« w^re sudolon^.y thrown upon our hands without supporL
How are w-e }^>:r.|: to fe<si and ciothe them without money? Do yoc
kr.o>* wh.-^t ;t cv^ts to fee\l ano. c'-othe m\iW people? Have you any cce-
ception of the amount necessary? How do you expect us to meet occa-
sions like that when they arise if you are going to withhold from us
the money?
If this international union has to go out into the non-union fields of
Alabama, the coke region of Pennsylvania, the Irwin Field, the unorgan-
ized districts of West Virginia and every remote section of the American
continent and take on thousands of people in these campaigns to feed
and clothe, how do you expect we can do it if you don't g^ive us the
money? It is the international union that must assume these responsi-
bilities, not the district organizations. When we organized 20,000 men
in District 19 and brought them into the union it was the international
organization that had to put up the money to do it. We had to bear the
cost, we had to clothe and feed the men, women and little children. It
wasn't the district organizations that were building up their treasuries,
and yet the district organizations that were accumulating money were
as much benefited by bringing those 20,000 men in as any district in the
organization.
Let me tell you a few other things. We are still in debt. I have
been sweating blood during the last year or two trying to make botb
ends meet. We owe Kansas $75,000; we owe other districts large sums
•of money. In spite of all our efforts, we have not been able to discharge
these obligations. There is still due District 12, the district President
Farrington speaks for, almost $200,000 for money that district loaned
to Ohio, and the international union is expected to pay that $200,000.
When the strike was on in Eastern Ohio, when 15,000 men were out for
fourteen months, it was this international that had to go out and get
the money to selp carry on that fight in a well organized district. And
we went to the other districts and borrowed and begged and pleaded for
money. Why, the three international officers went to a bank in this city
when we did not have a dollar in the treasury and borrowed $25,000
and gave their own notes for it. And then when Illinois would not lend
the international union any more money, we said: ''For God's sake,
lend it to Ohio! Give it to them direct and we will stand good for iV*
And so they did. Rather than give it to the international they gave
$200,000 to Ohio. That obligation is not yet discharged and we have
to pay it.
848
Sactioiis 89, 40» 41 and 42 were resdopted.
Aitide XV. The first aeventeen sections were rettdoptedv tiie eon-
mittee reeonuiiendiiig no diange and no resolntions mMeddng theie iw-
tions hftTini^ been submitted.
18. Resolution No. 142 proposing an amendment to this
section was nonconcorred in. The committee recommended that the
section be changed by striking out the words ''Western Federation of
Miners'* and inserting in lien thereof international Union of Mine, MSI
and Sm^ter Woriun."
The recommendation of the committee was concurred in.
Delegate Lavender: We had some trouble witii the question of
transfer cards coming from aflBliated bodies of the American Federation
of Labor. Local unions have refused to accept them. I would like to
see the section amended so that cards of bodies affiliated with the
A. F. of L. will be accepted. I refer especially to the Pottos and
Moulders. We have cards come from those organisations.
Chairman Farrington: None of the organisations mentioned by
the delegate accept cards of the United Mine Workers. The com-
mittee does not feel that we should take transfer cards finom organisa-
tions that will not take ours.
The committee recommended that Section 19 of Article XV be
stricken out, the chairman explaining that there is no sudi organization
now as mentioned in it and the section is theref<»e superfluous.
The recommendation of the* committee was adcqpted.
Article XVI, Article XVII and Article XVm were readopted with-
out change or amendment.
The committee recommended the following substitute for Article
XIX:
"That the publication and management of our official journal be
left with the International Executive Board, which body shall have fnll
849
power to decide all questions concerning publication, business manage-
ment and policies thereof."
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
Chairman Farringrton: This concludes our report.
(Signed) FRANK FARRINGTON, Chairman,
ADAM WILKINSON, Secretary,
WILLIAM HARRISON,
JAMES MORGAN,
JAMES FORGIE,
G. H. EDMUNDS,
VAN BITTNER, ,
WILLIAM MITCH,
ROBERT GIBBONS,
Committee.
Chairman Farring^n: I move the adoption of the constitution as
amended by the convention. (Seconded.)
Secretary Savage: The other day the committee amended the Con-
stitution stating that a member joining our organization should pay dues
for the month he joined. It has been the practice of the International
organization to exonerate local unions for the month they were organ-
ized in. It has not been the practice of our district for some time to do
that, and there has been a great deal of conflict on account of the Inter-
national taking one position and the district the other. Is it the under-
standing of the committee that a local must pay dues for the month it
is organized in?
#
Chairman Farrington: The committee did not recommend that a
man must pay dues for the month in which he joins the organization.
We recommended that he must pay dues for the month in which he
starts work. The International Constitution now provides that local
unions must pay per capita tax on all members from which they collect
dues. If you have been following the practice you state, in the judg-
ment of the chairman of the Constitutional Committee you have not
been complying with the requirements of the International Constitution.
The motion to adopt the constitution as amended was carried.
860
UST OF RESOLUTIONS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
CONSTITUTION
FoUowing are the resolutions submitted to the Committee on Con-
stitotion thmt were not read by them during the time their report wm
being made:
RESOLUTION NO. 25.
Spring Valley, IlL, December 20, 1917.
To tile Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sizth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Who-eas, The present method of electing officers is unsatisfactory
to our membership on scoount that it allows men to be elected by a
minority, thereby in many instances allowing someone to become
elected that is not the choice of the majority of the membership, sod
in doing so are not given the support and eo-<^ieration of the rank and
file that he should have necessary in order to have success; therefore.
belt
Resolved, That that part of our Constitution be amended to pro-
vide tiiat the man or men so elected must receive a majority of sfl
votes cast and in case that on the first ballot no one has received a
mi^jority vote the two highest men wiU be voted on, and the one re-
ceiving the highest vote wiU be declared elected; and, be it further
Resolved, That in case it becomes necessary for the District Ptcs-
ident to appoint any assistants or to fill any vacancies, he must np-
point the man receiving the second highest vote on the second ballot
WM. CRAIG, Prcsidcat.
THEO. DBSSRF, Reearding Secretary.
LUOAN DART, Ffnandal Secretary.
Local Union No. 4S.
Similar resolutions were submitted by:
Local Union No. S& Eldorado, DL
Local UiuoR NV ISOO. Peoria, VI.
Local U=Lior No, S60. St. I>svid. EL
Local Union Xc 1SP$. Eldorado, IIL
851
RESOLUTION NO. 27.
Spring Valley, III., December 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That our Constitution be changed in regards to calling
of Special Conventions, to read as follows: "Where Local Unions rep-
resenting five per cent, of the membership ask for a Special Conven-
tion, it shall be submitted to the membership for a referendum vote."
WM. CRAIG, President
THEO. DESERF, Recording Secretary.
LUCIAN DART, Financial Secretary.
Local Union No. 48.
Similar resolutions were submitted by:
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 992, Zeigler, 111.
Local Union No. 860, St. David, 111.
Local Union No. 1800, Peoria, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
RESOLUTION NO. 28.
Eldorado, 111., December 7, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That when a member leaves the jurisdiction of the U.
M. W. of A. and goes bossing, that before he can become a member
of the U. M. W. of A. again he must pay a reinstatement fee of (100.00.
TOM CAMERON, Recording Secretary.
ED. KIRK, Financial Secretary.
Local Union No. 88.
Similar resolutions were submitted by:
Local Union No. 43, Spring Valley, HI.
Local Union No. 794, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 860, St. I>a\nd, 111.
Local Union No. 2650, Harrisburg, 111.
852
RESOLUTION NO. 40.
To the Ofllcera and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Conseciitive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Resolved, That it be inserted in our National Constitiitioii en^ow-
ering the District to handle any member for slanderous attack throng
the public press against District or National officers.
C. K STfiRLING,
EARL TAGGART,
RALPH SHAD,
Resolution Committee.
Local Union No. 1149, Gross, Kan.
RESOLUTION NO. 42.
To the Ofllcers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. -W. of A. :
Whereas, In our last conference, which was caUed for the pur-
pose of formulating a new wage scale, the Southwest being ignwed,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That it be inserted in our National Constituticn that any
conferodce called for the purpose of forming any wage or business
of importance concerning the organization, without representatives of
the Southwest District, be null and void.
C. E. STERLING,
EARL TAGGART,
RALPH SHAD,
Local Union No. 1149, Gross, Kan. Readution Committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 51.
Osage City, Kan., November 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolution recom maiding an amendment to the International Con-
stitution relative to the making of the Interstate Joint Agreement:
\M\ereas, In making the Joint Agreement between and for the
858
four competitive fields, namely: Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois
and Indiana; and
Whereas, It has become customary and seems to be an established
fact that while making said Joint Agreement for said four competitive
fields, that the outlying districts have been and are now deprived of
the right or power to have or take any part in making said Joint
Agreement; and
Whereas, The invitation extended to the officials of said outlying
districts, and their presence there, is of no essential value unless they
are interested with all constituted authority to take an active part with
voice and vote in the formulating and making of said Joint Agreement;
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the International Constitution be amended so that
all District officials be permitted, and empowered with full authority
of said International Constitution to take an active part in the making
of the said Inter-State Joint Agreement.
Agreed to by unanimous vote of representatives from Locals 544
Scranton, 2377 Fostoria, 1074 Burlingame, 1701 Peterson, 1009 Osage
City, at convention held at Osage City, Kan.
H. L. GIBAUD, Chairman.
WM. McMURDO, Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 66.
Blanford, Ind., December 21, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We, the officers of Local Union No. 3041, located at Blanford,
r
Ind., District No. 11, demand this resolution:
Resolved, That Section 8, Article 14, be taken out and that no boy
under 17 years of age pay no initiation fee of $2.50, provided his father
is a member of good standing in the U. M. W. of A.
JOE MARCINKO, President. 4
ANDREW MARCINKO, Recording Secretary.
THOMAS KEHOE, Financial Secretary.
854
RESOLUTION NO. 68.
Buxton, Iowa, December 21, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecntive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Resolved, That Article 14 and Section 7 of the International Consti-
tution be amended to read as follows: ^
''Unless a dispensation has been granted in accordance with Se^
tion 11 of Article 9 the initiation fee for practical miners shall be (60,
inexperienced miners and top and bottom men shall be subject to the
laws of the district where application for membership is made, but no
applicant shall be eligible for initiation until he has started work at i
mine under the jurisdiction of the Local Union where application for
membership is made. J. C. HUNT,
J. G. RODGERS,
THOS. DIGHAN,
Committee on Resolutions.
RESOLUTION NO. 72.
Monarch, Wyo., December 17, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
In Article 14, Section 20, strike out seven words and insert four to
read as follows : 'The word member as it appears in Section IS of this
article includes all persons from whom dues are collected and have taken
the obligation." A. M. JOHNSON, President.
ELMER McELROY, Financial Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 76.
Richmond, Mo., December 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The appointive power of the International President in
the appointment of International organizers and field workers has been
a source of discontent and dissatisfaction among the membership; and
Whereas, There has been instances where International organizers
855
have spent much of their time at the expense of the International Organi-
zation in hampering the district officials in performing their duties;
therefore, be it
Resolved, That Section 5. of Article 9 of the International Consti-
tution be stricken out and the following section inserted in lieu thereof:
"He may appoint such office workers as may be necessary to conduct the
affairs of his office and a sufficient number of organizers and field work-
ers to conduct the affairs of the International Union, but no International
organiser or field worker shall assume his position as a representative of
the International Organization or draw any salary from International
Union until his appointment has been approved by the International
Executive Board and the District Executive Board in which district the
appointee holds membership, and that the number of International or-
ganizers to be proportioned from each district according to the number
of paid-up members to the district and International Organization.**
Submitted by Local Union 298, located at Richmond, Mo.
RESOLUTION NO. 78.
Byeaville, Ohio, December 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, We have in the rank and file of our membership brothers
who have been active in the trades union movement for years and who,
after years of toil and effort to further the progress of the U. M. W.
of A., are called on by their fellow toilers to serve them as officials, but
they are handicapped by not being able to get a list of names and ad-
dresses of secretaries, thus giving the present officials the advantage of
all others who may try for the different offices; therefore, be it
Resolved, That Section 6 of Article 20 in the International Consti-
tution be so amended as to give any member who is a candidate for office
a right to get a list of names and addresses of all secretaries in the dis-
trict of which he is a member.
HARLEY TILTON,
OSCAR BROWN,
C. H. GRABHORN,
Committee.
Approved by a majority of L. U. 208, District 6.
assoLunoN no. m.
Arcadim, Kas., December 26, 1917.
!« •fiueig iisi DeiOfSKs oi the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
^eoBuu .'jnvencon if ^e U. M. W. of A.:
TTifiai 'V^ -^ 3BaBb«B of L. U. 951, District 14, are governed
% =« 1^ iiiimnr if du Catral Competitive Field* Therefore be it
.iM«iiV««u r\ac wc. Che members of Local Union 951, ask the comta-
:ua 9 .?i*?B n :iie Inoemational Constitution a clause whereby our dii-
r-«t vxil :« TgpriMWioed at all conferences pertaining to contracts or ad-
E. E. TROGDAN, President
S. E. CLOUD, Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 101.
Croweburg, Kas., December 17, 1917.
•X t^ liKMii ;ind Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
^«M-fAa Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
'•%n^«^M, It is a custom for the International President to appoint
•K •«^*««iiv auditors for the various districts, subject to the approval of
IV H««.«iAUoiial Executive Board, said appointees to be ain*eed upon by
•K ML»iwui aiid International Union; therefore, be it
>(»«^4\%Hi, That the first paragraph of Section 10 of Article 9 of the
ii«v*4va^k»i«aI ^Constitution be stricken out and insert in lieu thereof the
^««ivM«it«^- " rhat tMch district shall elect tiieir own traveling auditor
«K- %kAMv :Mi tiwy do their other officers." E. HODGE,
B. F. GISH,
JOE MYERS,
C<»nmittee.
V>*&uov«Ki by L. l*. No. 1896, District No. 14.
RESOLUTION NO. 113.
Bellaire, Ohio, December 24, 1917.
u, .u, t*iluci4 rtiKi lVleirate» of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Miv't '»•'«! iViiw'Mtioii of the U. M. W. of A*.:
«
\\ii> •i^'«. Wu Mi^ve that the president from each of the districts
857
over which the United Mine Workers has jurisdiction should constitute
the International Executive Board. Therefore be it
Resolved, That Article 7 of the International Constitution be <
amended to read ''The officers of the International Union shall be one
president, one vice-president, one secretary-treasurer, three tellers, three ;
auditors, the delegates to the Ameriean Federation of Labor convention
and one board member from each of the districts over which the United
Mine Workers has jurisdiction, who shall be the president from each of
the districts; the last named shall constitute the International Executive
Board/' WM. GRAHAM, President L. U. 1077,
WM. KENNEDY, Secretary L. U. 1077,
EDWARD GRAPPY,
TONY SANTAVICCA,
PRED DELCOTTA,
JOHN ZACCANINE,
HARVEY MACKENDER,
Committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 119.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Our International Constitution does not pro^de that Inter-
national and district election days shall be holidays and as such to be ob-
served by the monbership; and
Whereas, The Constitution of District No. 25 provides that district
election days shall be holidays and that no work shall be performed upon
those days; and
Whereas, There is much valuable time spent in the election of offi-
cers; therefore be it
Resolved, That the following be adopted, to be known as Section 30,
Article 2:
"Upon all days designated as national or district election days it
shall be optional with the Local Unions whether or not the election shall
take place during the day or evening.
*' Any membtr of any Local Union deciding to hold the election ia thi
•vening will be permitted to work during that day."
A. W. HOPKINS,
CHAS. HAMLIN,
FRITZ BECKER,
Committee.
Local Union No. 1611, Leavenworth, Kaa:
RESOLUTION NO. 120.
Benton, HI., December 22, 1917.
To the OflkNNTS and Delegates of the Twenty-iixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, The National Constitation is not provided with a section
in which the district board member has the authority to fine a member
for stealing another member's tools, oil and other supplies; therefore
be it
Resolved* That a new section be added to Article 20, National Con-
stitution, which shaU take the place of Section 18 of Article 20, and Sec-
tion IS shall hereinafter be known as Section 14, Article 20. New Be^
tion and Section 14, Article 20, to read as follows:
Any member found guilty of stealing or taking without his cmnent
any other monber's tools, oil or other supplies shall for the first offcoic
be fined $10 and for the second offense shall be expelled for a period of
not less than six months.**
Endorsed by Local Union No. 1470, U. M. W. of A., Benton, DL
A. D. SULUNS,
A. L. HATCHETT,
LEWIS R. JONES,
Resolutions Committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 122.
Benton, DL, December 22, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, In the past it has been the policy of the organisation to
authorise the President of the U. M. W. of A. to make appointment to
859
fill the position of organizer, but believing that this policy is detrimental
to the best interests of the organization; therefore be it
Resolved, That Section 6 of Article 9 of the National Constitution be
stricken out and the following inserted in lieu thereof: "That the na-
tional organizers be elected by a referendum vote of the membership in
each district and will be under the direction of the National President";
and be it further
Resolved, That a committee be selected by the national convention
to draft a resolution governing the number of organizers to be elected
from each district, said report to be made at the successive constitu-
tional and biennial convention. .
Endorsed by Local Union No. 1470, U. M. W. of A.
A. D. SULLINS,
A. L. HATCHETT,
LEWIS R. JONES,
Resolutions Conmiittee.
RESOLUTION NO. 126.
Staunton, lU., January 2, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Resolved, That Section 1 of Article 12 of the International Consti-
tution be amended so as to provide that the International tellers shall
open and count all nominations. Also that the number of nominations
received by each nominee be. noted upon the notification sent him.
FRANK W. SCHAEFER, President.
FRANK PASKE, Recording Secretary.
A. C. SCHNEIDER, Financial Secretary.
Local Union No. 755.
RESOLUTION NO. 130.
Rock Springs, Wyo., January 3, 1918.
The following resolution was adopted by L. U. 2309 at its last regu-
lar meeting, December 28, 1917, and ordered forwarded to the conven-
tion:
Whereas, The appointment of traveling auditors does not appear to
1,2ME,NT GILLlAir. I
. V. ELIAS, Secre--!^
:iSi,'LVT10N NO. ISl.
Sock Springs, Wyo., Janssrr 3.
•wtfaie* ■}£ the Twenty-sixth Consecutive
wii t -h« L'. M. W. of A.:
uiJLiun "A-aa Julopted by L. U. 2309 at its
I- J!>. 1917. And ordered forwarded to t
c 'w.^e^e -inii know that state and city c«ntr«l
t.j» o ne -.rade union movement and ghoold 1
I tfty way possible; and we believe that
N Umrr'Cttn Federation of Labor can bring
, t^MMara.'v to state and city central bodiea.
•M^ iK lVtrn:>--sixth Constitutional and Thii
K .. ->.ti>i Mine Workers of America, in con'
%,x.'\ii -S :n Article 14 to be revised to rea
861
RESOLUTION NO. 138.
Jellico, Tenn., December 4, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, It has been a legal custom to hold our conventions in the
month of January, the most severe winter month of the year; and
"Whereas, It is a fact that train service is not at its best in January,
and that much unpleasantness is experienced by a great majority of the
delegates to the regular conventions; and
Whereas, No good purpose is served by the holding of said regular
conventions in January; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Constitution be and is hereby amended by strik-
ing out the word "January" on third line of Section 1 of Article 12 and
inserting in lieu thereof the word "May."
Respectfully submitted by
GEO. H. EDMUNDS.
Endorsed by Local Union No. 8844, Jellico, Tenn. ■
WM. HOLBART, President.
0. T. COOPER, Recording Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 184.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas^ It is a fact generally known by all casual observers that
we are now passing throuj^h unusual, abnormal times. Wages are
high and workers are few. Man is the supreme demand of the hour.
It is also well known that the world war has caused these unprecedented
times, and be it known that when the war is ended there will be a
readjustment of things in general. The battlefields and battleships,
air craft and submarines will release millions of workers from the game
of death, who will return to the various fields of labor. The mills,
factories, railroads, farms and ^lines must absorb their quotas. Gigan-
tic corporations, trusts and unscrupulous employers of labor will, no
louDC. icrsoqic a npianirii tlwir cofFera by forcing down the WBf»
-1 -£« verifiers^ 3ttd no doabt there will be a battle of forces in the
lutzaKirai vond wnich mar be another demooBtration of the theory
i am "^wrriTm xf the ilttest.''
**?t» .-"j^A !Bxn«r» of xhis country will, no doubt, be called upon to
I'spxA^- i&ac icy«* 'f sohdarity and preparedness which will be essen-
:a4 v Tumcaun tiw high standard of living and working conditions
•ftab<»:«L «TCh UM principles of our craft; and
*-Wre«sii« SvervoBtf has surely learned from the titanic struggle
>i .a« v»«c Amies of Europe that it behooves every individual, groop
*r NKtr '*<' "nvQ ^ ^ prepared for emergencies; and
r^e :unds of the International Union are always sorely
:v\^x: ••* ^»ic*"K v»rieiuiizing campaigns in non-union fields, in conduct-
or :^*<cir.>ivv jut\i :iorressive strikes, in lockouts, in law courts, catas-
• «>«*.K^ 4>Ki icvitcral expenses, all of which must come from the 25
^..«x •^■. lu'tich p«r member dues, or by a special assessment.
V •«! II u^tder that we may establish and maintain a reasonable
i. «*...»' I'lKi til the International treasury, be it
-v«>Mo.vv*%i, Ihat the Constitution be amended so as to make the
, ..«-..i4. s*i vluvd to be paid to the International Union 60 cents per
»4»>.i.>i '*oi iiiomber.
\i..«>:\%*J. That 50 per cent, of all such monies collected shall be
... « kail 4 « li national defense fund, to be used for strike, organizing
, .,1 iiaia.iivo purposes.
6. H. EDMUNDS.
RESOLUTION NO. 187.
Eldorado, III., January 2, 1918.
I,, ill. «*iliirii4 ruiil PeloKates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
t»i. iiiiial (\iii\tMition of the U. M. W. of A.:
\\ ii^ luuM, iUir membership in some localities seems to lose all respect
ii.i iii>- iiuiU^a union movement by patronising stores that have been
i.tM > I '"> ^^^^ unfair list by the central body and the Retail Clerks' Union;
l||« I «.||iI t. llU It
Resolved, That a clause be inserted in our International Constitution
where any members of the U. M. W. of A. are found guilty of patroniz-
ing said stores, they shall be fined $5 for the first offense, $10 for the
second offense and for the third offense they shall be expelled from the
U.M.W.ofA.
J. J. McGUINN.
RESOLUTION NO. 140.
Ottumwa, Iowa, January 1, 1918.
Whereas, Our organization is growing old and the question of our
aged members is a matter which we believe should be dealt with,
owing to the fact that a number of our aged members have been de-
prived of their membership because of some slight error or misunder-
standing, and in some cases through the neglect of some inefficient local
officer, which has been a great disappointment to some of our most
worthy members; therefore, be it
Resolved, That this convention so amend the Constitution to pro-
vide, where members are unable to work in the mine and cannot com-
mand a day's wages, that a more effective law be made to guarantee
their membership.
M. W. JONES, President and Delegate, Local Union No. 162.
RESOLUTION NO. 142.
Hymera, Ind., January 2, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The coal stripping industry has become a factor through-
out the coal fields of the United States; and
Whereas, The use of steam shovels is necessary to carry on that
part of the coal industry; therefore, be it
Resolved, By Local Union No. 67, International Brotherhood of
Steam Shovel and Dredge Men, located at Terre Haute, Ind., and com-
posed of members of the United Mine Workers of America, that
Article 15, Section 18, of the present Constitution be amended to in-
864
elude transfer cards of the International Brotherhood of Steam Sho?el
and Dredg^e Men.
D. O. HIATT, President.
C. H. CAMMACK, Vice-President.
A. W. FARRELL, Secretary-Treasurer.
RESOLUTION NO. 146.
Ardmore, Mo., January 4, 1918.
Whei'eas, The appointive power of the International President in
the appointment of International ornfanizers and field workers has been
a source of discontent and dissatisfaction among the membership; snd
Whereas, There has been instances where International organiz-
ers have spent much of their time at the expense of the IntemationsI
(organisation in hampering the district officials in performing their
dutiea; therefore, be it
Kejiolved. That Section 5 of Article 9 of the International Con-
stitution be stricken out and the following section inserted in lieu
thereof: **He may appoint such office workers as may be neoesssry
to ct^nduct the affairs of his office and a sufficient number of (Hgsn-
isers and field woHiers to conduct the affairs of the IntematioDs]
Ihiion. but no International organizer or field worker shall assume his
position as a representative of the International organization or drsw
any salary ftt>m International Union until his appointment has been
approved by the International Executive Board and the District Execu-
tive Board in which district the appointee holds membership, and that
the number of International organizers to be proportioned from each
district acconiing to the number of paid up members to the
and International organisation.
Submitted by Ixxal Union Xa 956, located at Aitfanore, Mo.
H. BELCHER. Presidait.
T. A. DAY, Recording Secretary.
J. A. POWERS, Financial Secretary.
865
RESOLUTION NO. 154.
Lore City, Ohio, January 4, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Time has ripened our experience and griven to us a broader
view of the many problems confronting our organization; and
Whereas, The time is at hand when the delegates to our Interna-
tional convention must meet the issue fairly and squarely relative to a
change in the basis of representation to our conventions; and
§
Whereas, The financial burden placed upon the rank and file is in-
creasing in sending a delegate from eve^ local having 100 members or
more; and
Whereas, W« believe that a change in the basis of representation can
only spell success, inasmuch as it is essential to the end that better re-
sults will accrue in the interest of the rank and file, and with much less
expense; therefore, be it
«
Resolved, That the convention adopt the proposed amendment to
Article 12 of our International Constitution as submitted to a referendum
vote of the membership under date of February 21, 1914, viz. :
"Sec. 2. Each district shall elect its own delegates to the Interna-
tional convention and shall have one delegate for each one thousand mem-
bers or majority fraction thereof, and no delegate shall have more than
one vote in the convention. The method of electing and paying the dele-
gates shall be left to the respective districts to determine. Districts hav-
ing less than one thousand members shall be entitled to one delegate.
"S#b, 3. District presidents, vice-presidents and secretaries, mem-
bers of the International Executive Board and International Organizers
shall not be eligible as candidates for election as delegates to the conven-
tion, but district presidents, vice-presidents and secretaries and members
of the International Executive Board shall be delegates-at-large and have
all rights and privileges of the convention, except that they shall not have
the right to vote on any question coming before the convention.
"Sec. 4. No member shall be eligible to run as delegate whose Local
28-Pro. M.
866
Union is in arrears for per capita tax or assessment and which has not
in every particular complied with the Constitution of the International
Union and of the district and sub-district to which it is attached.
''Sec. 5. No member belong^ing to a Local Union appearing on the
delinquent list shall be elig^ible as delegate until the Local Union has
complied with Section 18, Article 14, and has been in good standing for
four months previous to the month in which the convention is held.
"Sec. 6. No person who is not a bona fide member of a Local Union,
employed in or around a coal mine, coal washer or coke oven or by the
organization, or who has not been a regrular attendant of the meetings of
his Local Union, shall be eligible. to act as delegate. This section shall
not apply to district or sub-district officers.
to
'The term 'regular attendant' shall mean a member who attends at
least one-half of the meetings of his Local Union for six months just pre-
vious to the election of delegate. If transferred members can show thej
have attended the required number of meetings of the Local Union from
which they transfer, this section shall not prevent their running for
election.
•
"Sec. 7. Any member accepting a position other than that of a mine
worker shall not be eligible to act as a delegate to the International con-
vention while holding such position, but accepting a position with the
United Mine Workers of America or any other affiliated organization
shall not be construed as making a member ineligible.
"Sec. 8. The International Secretary-Treasurer shall furnish the
district secretary with the required number of credentials in duplicate,
and the district secretary-treasurer shall see that they are properly filled
out and attested as required on the blanks, and the duplicate shall be re-
tained by the delegate and the original forwarded to the International
Secretary-Treasurer, but no credentials shall be accepted by the Interna-
tional Secretary-Treasurer later than fifteen days prior to the date for
convening the convention.
"Sec. 9. The Credentials Conunittee shall not transfer votes to any
delegate unless authorized by the proper district secretary to do so.
"Sec. 10. When any delegrate's credential is to be contested, notice
of such contest shall be sent to the International Secretary-Treasurer not
867
later than ten days prior to the date for convening the convention, but
any deleg^ate whose credential is contested may be unseated any time
during the convention.
"Sec. 11. All resolutions, grievances and constitutional amendments
to be considered by the convention shall be sent to the International Sec-
retary-Treasurer not less than ten days prior to the date set for conven-
ing the convention, and the International Secretary-Treasurer will sort
and distribute them among the chairmen of the various and proper com-
mittees.
''Sec. 12. Resolutions bearing on different subjects must not be
written on the same paper.
"Sec. 13. International conventions shall not consider internal ap-
peals or grievances unless they have been previously considered by the
lower tribunals of the organization.
"Sec. 14. The International Organization shall pay the transporta-
tion of delegates who have been elected in accordance herewith to and
from the International convention."
JAMES FORGIE,
' Secretary L. U. 1486.
RESOLUTION NO. 171.
Duquoin, 111., December 23, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, There are no provisions made in our International Consti-
tution to transfer the part of initiation fee from one district to another;
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the International Constitution be amended to read
that whenever an applicant makes application for membership in any
Local Union, who has paid a part payment and quits and starts work in
}
S6S
another locmlity, that he be iriven credit of his first payment, regardlen
to ^R^t district he may transfer to.
ROBERT PAXTON,
SAM BIDDINGTON,
D. T. FOX, Local Union No. 478,
PET KAUFMON,
HENRY GREEN,
GEORGE REDDICK, Local Union No. 409,
H. H. CHICKEDANZ,
FRANK SOPER,
T. F. YATES, Local Union No. 14^8,
Committee on Resolutions.
RESOLUTION NO. 198.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, That the increase in coal mining: prices are drawing men
from other various occupations ; and
Whereas, That the mines are beginning to fill up with men that seek
to reap the benefits of our struggles in the past years; and
Whereas, That so many new applicants are even going to the face
to mine coal when in reality they are not even entitled to work as a bottom
laborer; and
Whereas, That when the war eventually ends there will be so manj
of the mines close down and others will probably work only half time;
and
Whereas, That there will be so many mine workers at that time that
some of the old members that have built our organization up to its pres-
ent standard will be cast aside and the new members retained; and
Whereas, That the substantial wage increase that we have received
will be such a drawing card that the initiation fee of our organisation
should be increaseii to $50 and more if necessary; and
Whereas, By so doing will eventually save some of our old members
that have made this orfranization what it is with the sweat of their brow.
869
their hard-earned money and in some instances their life's blood, we
earnestly petition the Third Biennial Convention to give these resolutions
their due consideration and approval.
T. J. EMANY, L. U. 1856.
FELIX SANDY.
WILLIAM MAYER.
ARCHIE PHILLIPS, L. U. 948.
JOHN SWISHER.
CHARLES BISHOP, L. U. 41.
F. O. McNEER.
JOHN SHAFFER, L. U. 1108.
FRANK THOMAS.
E. EVANS.
THOMAS PITCHFORD, L. U. 5088.
AUGUST HUDOCK.
JOHN JACOBS.
CHARLES WONDERLAND, L. U. 2676.
ANDREW STEVENS, L. U. 1944.
J.M. ADAMSON.
E. C. FARWELL.
C. M. KOONTZ, L. U. 8222.
RESOLUTION NO. 197.
Roanoke, 111., January 2, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The United Mine Workers Journal is not paying for itself;
and
Whereas, The policy of paying agents a fifty-cent commission on each
subscription is, in our belief, responsible to a great extent for the yearly
deficit of the Journal ; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the International Constitution be amended to provide
that recording secretaries of all local unions be empowered to act as
agents for the Journal; and be it further
870
Resolved, That recording secretaries be allowed a cownnission of 25
cents on each subscription.
Respectfully submitted,
ANTHONY PICCONY, President
L. M. DOLLET, Rec SeeV-
ARTHUR FAUCON, Fin. Secy
RESOLUTION NO. 199.
Herrin, 111., January 5, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Tliird
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That Section 10 in Article 9 be amended as follows:
"The President shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Inter-
national Executive Board," be struck out and the following inserted:
"There shall be one traveling auditor elected by the majority of the rank
and file of the district where such is to be elected.**
WARREN McNeill, Fin. Secy
J. B. BAKER.
RESOLUTION NO. 200.
Herrin, 111., January 5, 1918.
To the Officers apd Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We, the officers and members of Local Union No. 1491, offer the fol-
lowing resolution for your consideration :
Resolved, That Section 5, Article 9, be amended as follows: The
words, ''he may appoint such organizers," be struck out and the following
inserted : "There shall be one organizer elected by the rank and file of
the majority vote of the district where such organizer is to be elected.
He is only to work when such organizer's service is needed. If any more
are needed the President shall have the right to appoint from time to
time."
J. B. BAKER.
WARREN McNeill, Fin. Se^y.
At 12 o'clock the convention was adjourned to 2 p. m. of the same
day.
871
TENTH DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION
The convention was called to order at 1:30 p. m., Friday, January
2o, President Hayes in the chair.
Printed copies of the report of the Committee on Miners' Home and
Old Age Pensions were distributed to the delegates. Consideration of
the report was made a special order of business for 9 o'clock a. m.,
Saturday, January 26. The delegates were asked to read the recom-
mendations of the committee carefully and to be ready to discuss and act
upon the report Saturday morning.
Vice-President Lewis presided during the reading of the report.
President Hayes in the chair.
Delegate Kennedy, District 7: I wish to make a ^notion, but will
preface it with a short statement. A blind member of the Western Fed-
eration of Miners, who lost his sight fighting its battles, is here. He
must dei>end upon the assistance of the working class for a living. He
has a credential from President Moyer of the Mine, Mill and Smelter
Workers' Union. I move that he be given an opportunity to take up a
collection in the convention.
Secretary Green: We have a number of requests from our mem-
bers who are ill and crippled to take up collections in the convention. If
all would be allowed I presume there would be a continual stream, but
we have in each instance referred these cases — and they are worthy — to
the Committee on Appeals and Grievances so that in an orderly way they
can make a report to this convention. There is now pending with the
Committee on Appeals and Grievances a number of requests from blind,
crippled and disabled miners that they be privileged to either take up
collections in the convention or have a donation made from the interna-
tional treasury to help them. We have tried to handle these cases in a
judicious manner so that each will be treated fairly and squarely. I feel
if an injured or unfortunate brother, whether from our own or from a
sister organization, is to be given any special privileges all should be
given the same privilege.
Delegate Leroy Williams of Ohio received word from his family yes-
terday that his home had been burned with all its contents. The delega-
872
tion from District € met yesterday mnd each of tlicm donated |1 to lidp
this brother rehabilitate his hmne. Some of the brothers from Ohio
would like to g:ive the delegates here an opportunity to contribute to
Delegate Williams* assistance, and a request has been made that his
friends be permitted to take a collection among the delegates.
Delegate Dempsey, District 1 : There seems to be considerable dis-
satisfaction on the part of a number of delegates in this convention in
regard to the adoption of the report of the Committee on Constitution
this morning in reference to an increase in the per capita tax. When
that was done a great many of them were laboring under a misunder-
standing, and I think it would be unwise for this convention to adjourn
with that impression left in the minds of a considerable number of dde-
gates. If the per capita tax is to be increased to 50 cents to the Inter-
national Union we ought to have that done with the full knowledge and
consent of the convention and a thorough understanding.
In order that this convention might have a thorough understand-
ing and dispose of this matter in an intelligent way and in a way that
will be perfectly satisfactory to everyone, I move that the motion by
which the report of the committee increasing the per capita tax to the
International was adopted, be reconsidered.
The motion was seconded by Delegate Kennedy, District 7.
President Hayes: The chair wants to state that he agrees with
Delegate Dempsey's conclusion. There is no desire on the part of the
chair to railroad anything. I told Delegate Dempsey a while ago that
if he felt everyone did not understand the question that was disposed of
this morning he ought to make the motion. The chair was under the
impression, and is still under the impression, that the convention is is
accord with the report of the committee; but in order that the delegates,
and especially the anthracite delegates, will not leave the convention
feeling something has been railroaded through the convention, I asked
Delegate Dempsey to make the motion.
Secretary Green: I would be sorry to think that anyone here
feels he has not been given a chance to debate these important ques-
tions. If the increase in the per capita tax is to be granted in this con-
vention I want it to be done with the express will of a majority of the
873
delegates. If the delegates feel that the action taken was wrong and
you want to reconsider it, it will be perfectly agreeable to me. I sub-
mitted to you the facts in the situation and gave you all the informa-
tion I could. I don't want to argue now to try to influence you. The
subject is with you and if you want to reconsider and readjust it and
place the per capita tax at a lower rate, it will be perfectly ag^reeable
to me.
The motion to reconsider was lost.
Vice-President Lewis in the chair.
REPORT OP COMMITTEE ON APPEALS AND GRIEVANCES.
Delegate Stewart, Chairman, and Delegate Dempsey, Secretary of
the Committee, reported as follows:
We, your Committee on Appeals and Grievances, after having given
careful consideration to the various resolutions referred to us, respect-
fully submit the following report:
RESOLUTION NO. 141.
Maryd, Pa., January 3, 1918.
To the Officers aitd Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
The undersigned delegate of Local Union No. 2270, located in Dis-
trict No. 9, of Maryd, Pa., hereby appeals to the delegates of the con-
vention to compel th^ International ofiicers to enforce the action of the
October Board meeting in the Maryd controversy, which reads in part,
viz.r
**That the charters of the Tuscarora and Brockton local unions of
the U. M. W. of A., located in District No. 9, be revoked until such time
as they will agncee to abide by the laws and rulingrs of the U. M. W. of A.,
and until such time as they will send a committee to notify the proper
company oflicials that the black list now in effect against (twenty-three)
members of the U. M. W. of A. is withdrawn, and that those men may
be re-employed without any interference from any member of the above
local unions.''
1
874
The above action was adopted by the National Executive Board is
October, and since that time nothing: has been done to give to us the j»-
tice cruaranteed by the International constitution of the U. M. W. of A.
We therefore appeal to the supreme body for justice, which we tie
denied, since we were discharged in October, 1916, and four families
evicted in February, 1917.
Signed on behalf of the aggrieved and Local Union No. 2270,
Maryd, Pa.
JAMES CANNON, Delegate,
ANDREW BODDICK, President,
JAMES CANNON, Secretary.
The committee reported as follows on Resolution No. 141:
You will note, as set forth in the resolution, that the Xntemational
Executive Board, at its October meeting, decided that the charters of
the two local unions in question be revoked until such time as Ihey
agreed to abide by the laws and rulings of the United Mine Workers
of America and that because the action of the Board has not as yet
been carried into effect the appellants request this convention to take
such action as will bring about the enforcement of the decision of the
Board and the revocation of the charters of the local unions mvdved
therein. Your committee has had before them all of the parties in in-
terest, including the International President, who informed the commit-
tee that he had refrained from carrying into effect the decision of the
Board because he hoped and still hopes to bring about a settlement of
the controversy without the necessity of revoking the charters; there-
fore, in view of the statement of the President, your committee recom-
mends that this matter be referred to the International President with
instructions that in the event of his being unable to effect a mutual settle-
ment within a reasonable time, the decision of the Board be carried into
effect without unnecessary delay.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
Delegate Ferry, District 7, offered the following as an amendment
to the report of the committee:
875
That the two locals decided against, namely, the Brockton and Tub-
carora locals, be given until February 15, 1918, to make arrangements
to carry out the decision of the Board, and as evidence of their com-
pliance with this decision' they shall notify the coal company in writ-
ing that they have no objections to the re-employment of the appellants;
that these men who suffered suspension and eviction shall not in the
future be persecuted by these two locals in question; that appellants
shall not be interfered with, providing they adhere to the laws of the
organisKation, and that a copy of the notice given to the coal company
be forwarded to the International President of the U. M. W. of A.
(Seconded.)
Vice-President Lewis: Does the chair understand that your amend-
ment to the committee's report will simply place a time limit in which
this local union will have to comply with the decision of the International
Executive Board and the president and fix conditions under which they
will have to comply?
Delegate Ferry, District 7 : I am not in the habit of taking up your
time. I have been coming here ten years and have not taken up ten
seconds of your time. I do this in defense of twenty union men who in
the dark days of the anthracite mine workers, after their hard day's
work, traveled in all parts of the Schuylkill region to build up the or-
ganization. Now their members have taken a position to deprive them
of their employment and cast five families into the street in the month
of February. I am trying to get justice for those members, which they
have been unable to get from the officers of their own district, with one
exception, Board Member Nash.
With President Kennedy of District 7 I went to the manager of the
coal company and he agreed to put the twenty-three men back to work
providing the men would not strike the colliery. He got the superintend-
ent of the colliery there a few days later and tried to get him to agree
with us to get the men to allow them to be reinstated in the mine. He
was opposed to at least four or five of them, but would be satisfied to let
some of them go back. Of course we took the position that none of those
men should be thrown out of employment; that whatever was done was
due to a fight among the local members themselves.
I will explain what this quarrel arose* about. There are three locals
1
876
in this case — Tuscarora, Maryd and Brockton. The Brockton local
union was orgai^ised and had charsre of the Moss Glenn Colliery. Tuset-
rora Local Union had charge of the Belle Colliery. Maryd was organ-
ised by Martin Nash and another organizer — I cannot recall his name—
when the Maryd Colliery opened. These members, who worked in Maryd
and belonged to the Brockton and Tuscarora locals, posted a notice
for three days for the election of a mine committee. Maryd Local
Union Has charge of the colliery under the constitution you readopted
today without any amendment. It provides that only one local anioQ
shall have jurisdiction over a mine. However, the two outside locals net
and elected a mine committee. The Maryd struck the colliery in <»tler
to get the recognition they were entitled to under our constitution. Some
officers were sent from District 9 to take the matter up. They told the
men to go back to work and the matter would be straightened out. They
went back the n^xt morning. The superintendent came and discharged
twenty-three of them.
Vice-President Lewis: In view of your amendment, I would sug-
gest that you refrain from going into the matter much deeper.
Delegate Ferry: There is no appeal from the decision of this Board,
but their api>eal to the convention is to have the international officers en-
force the decision of the Board and the international constitution.
Those men have been idle since October, 1916, and are idle at the
present time. Three days before we came here one of those men who
were out of work asked the mine foreman for a job. The mine foreman
said he had nothing against the man and would give him work if the
other men would not strike the colliery. If those men had done any
wrong they should have preferred charges against them and given them
a hearing under the laws of our organization. District 9 doesn't accept
the constitution of the international organization in colliery locals; they
only accept what suits them, and what doesn't suit them they refuse to
accept. Only a year ago they voted on that clause of the constitution,
which they had no right to do — and this is the result of allowing groops
of locals to take charge of individual mines in parts of the anthracite
region.
Those twenty-three men are denied work at that colliery. Some of
them were evicted from their homes, and it is up to this convention to
.877
say whether those local unions are going to dig up the blacklist that
organized labor spent millions of dollars to fight and crush in all parts
of the country. When we got strong enough in power to make the em-
ployers surrender that dirty weapon we did so, and now we find local
unions in the anthracite region digrging it up and using it against their
fellow members. It is up to this convention to say whether or not you
are going to allow it to continue. •
■Delegate Strambo, District 9 : I deem it my duty to not only protect
the men who are concerned in this matter, but I am going to plead for
the men at home who have not had an opportunity to be heard up to the
present time. This is a serious proposition; it means disorganization in
the Schuylkill Valley or disruption of the organization there. I had
something to do with the affair. I was called upon to take the matter up
when the same gentleman now before the convention pleading with you
caused a strike of the colliery in violation of the agreement. Last Oc-
tober a year ago the men in that colliery in the Tuscarora and Brockton
locals and employes of the Maryd colliery could not bear the pressure
of the same gentleman and having strike after strike, paying dues into
the organization and their grievances refused and their interests not
protected. They continued to work under that kaiser hand for eight or
nine years until in October, 1916, when they refused to take the griev-
ances up for the members in good standing in that valley anywhere they
said, "We are not going to stand for this any more." They got together
as employes of that colliery and selected a committee to serve them and
not serve the individual interests of the Cannon faction. They did elect
a committee. They saw they were overpowered ; they saw the men would
not stand for that abuse any more.
Everything was peace and harmony until the convention convened
a year afterward in Mount Carmel. One day prior to the opening of the
Mount Carmel convention those men came to my home and said if I did
not come over to the colliery the next day and adjust the trouble there
would be a strike. I asked what was going on and they said when the
time arrived they would elect a grievance committee in accordance with
the agreement. We succeeded in doing so. When the committee author-
ized by the employes of that colliery presented their credentials to the
officials of the company, stating they had been elected for the specified
878
time, the Cannon faction posted notices of the election of another mine
committee. Perhaps Mr. Ferry doesn't know about that. The saperin-
tendent and all the officials of the colliery were at sea when confronted
with that situation. They did not know what to do, but asked the com-
mittee and employes of the colliery to have some officials brongrht in there
to decide which was the right conmiittee.
I went there instead of going to the convention next morning. After
learning the procedure under which committees had formerly been
elected at that colliery, I asked what limit of time they had in posting
notices of the election of conunittees. They said they had their notices
up for seven days. I asked the new conmiittee how long their notices had
been up. They said they had been up for a longer time than the notices
of the Cannon faction.
Chairman Stewart: I do not desire to interrupt the brother's speech,
but he is not discussing the report of the conmiittee. We could discuss
all the questions connected with this case from now nntU tomorrow
night and not be through. I have no objection to Mr. Ferry's amend-
ment specifying the 15th of February, but the argument is not in line
with the appeal or with the report of the committee.
Vice-President Lewis: Your point of order is well taken. Delegate
Strambo will confine his discussion to the report of the committee.
Delegate Strambo: There is not a man in those two locals charged
with anything, neither is any of the local unions charg^ with anything.
Are you going to decide here to convict somebody and force the issue
when nobody is charg^? Two local unions are picked out and their
charters are to be taken away. Many of the members of these two locals
do not work in the Maryd colliery, but they are to be made the victims.
There is nothing on the book which shows they took action to place a
blacklist on anybody. A committee of two men was sent in there by the
international organization. Only the Cannon faction was there, but after
hearing their story and the explanation of the officials of the district
the international committee decided it was an agreement affair. Your
International President, then Vice-President, and another member of the
Board were there. They decided for themselves it was purely an agree-
ment affair. Talk about Mooney's jury! This committee has that jury
skinned a thousand miles.
879
Talk about Board Member Nash! I want to make this statement to
the convention, that if International Board Member Nash was fair to the
United Mine Workers and to those men and had kept his hand out of the
case they would all have been re-employed long ago. But, like the Can-
nons, Brother Nash ignored the officials of the district and appealed to
have a committee sent to the colliery to lift the blacklist — which they
knew nothing about at the colliery. All we ask is that the matter be left
in the hands of the International President for him to dispose of and
give fair play and justice to the men. I am opposed to the resolution
o£fered by Brother Ferry and wish to support the committee's report.
Delegate Ferry: You made a statement that those men should have
an opportunity to be heard. Is it true that Board Member Davis and
Board Member Nash went to Maryd twice and posted notices to give
them a hearing?
Delegate Strambo: I will answer it in this way. Ferry, Nash and
Davis went to the colliery beforehand. When they posted notices they
were not to hear the case, but to determine whether or not the committee
at that colliery was legal. When- the men met at the colliery at half -past
3 it was unanimously decided the committee was legal.
Delegate Ferry: This is the notice that was posted for the second
time: "July 26, 1917. Notice of Important Meeting. The undersigned
committee, representing the International Executive Board of the United
Mine Workers of America, hereby notify you of a special meeting of the
members of the United Mine Workers of America employed at the Maryd
colliery and those stipulated below. This important meeting will be
held at the Maryd picnic and baseball grounds at 3 :30 p. m., Tuesday,
July 21. The purpose of the meeting is to take up, discuss and if expedi-
ent, dispose of the matter of appeal of certain members of the United
Mine Workers of America made to the International Executive Board,
and to take up other matters bearing on the subject. All members of the
United Mine Workers of America employed at Maryd colliery and those
directly interested are notified officially to be present at this meeting on
July 31, 1917, at 3 :30 p. m.
(Signed) "NEAL FERRY,
"MARTIN NASH,
• "TOM DAVIS,
"Committee for the International Executive Board."
880
Is that a notice?
Delegate Strambo: I have no doubt that notice was posted. The
president of District 9 has a copy of the first notice, and it was for the
election of a committee.
Delegate Ferry: I don't want the delegates misled. At the first
meeting the notice was posted by Board Member Nash to elect a eom-
mittee to take this matter up and try to straighten it out. When we
went there the twenty-three men who had been cast out of their work
were held on the public highway by coal and iron police, the men who
were condemned by the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission.
Vice-President Lewis: The chair has recognized President Mat-
thews of District 9. I had him yield the floor until Delegate Strambo and
Delegate Ferry could elucidate their points. The chair feels the points
have been elucidated.
Delegate White (J. P.) : I rise to a point of order. The debate on
the merits of this case cannot properly come before the house by reason
of the action of the committee, which reported to concur in the action of
the International Executive Board to revoke those charters and leave it
to the discretion of the International President. Both parties have said
they are in favor of the report.
Vice-President Lewis: The chair decides the point well taken.
Delegate Matthews, District 9: This is the first time I have desired
to take up any of your time, but I believe it is absolutely necessary for
me to do so. I want this delegation to understand that this is a contract
question. When this trouble arose over a year ago, to be exact, in October,
1916, the matter was referred to me. I took the case up as prescribed in
the contract. The complainants positively refused to take my advice,
but took the advice of International Board Member Nash. He advised
them not to pay any attention to me, but to be guided by his instructions.
The contract in the anthracite region provides that when an employe
has a grievance he must take his case up with the foreman, and if he
fails to reach a settlement he then takes it up with the grievance com-
mittee. In this case the men positively refused to take the case up ¥rith
the committee. I was informed of that fact and advised them to take
881
their case up in the way provided by the agreement and give me an op-
portunity to have a meeting with them. The men that were discharged
did their utmost to close down the mine. That is why they were dis-
charged. There are three local unions, the membership of which work
in the Maryd colliery. Brockton is a small mining place about one mile
from the Maryd; Tuscarora is about one mile from the mine, and these
local unions in Brockton and Tuscarora were organized years before the
one at the Maryd mine.
The complainants refused to take up the case as prescribed in the
agreement. Board Member Nash came before the executive board and
made a speech. When they came in there I was acting as president of
the district and as member of the Conciliation Board. I decided it was
not a case for the district board, that it was one of contract. Board
Member Nash instructed the men to be guided by him and he would see
to it that the district was responsible and would pay them for all time
lost. The grievance was presented to me by Board Member Nash, and
the substance was that they had to be re-employed and compensated for
all the time lost.
I could see that they would have no case before the Conciliation
Board. Trouble arose among the employes of the colliery and serious
objection was made to. some of these men being re-employed. The mem-
bership of the Maryd local controlled the number of men employed in
and about the Maryd colliery. They did not know at that time that all
the members of the Brockton and Tuscarora locals joined the Maryd
local. They positively refused to take up the grievances of the Brockton
and Tuscarora local unions and created so much dissatisfaction that the
members became rebellious, so much so that they gradually left the
Maryd local and were transferred into the Brockton and Tuscarora locals.
At that time we had an average membership in the Maryd local of 32
inembers, against several hundred in the other two local unions.
Delegate Kennedy, District 7: I am going to confine myself strictly
to the report of the committee and the amendment as offered by Delegate
Ferry, something that has not been done by the speakers that preceded
me. The committee went into the details of this case and then reported
that the decision of the International Executive Board should be carried
out. They instructed President Hayes to either make a settlement or
882
carry out the decision of the board in the revocation of those chart»B.
Delegate Ferry *s amendment provides that a time shall be set for these
locals to comply With the decision of the International flxecutive Board.
As one member of the conmnittee I can see no serious objection to fixini;
February 15 as the time limit. If these locals are not willing to comply
with the decision of the board by February 15 their charters ou^t to be
revoked. In the report we have given the power to the president to
inform the committee that he had notified the locals that he expected
them to comply with the decision of the board unless they would remedy
that situation. I presume the board will meet shortly after this con-
vention, and if the president so decides he can give them a hearing. 1
feel Delegate Ferry's amendment does not seriously conflict with the
report of the committee and it is immaterial to me how the matter is
disposed of along that line.
Delegate Davis, District 1: The foreman of the colliery agreed to
reinstate the twenty- three men, and if Mr. Strambo and Mr. Matthews
had co-operated with the committee those men would be working there
today. When we went to Maryd we decided to have a meeting at seven
in the evening. Somebody changed our notice and put up a notice to
hold the meeting at 3:30. The meeting was over before the committee
went there.
A point of order was raised that the merits of the case were not
before the convention.
Vice-President Lewis: The point is well taken, but Delegate Davis
is a member of the Committee from the International Executive Board
that handled this case.
Delegate Davis: The agreement between Matthews, the superin-
tendent and the committee was that a committee from the Maryd local
would sit on the case and whatever the committee from the Maryd
would decide the superintendent would be satisfied to go along with it.
If the officers of District 9 had co-operated with the committee these men
would be at work today.
Delegate Dempsey, Secretary of the Conunittee: I want to supporf
the report of this committee. The president of the United Mine Worker?
of America came before our committee and informed us that he had high
hopes of being able to effect an amicable adjustment of this question
883
withoyt the necessity of revoking the charters of these local unions.
The report of the committee directs the president, in accordance with
his views on the question, to endeavor to effect an early settlement ot
the case, and failing to do that to revoke the charters in accordance with
the instructions of the board.
As one member of this committee I am not in favor ot handicapping
your president in the performance of his duty, and I am not willing to
fix a time limit that will allow one side or the other to force him to issue
an early decision. I think the question can safely be left to President
Hayes to exercise his discretion as to the time. I think he will render
his decision within a reasonable ti|ne. Let us supi)ose that by the fif-
teenth of the month the president had the situation negotiated to such
an extent that he believed a settlement was entirely possible with a few
more days' time; under Delegate Ferry's amendment, if adopted, he
would have to revoke the charters notwithstanding that. The amend-
ment will give the president fifteen days in which to negotiate a settle-
ment. I do not think there is any need for haste in this matter and I
trust the convention will sustain the committee's report.
Upon motion debate was closed.
0
The amendment offered by Delegate Ferry of District 7 was lost.
The motion to adopt the report of the committee was carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 143 A.
California, Pa., January 2, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We, the members of Local Union No. 1787, U. M. W. of A., appeal
from the decision of the International Executive Board in regard to the
expulsion of William Tumblazer, Phillip Amburger and others of Local
Union No. 1787 of California, Pa., for stealing credentials of said local
union and using them for the special convention of District No. 5.
H^RRY DELBARRE, President.
LEONARD SEINAR, Secretary.
8M
The hemrmg in Uub ease developed the fmct thst Williun TurnLUzff.
Phillip Ambor^er and others not named in the r-uAuVoik^ were esf^Skd
for an alleged offense against the organisation and thmt upon an ^ipcil
to the District Execotire Board the action of the local union was re-
versed by the District Board, who rendered the foDowing decision:
** Acting under aathority of Section S of Article 3 of the Distnct
Constitution we recommend that the action of the local union be reversed
and the members be reinstated to fall membership; we further reeon-
mend that Local Union No. 2725 compensate those members for sctuil
loss they may have sustained while defending their case uz provided for
in Section 5 of Article 5 of our District Constitution."
The local union thereupon took an appeal to the IntematioDfi]
Executive Board, who appointed a committee to investigate sjod render
a decision upon the appeal. This committee was composed of Interaa-
tional Board Members OXeary of District No. 5 and Watkins of Dis-
trict No. 6 and they rendered the following decision:
''Therefore, we find that Local Union No. 2725 has not complied
with the decision of the District Executive Board and acci)rding to Sec-
tion 3 of Article 3 of the International Constitution, complainant's right
of appeal shall not be recognized, and we so decide.''
Your committee is unable to find any good reason why this decision
should be disturbed and recommends that ihe appeal be disallowed antil
such time as the appellants comply with the decision cf the District
Board as provided in Section 3 of Article S of the International Consti-
tution.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
Delegate Delbarre: If we comply with the decision of the Distnct
Executive Board will we have a right to appeal to the IntemationsI
Board ?
Secretary Dempsey: It is the opinion of the committee that it is
the duty of the local union to comply with the decision of the District
Executive Board and pay these men* whatever their expenses were, then
take an appeal if they so desire.
886
Delegate Delbarre: We find that President White appointed a com-
mittee. That committee rendered a decision. Tlie next appeal is to
the Intemattonal Board.
Delegate Dempsey: When you have complied with the District
Executive Board your right of appeal to the International Board be-
comes unquestionable.
The motion to adopt the recommendation of the committee was
carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 202.
Erie, Colo., January 3, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
The membership of Local Union No. 8109 desires to protest against
the arbitrary, unwarranted and unconstitutional action of the Acting
President of District 15.
•
On December 17, 1917, James F. Moran, the Acting President of
District 15, by his declaration has caused the charter of Local Union
No. 3109 to be revoked, without having complied with Section 2, Article
3, of the International Constitution, and thereby depriving the full
membership of Local Union No. 3109 of the rights and protection guar-
anteed to them by the International Constitution.
OLIVER A. BUTLER, President,
FRANK BALEK, Rec. Sec'y,
Puritan Local Union No. 3109.
Your conunittee finds that the charter of Local Union No. 3109 was
revoked by Acting President James F. Moran, with the full sanction of
the Intemational President, for entering into an agreement with a coal
company, which did not carry with it recog^nition of the United Mine
Workers of America, in opposition to the declared policy of the organi-
zation in District No. 15, and no appeal to the Intemational Board has
been taken in accordance with Section 2 and 3 of article 3 of the In-
temational Constitution. Your committee is of the opinion that full
and substantial justice can and will be done to all parties in interest by
884
The hearing in this caae developed the fact that William Tumblazer«
Phillip Ahiburger and others not named in the r<Hfohitfon, were exff-M
for an alleged offense against the organization and that upon an appesl
to the District Executive Board the action of the local union was re-
versed by the District Board, who rendered the following decision:
"Acting under authority of Section 3 of Article S of the District
Constitution we recommend that the action of the local union be reversed
and the members be reinstated to full membership; we further recom-
mend that Local Union No. 2725 compensate those members for actoil
loss they may have sustained while defending their case a^ provided for
in Section 5 of Article 5 of our District Constitution."
The local union thereupon took an appeal to the IntematioD&l
Executive Board, who appointed a committee to investigate ijod render
a decision upon the appeal. This cqmmittee was composed of Interna-
tional, Board Members O'Leary of District No. 5 and Watkins of Dis-
trict No. 6 and they rendered the following decision:
"Therefore, we find that Local Union No. 2725 has not complied
with the decision of the District Executive Board and according to Sec-
tion 3 of Article 3 of the International Constitution, complainant*s right
of appeal shall not be recognized, and we so decide.^
»»
Your committee is unable to find any good reason why this decision
should be disturbed and recommends that ihe appeal be disallowed until
such time as the appellants comply with the decision of the District
Board as provided in Section 3 of Article 3 of the International Consti-
tution.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the recommendation of
the committee.
Delegate Delbarre: If we comply with the decision of the District
Executive Board will we have a right to appeal to the IntemationtI
Board?
Secretary Dempsey: It is the opinion of the committee that it is
the duty of the local union to comply with the decision of the District
Executive Board and pay these men* whatever their expenses were, then
take an appeal if they so desire.
885
Dele^te Delbarre: We find that President White appointed a com-
mittee. That committee rendered a decision. The next appeal is to
the International Board.
Delegate Dempsey: When you have complied with the District
Elxecutive Board your right of appeal to the International Board be-
comes unquestionable.
The motion to adopt the recommendation of the committee was
RESOLUTION NO. 202.
Erie, Colo., January 3, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
The membership of Local Union No. 8109 desires to protest against
the arbitrary, unwarranted and unconstitutional action of the Acting
President of District 15.
•
On December 17, 1917, James F. Moran, the Acting President of
District 15, by his declaration has caused the charter of Local Union
No. 3109 to be revoked, without having complied with Section 2, Article
3, of the International Constitution, and thereby depriving the full
membership of Local Union No. 3109 of the rights and protection guar-
anteed to them by the International Constitution.
OLIVER A. BUTLER, President,
FRANK BALEK, Rec. Sec'y,
Puritan Local Union No. 3109.
Your committee finds that the charter of Local Union No. 3109 was
revoked by Acting President James F. Moran, with the full sanction of
the International President, for entering into an agreem^it with a coal
company, which did not carry with it recognition of the United Mine
Workers of America, in opposition to the declared policy of the organi-
zation in District No. 15, and no appeal to the International Board has
been taken in accordance with Section 2 and 3 of article 3 of the In-
ternational Constitution. Your committee is of the opinion that full
and substantial justice can and will be done to all parties in interest by
886
referring this matter to the Intemattonal Executive Board, and we so
recommend.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the report of the com-
mittee.
Delegate Lawson, District 15: I desire at this time to move as an
amendment to the committee's report the addition of the words "and
that the charter be restored to LfOcal 3109 pending the investtgation."
Vice-President Lewis: The chair asks the committee if it is their
intention to have the matter referred to the International Executive
Board for investigation and decision in conformity with the Consti-
tution ?
Secretary Dempsey: The opinion of the committee is that no ap-
peal having been taken by the local in question, if the decision of the
President should be referred to the Executive Board this appeal now in
the hands of the convention would become the appeal of the local union
to the International Executive Board against the decision of the Presi-
dent. The appeal will then be to the Executive Board from the Presi-
dent's decision. The President has full right to revoke charters subject
to the approval of the Board. There is another section which provides
that the convention may take action. (Sec. 3, p. 52.)
Vice-President Lewis: The chair wants to point out that the com-
mittee has recommended that the subject matter be referred to the In-
ternational Executive Board. Delegate Lawson makes a motion that
this convention restore the charter of the local union in question, which
would render unnecessary the action of the International Executive
Board and definitely determine the case. The motion of Delegate Law-
son destroys and sets aside the report of the committee and is in sub-
stance and effect a negative motion. An affirmative motion amending
a committee's report can be made, but a negative motion which destroys
the subject matter of a committee's report renders ineffective the func-
tions of the committee, and the chair so decides.
Delegate Lawson: Will the chair permit me to give my reasons
why the convention should take action in this matter in this way?
Vice-President Lewis: The chair wants to point out that the con-
vention has the liberty of either concurring or non-concurring in the
887
report of the committee. Dele^te Lawson has the freedom to discuss
the subject-matter before the convention, and if the delegates can be
convinced the report of the committee is incorrect and they vote it down
any motion Delegate Lawson wishes to make in the premises is in order.
Delegate Short, District 10: I would like to draw the attention of
the chair to a ruling made that a matter of this kind cannot be handled
by the convention until an appeal has been made to the International
Executive Board. That ruling was made in the last convention.
Vice-President Lewis: The chair has not the records here, but the
ruling of the chair in the premises coincides with your point, by reason
of the fact that it places the committee's report squarely before the
house, which is in harmony with the constitution and with all precedent.
Delegate Lawson: I only ask for this local union the same privilege
extended to the local unions at Maryd. I want an investigation before
the charter is taken away. I have no objection to an investigation being
made and I am sure the membership at home will be willing to abide by
the decision. This matter came up so recently that there has been no
meeting of the International Executive Board. Inasmuch as the chair-
man rules that my amendment is not in order, I have nothing further
to say on the question.
Delegate^ McCullough, District 5 : The committee was of the opinion
that if this convention had the right to take the question up there were
certain phases of it that could not be intelligently handled so far from
the seat of the trouble. We therefore referfbd it to the International
Executive Board. In this question is involved a number of men, some
of whom no doubt are guilty and should have their cards taken from
them. There are others there about whose gruilt there is a question, and
if they are innocent they should not be penalized. We were of the
opinion that we could not separate the goat from the sheep and render
to each what was due him. We believed if the International Executive
Board would make a thorough investigation into this those who are
guilty would be penalized and those who are innocent would be saved.
That is why we refer it to the International Executive Board for action.
Delegate Cunion: The question before the house was taken up in
the local unions where the charter was revoked, and by a majority vote
decided to adopt the contrmct sghmitted to them by die Industrial Oib-
miseion of Colorado.
The motaon to adopt the report of the conunittee was carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 208.
Frederidc, Colo., January 2, 191S.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and ThirJ
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
The membership of Local Union No. 2753 desires to protest against
the arbitrary, unwarranted and nnconstitntional actioii of the Acting
President of District 15. On Decembo' 17, 1917, JaoMs F. Moraa, the
Acting President of District 15, by his dedaimtiM has caused the chtr-
ter of Local Union No. 2753 to be revoked without haTiag complied widi
Section 2, Article 3, of the International ConstitntioB, and thenbj de-
priving the full membership of Local Union No. 2753 of the rights and
protection guaranteed to them by the International Constitution.
JAMES BARCLAY, President,
CHA& ALAUX, Rcc Sec'y,
Local Union No. 2753.
Your committee finds that the charter of Local Union No. 2753 was
rirvoked by the Acting President of District No. 15, James F. Morse,
with the full sanction of the International President, for closing dowc
a mine in violation of agreement: the evidence shows* however, that tiie
local onion has been and is now at work, and so far as your committee
has been able to ascertain, complying with the terms of contract and
the laws of the union. We therefore reconunend to tht International
President that the charter be restored.
Secretary Dempsey: Resolution 204 is printed in the pamphlet thst
has been distributed. Resolutions 205, 206, 207, are not printed in the
pamphlet, but will be read, and one recommendation made for all these
resolutions.
889
RESOLUTION NO. 204.
Willisville, 111., January 3, 1918.
Td the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
We are appealing to the biennial convention for aid to help one of
our brothers, Emanuel Ugasto, to support his family, a wife and four
small children.
This brother has been sick and unable to work for the last three
years with tuberculosis of the spinal column and the doctors say there
is no chance for recovery.
Any aid that you may give to this brother will be appreciated by
Local Union No. 165, as he is in very bad circumstances.
JOHN TRUCANO,
MORSAN W. RIGHT,
CHAS. BRADLEY.
RESOLUTION NO. 205.
Linton, Ind., August 6, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
This is to certify that Brother James O. Smith is a member in good
standing in Local Union No. 2090. He had the misfortune of having one
of his limbs amputated; he is in a condition that he is unable to do man-
ual labor; any donation that may be given him will be appreciated by
this Local No. 2090.
JOHN COAKLEY, Pres.
JOHN CHESN, Fin. Sec'y.
ED. STUART, Pres. Dist. No. 11.
WM. MITCH, Sec'y Dist. No. 11.
RESOLUTION NO. 206.
Mr. William Green, Pres., Indianapolis, Ind.
Dear Sir: — As I am a member of Local Union No. 228, Shirley Hill,
No. 3, Dugger, Ind., and have been a cripple for two years, I have had
I
890
&«iii a few locals bvt never could get enough at a time to take the
» io Me aztf good. I have been advised by Ed. Stewart, Pref-
jf Dtscr-ct II. to write you and see if you could do me any good
^«:tji 4ai ^MB cvoTcntion, which meets January 15. Have been on
5ir nro vicars and hoping you will do a brother in need a torn
)« j» ail m and has his last chance to regain his health, by patting
ivjr :bhm ^vitov rM convention, I remain, a brother,
HARRY SCHLEY.
RESOLUTION NO. 207.
Bicknell, Ind., January 19, 1918.
'7> A« ^KvNrrt^ ;UKi Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
tN'<HftutI Couvention of the U. M. W. of A.:
' ni jL i;^ CO Certify that Brother W. H. Holings worth is a member of
.x<»* ^*^^* ^^^^*> Bicknell, Ind., and has been a member of the organiza-
.^^*« x«a<v Its inception and being seventy-five years of ag^ and unable
w .s;»«.vLUA uuukual labor for some time; he has a wife who is an invalid,
«..u utvv Mvrving all these years as a miner, and now we deem him
•\c%u<\ v>X ull the assistance of this great organization that can be given
uiu >M t^t ^^ can. as far as possible, enjoy his last years with his good
>^«« th0i\>{oie recommend him to this convention for assistance and
x;v A^^h to thank the brothers in advance for any assistance rendered.
HARVEY NAELE, Member Local 352.
LEE R. ESLINGER, Member Local 352.
JOE EDWARDS, Delegate of Local 352.
WM. MITCH, Secretary of Dist. 11.
t'liv:»u appeals being of like nature for financial assistance by mem-
«^'ia \a i'ur union, who for one cause or another find themselves in needy
, •iyv4iual«4tu-oti, your committee desires to include them all in one report.
\\m ^.vuiputhize to the fullest extent with the brothers who have
yva III liiuiiu appeals and with all others in like condition, and would
-«^^ v-*poitmliy pltiUHed if we were in position to give them substantial
M\^u\ (ill ubbitttanoe, but inasmuch as our International organization has
\\\\ uuiil piovided for the relief of any of its members so situated and
891
because of the fact that every district in our jurisdiction has numerous
cases of like character, your committee is of the opinion that no material
assistance could be given these brothers, nor to the hundreds of others
above referred to, by any action this convention might take, and as wk
believe that the relief for needy members is purely a local or district
matter and that more substantial assistance can be rendered in that
way, we recommend that the appeals be referred to the districts in
which the brothers hold membership.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
RESOLUTION NO. 208.
Indianapolis, Ind.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M.'W. of A.:
Gentlemen and Patriots: — ^We respectfully ask your splendid organi-
zation to join us in the great American drive "over the top" for Italy's
two millions of poverty-stricken souls by making as generous a donation
as you possibly can.
Italy is our ally in this world-war now wagging against the savage
hordes of Germany. Humanity, democracy, the peace of the world,
these are the things for which together we strive and, with God's help,
will fight to attain. These are America's ideals. They are also Italy's.
Italy has for almost three years borne the heat and burden of the
day. Her borders have been overrun by the enemy; her sunny plains
have been scarred and torn by desolating shell fire, and the whiteness of
her Alpine slopes have been crimsoned by the blood of her sons.
Hundreds of thousands of her soldiers have been slain, wounded or
led into captivity; thousands of helpless families, mothers, widows and
orphans have been driven from their peaceful homes, pursued by the
red wrack and ruin of devastating war.
But Italy still fights grimly on, and at a frightful cost has tempo-
rarily stemmed the onrush of overwhelming numbers of the invading
enemy.
892
Let U8 help Italy as we have her allies.
In view of the acuteness and vastness of the Italian disaster we
ask your mighty organization to be as generous as it can. Your coo-
tribution will be most gratefully acknowledged on behalf of one of the
most appreciative and patient suffering peoples of the globe.
NATIONAL ITALIAN RELIEF ASSOCIATION.
Rev. Sarino Priori, President and Treasurer.
Endorsed by the Indianapolis Chamber and Commerce and National
Council of Defense of Indiana.
Your committee feels confident that it expresses the wish of thb
convention when we say that we appreciate fully the heroic sacrifices of
the Italian nation and its peoples in this great world-wide war and that
we realize that it is our duty to render assistance and rdief in so far t%
we can to the men, women and children made destitute by the ruthless
actions of the Prussian armies in occupied territory. We owe this duty,
however, to the people of no single country so occupied, but to all of
them, to Belgium, Poland, Serbia, Lithuania and all the others as well as
to Italy, and inasmuch as our organization will undoubtedly receive ap-
peals for the relief of the peoples of these countries, we most respect-
fully recommend that this appeal be referred to the International Execu-
tive Board with authority to take such action as they deem best in the
matter.
The recommendation of the committee was adopted.
RESOLUTION NO. 209.
Indianapolis, Ind., January 18, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Gentlemen and Brothers: — We, the delegates of Districts No. 17
and No. 29, U. M. W. of A., in meeting assembled this day appeal tc
the delegates of our convention for a little financial aid for Mrs. T.
Baldusir, of Raleiph, W. Va. Brother T. Baldusir, the husband of Mr*;.
893
Idusir, was brutally murdered by a company»thug at Raleigh, W. Va.,
aonths ago, and leaves a wife and three small children without any
, and Mrs. Baldusir is a cripple and is in delicate condition; two
3 children are also very delicate and have to have medical attention
hey are thrown on the charity of the public. As she has no rela-
our members at Raleigh are helping her, and a mite given to her
e delegates attending this convention would be a mite well given.
C. P. KEENEY, Pres. Dist. No. 17.
LAWRENCE DWYER, Int. Board Member, Dist. 29.
'his is an appeal on behalf of the dependents of a member of our
alleged to have been murdered by a company thug while in the
rmance of his duties as a member of our great organization. Your
littee is not familiar with the circumstances surrounding the occur-
and have had nothing beforie us except the written appeal. It is
pinion, however, that the dependents of any of our members who
iiave been murdered by company thugs while in the performance of
duty as members, should not be permitted to suffer want and pri-
1 as a result thereof; we therefore recommend that this appeal
ferred to the International Executive Board with instructions to
:igate and take such action as they may find warranted.
lie recommendation of the committee was adopted.
Respectfully submitted,
ED STEWART, Chairman,
JOHN T. DEMPSEY, SecreUry,
JOHN BROPHY,
JOHN MOORE,
THOMAS KENNEDY,
JOHN GAY,
E. S. McCULLOUGH,
JOHN WILKINSON,
W. D. DUNCAN,
Committee on Grievances and Appeals.
'he report of the committee as a whole was adopted.
894
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.
Delegrate Savage, District 6 — Just before adjoumment there was a
question up with reference to constitution. I think at this time we
should have a perfect understanding as to the matter. In Dtstrict 6.
when a local is organized, the members are required to pay dues ani
assessments for the month in which they were organized. The diair-
man of the Committee on Constitution stated that if District 6 has done
that we violated the International constitution. I understand that in
the supplemental report of our Secretary-Treasurer he maule clear that
the constitution did not fully cover the question. District 6 has exacted
dues and assessments from nearly organized locals for the month in
which they were organized. There was no section of the constitiitioo
that covered the proposition and we felt our districts were losing a good
deal of money by exonerating locals for the month in which they vcre
organized. Last year over one hundred locals were organised in Dis-
trict 6. I presume that 90 per cent, of the men in those locals were oM
members in our organization and members in good standinir- If we had
exonerated those local unions for the month in which they organised a
great number of members would not be paying dues and atssessmenta for
that month. I believe when a member pays dues and aissessments they
should be distributed to the proper branches of our organization. I want
to know what we are to do in the future.
Vice-President Lewis: You are raising a constitutional question,
and it would perhaps be more in order to take it up and get a ruling on
it from the proper authorities after the convention.
Delefrate Savage : : I tried to get the floor before the motion wa<
put to adopt the constitution as a whole. The motion was put beforv
there was a chance to make any remarks.
Vice-President Lewis: The chair understands that. You have nov
made your explanation, and if there is any further ruling on it you wil-
have to get it through the proper channels. The Committee on Consti-
tution has been discharged and there is no authority now to interpret
the constitution.
Pelegrate Savage: The chairman of the Conunittee on Constitotioc
said we had violated the International constitution by requiring suc^
locals to pay dues and assessments.
895
Vice-President Lewis: That' is simply the opinion of the chairman
of the committee.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS.
Delegate Smith, secretary of the committee, reported as follows:
RESOLUTION NO. 22.
, Peru, 111., December 24, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, It has come to our notice that the American Federation
of Labor is a reactionary organization and believe that the cause is
that its officers are elected by delegates on the floor of conventions, and
as this is undemocratic, and the U. M. W. of A. is a democratic organi-
zation; therefore, be it
Resolved, That unless the A. F. of L. amends its constitution so as
to elect its members by a referendum vote we, as United Mine Workers,
withdraw our affiliations with the A. F. of L.
JOHN OWIECKI, President,
CLIFFORD CLARK, Rec. Sec'y,
JOHN KWIATIK, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 649.
The committee recommended nonconcurrence. The recommendation
of the committee was concurred in.
RESOLUTION NO. 93.
Des Moines, Iowa, December 28, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, There is much talk of the government taking over the
railroads, as it is thought they can be run to better advantage to both
the worker and the government; be it
896
Resolved, That this convention ask the govern men l to take over
the coal mines, as we believe it would work for the betterment of both
miners and fsrovemment.
TOM MAXWELL, President.
JOHN MARCHANT, Secretary,
Local Union No. 3656,
Cominittee.
'I'he committee recommended the following as a substitute for Res-
olution No. 93:
(GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP OF COAL MINES.
Time and again District and International conventions of the United
Mine Workers of Amerita have gone on record as favoring governinent
owneraliip of coal mines. Never before, however, has this question re*
ooived the very serious consideration that it is now receiving in circles
outside our own organization. We feel that the position of our mem-
bership on this question as expressed in past conventions has not chsn}^
nnd that the vast majority of the rank and file of the coal miners of
.America are in favor of government ownership of coal mines. We wifh
10 point out. however, that government ownership of industry or of pnt-
iio utilicies without democratic administration of said industries, may re-
sult in fastening upon the workers coming under government contr<^
the very conditions of autocratic domination that we, the United Mine
Workers of America, have been fighting since the creation of our organi-
zation.
ro emphasize this danger we point to the government owned and
controlled post oifioe where the employes are denied the right to organize
and a voice in the making of the conditions imder which they must work.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing, be it
Resolved, By this convention, that we favor government ownership
of coa! mines on condition that we be guaranteed democratic adminis-
tration of the coal mining industry which we understand to mean.
First, the free and unrestricted right to orgranize.
S«\'oiui. the rikTht to maintain the function of our economic organiia-
897
%
tion, to collectively bargain with the representatives of the government
with fair and equal representation in such conferences as will determine
the wages and conditions under which we must work.
The report of the committee was adopted.
RESOLUTION NO. 127.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
From Local Union No. 2097, U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The National Government in this present crisis needs all
the resources at its conunand, therefore be it
Resolved, By Local Union No. 2097, That the national convention in
session, request our National Government to take over all unused farm
land and rent same to farmers, and said rent be paid directly to the Na-
tional Government.
Whereas, As the newspapers of this country are trying to mold a
sentiment to conscript labor; therefore be it
Resolved, That the national convention in session oppose all legisla-
tion, national or state, for the conscription of labor.
Local Union No. 2097 recommends to go on record as opposing the
same.
GASTON PALEONIS,
RICH WHITESIDE,
R. G. SMITH.
The report of the committee was adopted.
Resolutions 145 and 175s dealing with a similar question, are cov-
ered in one report by the committee, as follows:
RESOLUTION NO. 145.
Novinger, Mo., January 4, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegate of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
-Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Our nation is suffering from a great shortage of coal on
29 MPro.
e Z:
899
to keep the experienced boys at work in the mines, as the mining indus-
try is one of the greatest aids in the war, and it would be detrimental
to both the operators and miners to handle unskilled labor; be it further
Resolved, That the national presidents and the presidents of the
various districts co-operate with the fuel administrators of the country
to take up and try to adjust this matter.
By order of Local Union No. 1226.
(Signed) J AS. PRINCE, President,
CHAS. BATLEY, Rec. Sec'y,
JOHN J. WARWICK, Fin. Sec'y,
Committee.
The committee submits the following as a substitute for these reso-
lutions:
RESOLUTION ON SELECTIVE DRAFT.
The selective draft has removed- thousands of our young men from
the coal mines of our country, and, as a consequence, in some localities,
has accentuated the labor shortage prevailing in certain sections of the
coal mining industry. Attention has been directed to the possibility
that this labor shortage may become sufficiently acute in the further
operation of the selective draft to reduce the production of coal to a
degree that would hamper the war program of the government. The
world war has developed the fact that coal is the basic indispensable com-
modity upon which modem civilization is founded, and without which
armies could not be equipped and transported.
We, the United Mine Workers of America, therefore take this
opportunity to declare our position relative to the further operation
of the selective draft and its effect upon the coal mining industry.
First, We, the coal miners of America, stand ready and willing
to do our full and equal share in whatever manner we may be called
open to serve in supporting the government of our country in the
prosecution of the war to a successful conclusion, and, for ourselves,
we ask no special privileges.
Second, Only in the event that it should be demonstrated that
s.
900
the members of our organization can render greater service to the
country by remaining in the mines than they would be able to render
by being drafted into the military service of the govemment do we
ask that consideration be g^iven to the advisability of making sudi
changes in the application of the selective draft as may be necessary
to assure an adequate supply of coal.
The report of the committee was adopted.
Chairman Harlin: The committee had presented to it a resolutioD
dealing with political action, asking that we endeavor to form a party
patterned after the Independent Labor Party in Britain. The com-
mitte^ also had referred to it the question of drafting a resolution
setting forth the war policies of the United Mine Workers of America.
We felt that the resolution on war policies could very well be substi-
tuted with the resolution dealing with political action, because labor
must express itself with reference to its aims and the readjustments
that are taking place in all the civilized countries of the world. 1
want to read the resolution prepared by the Committee on Resolutions,
as follows:
WAR RESOLUTION.
Submitted by Committee on Resolutions.
We, the United Mine Workers of America, in International con-
vention assembled, feel that no statement of words is needed from us
to prove that the great army of men that we represent and for whom
we speak, are loyal to the government of our country.
The twenty thousand members of our imion who are now serving
the colors, prepared to give their all upon the. field of battle, that the
principles to which our country is pledged may endure; and the
service that the miners of America are now rendering to the nation,
in the underground recesses of the coal mines of our country, speak
more eloquently than mere words that we are in service and in fact,
standing steadfastly behind the government of our country in this
the hour of her need.
It is then with the confidence of men who have established a record
of deed that must effectually silence those who for reasons of material
901
interest would no doubt be glad of the opportunity to question our
motives and cast aspersion upon the sincerity of our loyalty, that we
issue this statement and recommend the following action.
Forcefully and eloquently President Woodrow Wilson has an-
nounced to the peoples of the world that America has enlisted her forces
and dedicated her energies in the war against the Imperial German
government and her allies for the purpose of making the world safe for
democracy. With this great principle we, the United Mine Workers of
America, are in full accord, and we deem this to be the fitting occasion
to point out that here, within the confines of these United States, a grreat
work yet remains to be done in order that our people may be permitted
to enjoy in full measure the blessings of industrial democracy, without
which democracy becomes but a meaningless term.
We are passing through the most crucial period of the world's his-
tory. A great process of readjustment is taking place in human affairs.
In this crisis the American people are rallying with unbounded enthu-
siasm to the support of the government in the great struggle to free
humanity from the blighting and sinister influences of autocratic
despotism.
In this hour when the best blood of our nation is being spilled upon
the far-off battlefields of northern France we, the miners of America,
take courage to speak out for the oppressed people of our own land. In
mine, mill, field and factory t];kousands of American workers in many
sections of the country, are denied the right to organize and are suffer-
ing and struggling under the iron hand of industrial oppression.
Deprived of the right to organize, they stand helpless before the
power of their industrial overlords. In a recent decision against the
United Mine Workers of America the Supreme Court has decreed that
under conditions that can and may be created by any and all employers
of labor, the right to organize and act collectively shall be denied to the
employe.
This astounding ^decision so out of keeping with the progressive
thought of the times and the principle of democracy strikes at a great
fundamental and inherent human right.
We insist that this right must not be abridged by any governmental
?
902
agency, and that American labor be guaranteed the same unrestricted
right to organize and deal collectively with the employers of labor, as
has been guaranteed to the workers by the governments of our allies in
France and Great Britain.
We, therefore, instruct the delegates representing the United Mine
Workers of America at the next convention of the American Federation
of Labor to prepare a resolution calling for action by that body, wherein
the war aims of American labor will be definitely set forth and the gov-
ernment of the United States asked to gruarantee to the workers in Amer-
ican industry those fundamental human rights affecting labor that in-
clude, among others, the unrestricted right of working men and women
to organize and deal collectively with their employers.
And we further go on record as endorsing the action of President
Gompers of the American Federation of Labor in calling an international
conference of labor to be held at the same time and place as the interna-
tional peace conference for the purpose of securing consideration and
recognition of the aims and ideals of labor in the social and economic
readjustment that must inevitably occur at the conclusion of the great
war.
Vice-President Lewis: The resolution read by the chairman of the
Committee on Resolutions is a substitute for resolutions dealing on this
general subject.
The report of the conunittee was adopted unanimously,
Vice-President Lewis: The motion prevails as the unanimous ex-
pression of the United Mine Workers of America.
Delegate Short, District 10: I move that the resolution adopted
by unanimous vote of the convention bearing upon the attitude of the
United Mine Workers concerning the war be printed in pamphlet form
and mailed to every local union of the United Mine Workers.
Delegate Wilkinson, Montana, moved to amend that the resolution
in regard to government ownership be distributed with the war resolu-
tion. The author of the motion accepted the amendment, which was
adopted.
903
RESOLUTION NO. 104.
Whitsett, Pa., December 16, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The two big capitalist parties are not in sympathy with
the working class, and when .their candidates are elected to office they
invariably use their power to keep the workers in subjection; therefore
belt
Resolved, That we indorse the Socialist party as the i)olitical expres-
sion of the working class.
SAM J. LOWERY, President,
JAS. F. LEE, Recording Secretary,
SAM LOMAS,
JOHN MILLS,
JOS. SPIKLE,
JOS. VOITHOFER,
Resolutions Committee.
The committee recommended non-concurrence. The recommendation
of the committee was adopted.
SPECIAL RESOLUTION IN REGARD TO INDUSTRIAL
ACCIDENTS.
By W. D. Ryan of the Bureau of Mines and the Committee on Reso-
lutions:
Whereas, Industrial reports during recent months show an alarm-
ing increase in industrial accidents, due, no doubt, to the speeding up
of industries to meet war time requirements. While we believe that
every effort should be put forth by all of our people to meet the war
requirements of our government, at the same time every safeguard pos-
sible should be provided to reduce industrial accidents to the irreducible
minimum; therefore, be it
Resolved, That this convention instruct the International officers and
International Executive Board to take up with the United States Bureau
^
904
oi Miihw the qtMstion of formulatinfi: plans for the purpose of protectmg,
)»:» tiur iMS possible, the lives and limbs of the workers in the industries
^f the nation, to the end that industrial accidents be reduced to the abso-
lute minimum.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
At o oVlock the convention was adjourned to 9 a. m., Saturday,
KLEVEMTN DAY-MORNINa SESSION
Indianapolis, Indiana, January 26, 1918.
The convention Mras called to order at 9 o'clock a. m., Saturday.
January 26, President Hayes in the chair.
KKroKT OF COMMITTEE ON HOME FOR AGED MINERS AND
OLD AGE PENSIONS.
I>t«l«>icate Hutchison of the Committee reported as follo¥rs:
'\\% i)it» Oltlcers and Delegrates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
liivnniul Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
ii«)utlomen and Brothers — At the last International convention quite
14 iiuiiiltt*!' of resolutions were introduced bearing 'on the subject of a
luiiuik i»r pension for aged and disabled members. The Committee on
Ui»i»(ilutiona reported the following substitute for the whole, which was
t4iiu|itis(l hy the convention, viz.:
Heaolved, That the International President be empowered to
appoint from our membership a committee of three members who
lihull be authorized to investigate and report to the next Intema-
liiuial convention the advisability and possible cost to our Interna-
tiiuial Union of erecting and maintaining a suitable home wherein to
( uiu for our aged, infirm and decrepit members.
In accordance with the provisions of the above resolution we, yoar
cuiuiuitUie, appointed by President White, beg leave to submit the fol-
low iutf report.
After a conference with Vice-President Hayes and Secretary-Treas-
Wim- (ireen, who made many valuable sug^tions, your committee de-
i^itluil ui) bending out a circular letter to ascertain the probable number
905
of dependents we would be called on to care for. Secretary-Treasurer
Green came to our aid by preparing and mailing to each and every local
union the following letter:
Indianapolis, Ind., July 19, 1916.
To the Officers and Members of All l/ocal Unions, United Mine Work-
ers of America — Greeting:
We desire to inform you that at the recent International con-
vention several resolutions were introduced pertaining to a home
for aged and infirm miners.
The following substitute, submitted by the Resolutions Commit-
tee, was adopted in lieu of the several resolutions introduced:
"Resolved, That the International President be empowered to
appoint from our membership a committee of three members who
shall be authorized to investigate and report to the next Interna-
tional convention the advisability and possible cost to our Interna-
tional Union of erecting and maintaining a suitable home wherein
to care for our aged, infirm and decrepit members.''
In accord with the action of the convention the International
President appointed the undersigned as members of this committee.
We are now collecting statistics on the question of the advisability
and practicability of establishing a home for our aged and infirm
members.
We, therefore, urgently request each local secretary to answer
the following questions:
How many members of your local union are 60 years of age?
'How many members of your local union are 65 years of age?
How many members of your local union are 70 years of age?
How many members of your local union, under 60 years of age, are
infirm, decrepit and physically unfit to earn a living?
We trust that each local secretary will assist us in securing the
desired information and will send reply as soon as possible to the
Committee on Home for Aged Miners, United Mine Workers of
America, 1102-1109 Merchants Bank Bldg., Indianapolis, Ind.
(Signed) WILLIAM MITCHELL,
JOHN HUTCHISON,
EVAN EVANS.
Committee.
We then began a tour of investigation of several homes to learn as
far as possible the cost of land, cost and arrangement of buildings, num-
ber of inmates, cost of maintenance and per capita cost to the member-
ship. Learning through Vice-President Hayes that the barbers' union
had just completed a similar investigation and armed with an introduc-
tion from Brother Hayes, we called on Mr. Jacob Fischer, Secretary of
906
the Barbers' Union, who received us with every courtesy and gmve u
many valuable suggestions as to what homes to visit, routesy etc He
also furnished us an estimate of maintenance of a home suitaUe to their
needs, which was 18 cents to 20 cents per month per capita tax on the
membership.
We wish to acknowledge the courtesy of Mr. A. L. Zimmerman of
Cincinnati, Ohio, auditor and expert accountant for the Pressmen's
Union, and a number of fraternal organizations, for his advice and val-
uable suggestions.
The International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union of
North America have a home located twelve miles from RogersviUe,
Tenn., in a beautiful valley of the Appalachian Mountains, that for
scenery, climate, fertility of soil and economy both in land and the erec-
tion of buildings is unsurpassed, and is presided over by the most gen-
erous and hospitable people that it has been our good fortune to meett
and in behalf of the United Mine Workers of America we tender our
thanks to President George L. Berry, Secretary-Treasurer Joseph C. Orr
and their charming wives, Mrs. Berry and Mrs. Orr, for their courtesy
to us as representatives of our organization, and their tf orte to make
our visit a pleasant as well as a profitable one.
The pressmen have 1,032 acres, valley and mountain land, about
one-half of which is in a high state of cultivation and produces all the
vegetables and fruit necessary for their table use and all the grain and
hay necessary to feed their stock, hogs and poultry which they raise in
sufficient quantity to supply the needs of their home and sanitarium. The
climatic conditions, fertility of soil, quality and quantity of water, plenty
of timber, healthful surroundings and cheapness of lands makes it a
most desirable location for a home.
They have three main buildings admirably adapted for their pur-
pose, but impractical for our use. They consist, first, of a sanitarium
for the treatment of tuberculosis, which is complete in every detafl, and
which is very necessary, as their trade develops this dread disease to
an alarming extent. Second, a technical trade school for the improve-
ment of their members, which is combined with their national offices, and
a convention hall. And, third, a home for superannuated members with
accommodations for 250 members — the only main building practical for
our purpose.
In addition they have a power house, electric plant, swimming pool,
with rooms attached for the use of delegates — all erected at a cost of
about $350,000, saving about 20 per cent, of contract price by reason of
using timber and other materials of which they have an abundant sup-
ply on their land. They erected a complete milling plant for the sawing
and preparing of lumber, a stone crusher and concrete mixer at a cost
of about $20,000, and saved more than that amount in the erection of
907
one building over and above the lowest bid from contractors. And in
connection with this we quote the generous offer made to us through a
letter from President George L. Berry. He says:
I beg to herewith submit the basis of co-operation that we will
be delighted to render to your organization in the event of their
building an institution within a reasonable distance from our in-
stitutions at this place. They are as follows:
First: That the intimate practical experience that we have
had will be at the disposal of your organization at all times, re-
gardless of whether you may be located accessible to our institutions
or not.
Second : I shall be glad to assist you in the preparation of your
prospectus, your blueprints, and in general j>ut you in direct touch
with all of the requirements that you may need in respect to con-
struction and consummation of your proposed plans.
Third: I will assist you in legislative matters with a view of
securing for you the same protection and facilities as regards im-
munity from taxation, etc., that has been secured in our institutions.
- Fourth : We have at this time on hand a saw-mill and complete
mill outfit, consisting of all the machinery necessary for the manu-
facture of timber needed in construction. This machinery approxi-
mates in value $15,000, which I shall turn over to your organization
for use without financial returns, the only requirements being that
the machinery be kept in first-class order.
Fifth: The rock-crushing machinery, concrete mixers, etc.,
which approximate in value $5,000, will likewise be at your disposal
under the same conditions as indicated above.
Sixth: We own a seven-mile right-of-way of telephone line.
We shall upon equal basis give you the use of this facility without
investment on your part.
Seventh: You are aware, of course, that we are operating a
trade school at this place, which now represents an investment of
$250,000, $125,000 of it being in machinery. We would be glad to
co-operate with you in the execution of your printing matter at cost,
or give you the same condition as to its output as applies to our
organization.
Eighth : In the matter of electric power, I am in possession of
a plan that will make it possible for water development which we
can jointly operate with a great reduction in the cost of same to
both parties and which will reduce the cost of power and lights to
a minimum, lower than can be had in any section in America.
The foregoing is given free and with a great degree of pleas-
ure and I trust that your organization will believe me in saying that
1
908
I will consider it a favor and a very great honor to be of assistance
to you at any time and under any condition. I am intensely inter-
ested in the work that you are considering, exemplified by the efforts
put forth by me in the interest of our own organization, and I assure
you that there is nothing within my power that I shall not be will-
ing to do in the furtherance of the great humanitarian work that
you have under consideration.
In addition to all that I have said, permit me to say that I con-
sider our institutions to be the greatest asset for organization, for
the maintenance of peace with the employers and for the solidifica-
tion of our workers of any department or innovation so far con-
ceived by the trades union movement of America.
Very sincerely and respectfully yours,
(Signed) GEO. L. BERRY,
President International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union.
This generous offer, so characteristic of President Berry, should re-
ceive from our organization a respectful and responsive appreciation
whether we avail ourselves of its benefits or not.
THE ELKS.
At Bedford, Va., the Elks have just completed a new home at a cost
of $500,000, with accommodations for 120 members, that is a marvel of
beauty and elegance. They have good water, a fine, healthful climate,
good railroad facilities and fertile lands. Your conunittee was courteous-
ly received by the superintendent and given an opportunity of going
through the building and grounds. In their book of rules and regula-
tions we find the following extracts that may be of interest:
(1) The home is a home for aged indigent Elks, who can care
for their daily necessary wants, and not a hospital or sanitarium
for the care of the sick or disabled Elks, or those who are suffering
with incurable, infectious or contagious diseases, or from any other
causes which have already rendered them unable to care for their
daily wants.
(2) An applicant for admission to the home must have been in
good standing in the order for a period of two consecutive years
immediately prior to filing his application, and must be in indigent
circumstances and incapable of earning a livelihood.
(3) The subordinate lodge shall pay for the transporation
and all other necessary expenses going to or returning from the
home. Should a brother die while a resident of the home the sub-
ordinate lodge shall defray all funeral expenses. The subordinate
lodge shall pay in quarterly installments one-third of the per capita
expense sustained by the home for maintenance of a brother of such
lodge.
909
DANVILLE SOLDIERS HOME.
At the Danville, 111., Branch of the National Home foir Disabled Vol-
unteer Soldiers, Colonel M. H. Peters and his able and gentlemanly assist-
ants took charge of us and escorted us through the grounds and build-
ings, pointing out and explaining in detail the many points of interest
and the workings and discipline of the home; and your committee, in be-
half of our organization, sincerely thank them for their courtesy and
the interest they displayed in our efforts toward caring for our veterans
of industry. To Mr. Wm. L. Kelley, chief engineer of the home, your
committee is indebted for a detailed statement of the home, accompanied
by its blueprint, and his statement is so concise and complete that we
make it a part of our report. It is as follows:
This home consists of the membership barracks, fifteen (15) in
number, lettered from "A" to "L" inclusive, having a capacity each
of one hundred and sixty members, with offices for captain and a
sergeant. These all dine at a general mess hall, inside and cen-
trally located.. Two tables are set, 750 members at each. Over
this general mess hall there is a dormitory for use of the civilian
waitresses, thirty in number. All cooking is done here by steam,
the roasting by gas.
Within this same building is placed a modem bakery. It is
well provided with a basement throughout, where are the vegetable
paring and washing tanks, coffee roasters, steam water heaters, etc.
Here are located a machinist and engineer, also three other sets
of like mechanics whose duty, with the shops within the buildings
close at hand, is to at all times make minor repairs. These report
to me at stated times and when the demand is beyond their smaller
shops they make emergency reports by phone.
Fourteen sets of quarters are also provided in convenient juxta-
position to the needs of the department in which their work lies.
These are nominated by the titles held on the home staff roll.
Quarters for hospital nurses are seen southwest of the general
hospital, and to the west will be noted a greenhouse, in which all
the cuttings are grown for landscape gardening, as well as tons of
flowers are here turned out yearly to brighten the monotony of the
sick wards, and to each member is supplied upon his burial a wreath
of flowers without cost. This is merely incidental to show how fine
a system of procedure things can be brought to without impairing
the best of each one's interests. Two men, with a few laborers at
planting time, here easily give grand results.
A chapel, in "L" form, makes it practically a home with Catholic
and Protestant places of worship, each of which has a reverend, with
quarters on the grounds. Church attendance is 20.23 per cent, per
annum.
I
. 910
In close proximity to the interurban railroad depot is seen a
store, from which many necessities are purveyed to tiiose who de-
sire to add comforts or luxuries not on the ordinary home supplies,
gratis. In the same building is a hotel and restaurant, where the
members are sure of accommodations for relatives and friends who
may call upon business or visit.
A library is kept up to date with books and periodicals of many
places.
A quartermaster's storehouse in which are stored and issued
all of a multitudinous list of supplies for repairs, household and
provisional upkeep.
An opera house, known to the members as a '^memorial hall,"
with a seating capacity of 900, in which are fi^ven vaudeville, movies,
and when the season is inclement, band concerts are rendered twice
each week and on Sundays in the summer time. There are two
band stands, one in the grove on the lake shore, and a second in a
park south of the library.
The powerhouse is located close to the quartermaster's store-
house. In it are the boilers from which the cooking steam is sup-
plied, llie radiators as well are fed from there. Its maintenance
per year has been $35,000.00.
The cost of maintaining the members has beten $198.00 per
capita. Repairs to the institution (that is now 18 years old) cost
about $10,000.00 a year.
The laundry, tailor and dry-cleaning establishment clean all of
the membership clothing, which is mostly wool and difficult to dean,
at a yearly cost of $3.00 each per member. A schedule of prices
is fixed for the cleaning and pressing of articles not uniform, for
cne benefit of those who, as civilian employes, cannot get like serv-
ice rendered when needed elsewhere. A post fund is thus attained
by an easy and natural method, that assures many comforts to the
membership not otherwise possible.
The area of this home embraces 824 acres. Value of the land
and improvements are appraised at $1,440,000.
Any additional information desii*ed will be gladly supplied. If
your committee can come to the home and spend a week in investi-
gation of the many items of interest, I know it would be of benefit.
They will find me most willing to assist in every way possible to
make the time a pleasant one and profitable it must be.
Yours truly,
(Signed) W. L. KELLY,
Station 21, N. H. D. U. S.,
Danville, HI.
911
On our way to Coloraado Springs your committee took advantage
of a stop-over at Des Moines, Iowa, to visit a private sanitarium that
was on the market and had at one time been considered by the miners
of Iowa in the light of a State Home. Wc found a large building that
with a little alteration and repairs could be made available as a main
building for a home, but the ground?, only about 18 acres, had been sub-
divided into town lots and we considered land in the vicinity too high-
priced for our consideration, the lowest estimate being $1,000 an acre.
We understand that the original cost of the building was $75,000. The
tract of land upon which it is situated contains 11 acres and it might be
interesting to note that the Iowa miners at one time held an option on it at
a purchase price of $25,000. '
The home established by the International Typographical Union is
situated at Colorado Springs, Colo. It is about six thousand feet above
the sea level. The main building is of white lava stone with red sand-
stone trimmings. The plan for building provides for extensions and ad-
ditions as they may be needed without destroying the symmetry and
beauty. At the present time it contains 125 rooms and preparations are
being made for an addition.
They have a hospital with accommodations for 225 patients and a
tent colony^ for the treatment of tuberculosis, a power house, laundry,
bam and minor outbuildings and a cottage for the use of the superin-
tendent.
The cost of the home, including repairs and additions to 1916 is, in
round numbers, one and a half million dollars. The members pay a per
capita tax of 20 cents per month for maintenance. The residents are
allowed 50 cents per week for spending money, and the total cost of
maintaining each resident is $41.31 per month.
The management is vested in a board of seven trustees, of whom the
President, Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer are members ex
officio. The superintendent is appointed by the trustees. The home has
been in operation since 1892, the printers being one of the first to es-
tablish benefit features.
We acknowledge with thanks the courtesies extended to us by Sec-
retary-Treasurer J. W. Hays, Mrs. John C. Daley, matron of the home,
and Mr. Arthur W. Crane, our guide while at the home.
912
SOLDIERS' HOME.
The State of Indiana maintains a home at Lafayette, Ind., for old
aioKiiers and their wives and soldiers* widows. The home is built on the
cottaire plan in the midst of a beautiful park overlooking the Wabash
river and about ISO feet above low-water mark. This system appeals to
us for several reasons.
Fir^c The large administration buildings and the number of small
ci>((a^c«« containing from two to four rooms are so arranged as to give
tt a homelike appeiirance like some beautiful village, with its streets and
sidewaliu well shaded and filled with a happy and contented people, who
arv fViil oX praise for their surroundings.
S^viid. It does not sever family ties, for the reason that an old
nan vta^r cake ^is wife with him into the home and pass their declin-
thic^ U v*ar«s for the widow, who, perhaps, has suffered more and
MA i« TuocY ^aicrtidow than have the men in the maintenance of the honor
j<t4 ii^tti^v of » united country, just as our wives have suffered and
s^'r«nc^ thae w^ ^te men, might build up the splendid organization
>«^ ;iow iKftv^
^^Mcth. V*t« p^aa of construction, while more homelike, is much
.^V^CH VV Vv»Kl> MINE WORKERS' HOMES ASSOCIATION.
^ .siv AWtmiCtw. tiifoagh Vice-President Hayes, addressed a letter
'•>^,. > ;v :^ Mis»r»' Association of Durham County, England, who
^M ,*tNJ '"NA-t;*^* a Swae for aged miners and their wives. We received
>c i«>.v>*tHx ^v?<\\ whkh we herewith make a part of our report:
Purham Aged Mine Workers' Homes Association,
IS The Avenue, Durham, England, August 8, 1916.
S»v. Wuh r^fen»nce to your letter to Mr. T. H. Cann, General
N\Moui> Put ham Minors' Association, which has been handed over
\o tuo to itixc mivtioulars to you respecting the work and character
\\( \»ui Aiivd Mtno Workers* Homes Association.
I 14 tu \Miiihttst to hear of the decision of your association at
\«uu Uot iMUM'imtional convention respecting provision for your
913
aged industrial toilers, and I trust it may prove, as ours has proved,
a splendid achievement.
Our Association commenced in 1899 by five persons forming
themselves into a committee. The late Dr. John Wilson acted as
president. They bought an old colliery village where the mine had
been stopped and put the houses in good repair. Ours, as yoiTwell
know, is a voluntary Association. They appealed for help from the
workmen of all sections, who responded splendidly, also the colliery
owners, landowners and the general public, who have always been
heart and soul with us. The workmen contribute 25 shillings per
year per 100 members, which provides house, coal and rates, taxes
and repairs, etc.
Our work has progressed magnificently, as in 17 years we
have property assessed at 100,000 pounds, as you will see from the
enclosed report.
We have thirty-two groups of homes all around the County of
Durham, from sixteen to one hundred and fourteen homes.
You will see from this that we have not got them all in one
place. We have six hundred and fifty homes in thirty-two places,
as we find it best to build homes in the district which the aged peo-
ple belong to, as it is like a home at home to them, instead of re-
moving them to some other part of the county, which might mean
from many of their friends. We have 1,200 persons living in the
homes. We have also single men's quarters, and all unmarried
men or men who have lost their wives have an opportunity of
going into this home. We have a master and a matron to look
after them. I am pleased to say it is all kept up by voluntary sub-
scription. The workmen, in many instances, pay more than is re-
quired by rule. They pay one penny per week, which brings in a
good sum of money. The colliery owners do well for us and every-
body seems to be quite willing to do what they can to help our
movement. It is impossible for me to express all the benefits that
come to an aged veteran of industry.
The aged people are very happy and contented and their homes
like little palaces, and I am sure if you had an opportunity of seeing
some of them as others have had, you would subscribe to all I have
said.
They are free from the worry of having the landlord coming
along and threatening that unless they paid their rent they would
be turned out. There is nothing of that. They have a home free
so long as they live and carry out rules and regulations.
914
Had you an opportunity of visiting our homes you would say
with one of old, that the half has not been told about them.
I sincerely trust that this brief irambling outline may be of
some service to you and your colleagues, and if any of you visit this
country at any time and you let me know, I shall be only too pleased
to show you around our colonies.
I again wish that your efforts may be crowned with abnndaiit
success, and in years to come many aged people will have reason to
bless the happy day when you commenced your scheme. I have
pleasure in enclosing 1914-15 reports, also copy of rules. If there
is anything that I can do to help on your scheme, and you just
write me, I shall be pleased to give you any particulars you may
require. Best wishes.
Yours fraternally,
(Signed) JOHN ADAIR,
General Secretary.
The system, while admirably adapted to their needs, and a living
monument to the philanthropy of the Durham miners, could not be sac-
cessfully adapted to our needs on account of its complicated financial
plan and the difference in our geographical position.
If it should be decided to build a home, the first consideration would
be the location and the amount of land. There should be at least 2,000
acres, the cultivation of which would materially lessen the cost of main-
tenance, and also allow for a satisfactory grouping of buildings.
Climatic conditions and healthy surroundings should also be con-
sidered. Desirable land in eastern Tennessee can be purchased for froo
$12.00 to $20.00 per acre, with the additional advantage of bavins
enough timber and stone on the place for building purposes, and an ex-
emption from taxes not to be found elsewhere. Fine agricultural lands
in a healthy location can be purchased in Virgrinia for an average price
of $65.00 per acre. In the central northern states prices are higher,
ranging from $100.00 to $200.00 per acre.
The buildings should be so arranged as to avoid friction among the
people who would become residents.
Our people are made up of many nationalities, with different tasttf
and modes of living, and while all should be under one general manage-
ment, and main buildings should be erected for the accommodation of all
i
915
ere should also be groups of cottapres where those who are congenial
uld be housed together.
We believe that the necessary buildings could be completed and fur-
shed at a cost of about one million dollars. Taking the estimates of
her homes, it would cost about $40.00 per month for ^ach resident for
3thing, food, medical attendance and medical supplies, which might in
ne be lessened by the products of the land.
The question of a pension, with or without a home, was early called
our attention, and as the different organizations with whom we came
contact either had pension systems in active operation or were pre-
iring to adopt pension systems, we deemed it advisable to gather all
e data possible on that subject.
The Typographical Union has a membership of 65,000. It has at
e present time 1,440 pensioners, who receive $5.00 per week, payable
'ery four weeks, or thirteen payments per year. It cost the members
1.3 cents per capita per month for the fiscal year ending May 31, 1916.
his shows a gradual increase in the per capita tax of 6 cents in six
i&TS, the per capita tax in 1909 being 37.3 cents, with a grradual in-
'ease from that date to the present time.
A member to be eligible for a pension must be 60 years of age or
rer; most have been a member in good standing for a period of twenty
10) years, including and antedating the enactment of the pension law,
id who finds it impossible to secure sustaining employment at the trade,
embers, under this provision of the law, must have been members in
x>d standing at the time the pension law became effective and main-
ined active membership since that time.
2d. Members who have reached the age of 70 years and who have
sen in continuous good standing for a period of ten years, and who find
impossible to secure sustaining employment at the trade.
3d. Members who are totally incapacitated for work, who have been
•ntinuous active members for 20 years, and whose applications for ad-
ission to the home have been disapproved because their afflictions are
ich as to render them ineligible for entry to that institution.
The Pressmen's Union has adopted a plan for a pension which your
916
committee believes to be the safest, most desirable and most econoaictl
of any that have come under our observation.
Their plan, in brief, is to create a sinking fund by placing a flit
rate of 25 cents per month assessment upon its members for five yean
before the payment of pensions became operative. The sum thus niati
placed on interest at 4 per cent, would insure stability and prevent tiie
grradual increase in per capita tax which the T3rpogTaph]cal Union has
experienced.
District No. 21, U. M. W. of A., has a pension system that his
been in active operation since January 1, 1913, which is operated under
the following sections of their constitution:
Sec. 2. An Old Age Pension- Fund is hereby created by in
assessment of 40 cents per month, per member, which shall aoto*
matically be raised and lowered as necessary under the direction of
the District Secretary-Treasurer and approved by the District
Executive Board, together with all interest received from money
deposited in the District Treasury. Said fund to be disbursed is
hereinafter provided.
Sec. 3. All members in g^ood standing in District No. 21 for
five years preceding January 1, 1913, shall receive $3.00 per week,
per member, payable the first Monday in each month, providing be
is 60 years of age and discontinues working in the mines, or his
been physically disabled from performing further labor in or aroaiMl
the mines and has no other means of support.
Sec. 4. Any one becoming a member of District 21 on or after
January 1, 1913, shall not be eligible to receive any assistance from
this fund until he has been a member in good standing in the organi*
zation for five years prior to making application for pension.
Sec 5. All applications for pensions must be made through
the local union in which applicant is a member, stating age, length
of time applicant is a member of the Distfict organization, finandil
standing, visible means of support, upon affidavit before notary pub-
lic, attested to by two competent witnesses, accompanied by i
doctor's certificate of physical condition of applicant upon aflSdavit
All applications for pensions must be certified to before a notary
public by local president and secretary after said application has
been approved by local unions.
All applications shall be made in duplicate, one to remain with
the local union and one to be filed with the district secretary-treas-
917
urer, who shall have full charge of the distribution and care of said
fund, subject to the orders of the District Executive Board.
Sec 6. Should it develop that applications have been approved
in violation of the provisions of Sections 3, 4 and 5, of this Article,
the payment of same shall be immediately discontinued upon the
written notice filed with the District Secretary-Treasurer by the
local union that said applicant holds membership in, or by the Dis-
trict Executive Board, after hearing has been granted any member
filing such information, and investigation made of same.
Sec. 7. Any member leaving this district shall waive his claim
in every respect with said fund. This amendment to be in effect
OB and after January 1, 1913.
Sec. 8. Any local union violating any section of Article 10, in
the application for pension shall, upon conviction, reimburse the Dis-
trict Pension Fund for the amount paid out upon said fraudulent
application, and any local officer aiding or abetting in the procuring
of said application shall, upon conviction, be deposed from office.
Sec 9. During g'eneral suspension the payment of pensions
will also be suspended and pensioners placed upon the same footing
all Mine Workers of the district.
We herewith submit a table furnished us by E. F. Ross, Secre-
tary-Treasurer District 21, showing the number of pensioners and
amounts paid out for seven consecutive months.
For the past seven months pension payments have amounted to
$29,640.(K), as follows:
For the month of February, 1916. .$ 4,413.00
For the month of. March,
1916..
3,507.00
For tiie month of April,
1916..
3,684.00
307 members
For the month of May,
1916..
4,074.00
349 members
For the month of Jime,
1916..
4,905.00
358 members
For the month of July,
1916. .
4,011.00
335 members
For the month of August,
1916..
i
5,046.00
345 members
Totol
129,640.00
•
They now have 348 members on their pension roll.
From a table prepared by the Commissioner of Labor in his official
eport for the year 1908, beginning on Page 36, we find that there are
ighteen unions that pay benefits for temporary disability and death.
)t this number, four pay benefits for temporary disability, permanent
isability and death, three pay benefits for temporary disability, perma-
The Printing Pressmen's Union is creating a fund
iliat will become operative in five years.
The Barbers' Union is considering the adTisability
u pension syi^tem. in view of the strong and growing sent
of a pension $j-»tem as the best and most hnmane metiiot
(he fact that the homes established by other tabor nnioi
i) Kfh'.K' work caring for many unfortunate members, fail
retiitit-^menU of the membership and they were forced to i
torn of pensions to meet the necessities of the larger noi
for many reasons, the home was not availablo-
We believe it would not be advisable to eatablish ■
time, but we do believe that some measure shoold be adoi
partially relieve the growing wants of onr aged and in
Many States have adopted compensation laws npon the ins
of union labor, and. while beneficial in many ways, they
prevent oIJ men from getting employment when their t
is once severe.! and it is our duty to afford ionw oompet
evil we have necessarily brought upon them in our elf
the many.
The t«spoQ$)bility of caring for the vetemis of in
time» of peace have been the mainspring in the work of
ivss. and in limes of war have always been ready to sac
919
OUB gases, dust, poor ventilation, the handling of poisonous articles^ and
many other things that are sapping the health and strength of our
'workmen*
We also urge the necessity of an adequate pension law for aged
workers, men and women, many of whom are refused employment by
reason of their age.
In order to show our good faith in the feasibility of the plan and
the many benefits to be derived therefrom, and to assist our helpless
brothers until such laws can be secured, we recommend the adoption by
the United Mine Workers of America of a plan to pension its aged and
helpless members. We recognize what a big undertaking this is, and
we realize that every precaution should be taken to secure stability, pro-
tection f^m fraud and impostors, a fair, impartial and fearless admin-
istration of the trust, unhampered by fear or favor, and an honest and
economical policy in the investment of the funds and the payment of
daims.
We have compared the safe-guards adopted by other organizations,
and have endeavored to select the best that are actually necessary to
make liie plan a success.
In the first place, to secure stability, and eventually cheapen the
eoet to the membership, it is necessary to have a large sinking fund that.
if left untouched, would in time make the system nearly, if not actually,
self-supporting, and in cases of emergency would meet temporary re-
qairements. We, therefore, recommend the following plan for creating
and maintaining a pension system:
(1) An pld age and disability pension fund is hereby created by an
assessment of 40 cents per month per member, which shall automatically
be raised and lowered as necessary under the direction of the board of
trustees hereinafter provided for, but in no case shall the assessment
C3cceed 50 cents per month per member.
(2) Said assessment shall be in full force and operation on and
after April 1, 1918.
(8) A sinking fund shall be created by the accumulation of said
assessment for a period of three years from and after April 1, 1918.
920
( 4 ) That on and after April 1, 1921, all members in good stindnc
who have reached the age of sixty-five years and who have been t en*
tinuou8 member in good standing for a period of ten years immediate!;
prcooding his application for pension and has paid his regular mondd;
usscssnient to the pension fund for at least three years, whose earain;
vtipaoity has been reduced to less than twenty-five dollars per mootii
»nd who has no visible means of support other than his labor, shaU be
cliKiMe to receive a pension of twenty dollars per month, payaUe
monthly.
\ >^ t That on and after April 1, 1921, any member who has been i
vvtttmuou^ member in good standing for ten years immediately preeed-
niK hi» application for pension and who has paid his regular montfal;
A^Hossmont to the pension fund for at least three years and who if
t\»(:iVy inoapaoitated for work by reason of accident or sickness d
A (^vmiAnent character, who has no visible means of . support othv
t^jk!i h)» *ciK^r and who has been denied aid from compensation lam or
N*i ;rt^i And failevi to recover reasonable damages for injuries sw-
lA^^Hv -i^vA*!. ujvn satisfactory proof, be allowed a pension of twenty
,is»*'avx ^^»r !'u>nth. payable monthly; the trustees to have the right to
^v*'A'*"' A v*")'*^*"*-*" '^''* physicians to make an examination if they dtm
V.' Av?*'^'*^*^'*^'* ^^^ pension and written evidence in support
, .«* ft r»v.N: Sr r/A^*e or. blanks furnished for that purpose and most
N» -^viv •' ',v >v'or* * vvr.*petent officer when required.
• ,■ Avv '-^A'V.r xfc^.^s complete shall be presented to the local nnioo
* Ar;- cA-: ;> a rr*mber and if approved by them shall be signed
t' r:v>-;.-.*7.: a-,: «%:nfiary of the local with the local seal attached
;:\\Ar::o.'. to t^c ir.iif national Secretary-Treasurer, who shall prt-
>*"..: :ht' >*r..e :o :hc NNar>i of trustees, and if approved by them the
I'.Ai'.u' o: a pp. lean: sha'"* he placed upon the pension list and payments be
m:4»ie fr^'Hi jate of app'.ication.
\ny app!:oar.: n^akin^; fal5« statements in order ta obtain a pension
^\\a\\ lorfoi: a'.*, rich: to benefits from the pension fund.
Vny lival union that knowingly approves any application conuining
.u»\ false statement, or that by reasonable inquiry might have known
i
921
of any false statements in any application approved by it, shall reim-
burse the pension fund for any and all money paid to applicant by rea-
son of such false statements.
Two per cent, of the revenues derived from the pension fund, or as
much thereof as is necessary, shall be set aside to pay the expense of
administration, and any unexpended balance shall be paid back to the
fund, but in no case shall the expense exceed the 2 per cent, allowance.
Said trustees shall have the power and authority to adopt rules and
resrulations to protect the funds and insure the faithful performance of
every duty connected with the administration thereof, but all such rules
must be submitted to the next succeedim; International convention for
ratification, modification or rejection.
The management and control of the pension funds and the power
of adjusting claims shall be vested in a board of trustees composed as
follows: The International President, the International Vice-President,
the International Secretary-Treasurer, who shall be members ex officio,
and four members from the membership-at-large who shall be appointed
by the President and who shall serve until removed for just and suffi-
cient cause or by death or resignation.
The International President, or in his absence, the International
Vice-President, shall preside over the meetings and deliberations of
the board and perform such other duties as usually devolve upon that
office.
The International Secretary-Treasurer shall act as financial secre-
tary and treasurer of the board. He shall collect all money due the pen-
sion fund and disburse the same as directed by the board of trustees.
The board shall select one of its members to act as recording secre-
tary, whose duty shall be to keep a record of the meetings of the board,
also a record of all claims filed for pension, and the final disposition of
the same, and perform such other duties as may be required by the
board.
All money collected for the first three years, except for current ex-
pense of administration, shall constitute a sinking fund and shall be
deposited in banks of first-class financial reputation, or invested in
.liirw.-* ii> ii:t.' l'.'
■'*."«.:•>:*.: shall recti'.
"- -■ T-: :> members of :
.... • -*f.-T;. to be paiil oj
"^ •
»« • •
r J '-:. : :hey deem it ex
•: :-. rr.vure a roll of n*.
■.r ".r-iz information ihj
.. .i*?h.
> .-i,"^: v .apse or severs
•. ^' J ».m! iate from the ti
r : z il. ri^rhts to beneni
'•-• T.j" have paid.
- . • .' i usability caused b^
- >-. \-i -Tf*- :c review the case
- :'r.:ica.-!ogs warrant it, the I
^'ar.cr. :r. the pension fi
• . "• • •
.i."?^re^i and delayed bv
. ••,' 1 formation so earni
923
This is a very large per cent, as compared with other organizations,
id your committee recommends the adoption of sixty-five as the min-
ium age limit for the payment of pensions. For instance, take the
|e of sixty-five, if the same per cent, holds good on the entire mem-
nrship of our org^anization, which it is reasonable to assume, we would
ive approximately the following :
At 66 years of age 5,000
At 70 years of age 2,500
Incapacitated below 65 years 3,900
Total 11,400
Not all of these, however, would be eligible for a pension, as many
our old men are still earning fair wages and many of the disabled
;e8 are cared for by compensation laws of various States. But it is
ir to assume that we would have about 7,000 pensioners to care for.
In the absence of definite information on the subject the foregoing
timate of the probable number of pensioners is made by a comparison
the number of pensioners on the books of the International Typo-
■aphical Union, whose experience of eight years affords a reasonably
fe guide. They have a membership of 65,000, with 1,440 members on
e pension list, or a fraction more than twenty-two pensioners to each
000 members.
For years many who were prominent in the councils of the labor
ovement maintained that it would be detrimental to the growth and
>wer of the union to establish benefit features, mainly on account of
le increased cost, to the membership. But the experience of eighty-
•ur unions that have adopted benefit features have proved it to be a
wcee of strength, holding and binding the membership together in a
md of human sympathy and winning the admiration and respect of
'en those who are opposed to union organizations. It has demonstrated
.at it makes men more loyal and more prompt in the payment of dues,
has proved that the increase in the payment of dues is an actual sav-
g over the gifts to charity so indiscriminately given in the past and
ui removed the recipient from the position of an object of charity to a
If-respecting class, taking their benefit because it is something they
ly for and are entitled to, and public sentiment will eventually compel
924
•)»•
u> ^o\crttni<nt to recognize the debt it owes the veterans of indnstr;
II,: witl fv»rc« it to either contribute to the fund or assume entirriy the
•v.xin^riA'Siltty v>f caring for its worthy laborers when they are no kmger
I Jv iv ccicv for themselves.
t'!>c I'rtitcd Mine Workers are usually in the vang^uard of any wtm-
ti\*n'. u* .iJviinoe the interests of union labor, but have been slow to fk-
•«;ii c tiu' importance of caring: for its old and dependent memben
V'*:^ ;9 p;irtly due to the old men's pride and independence, but in a Urg«
■iKM.xuiv to the number of serious questions that confronted it and whidi
iiov'os.-iarily took precedence over other subjects. The factional figbti
v^itluii its ranks, the petty intrip:ue8 of designing men, the costly strika
I I ha:t liud to contend with, the effort to remove the obstacles from tbe
pMth i>f orgiinization in fields where, under color of law and under &
l»ivt«vtion of courts of (in) justice, men of our craft were forbidden fte
iii;:ht to or^ranize or even confer ^ith members of our union who at the
tiKk of lit'o Hud liberty were attempting to free them from bondage. Biit
tu«\x. thunks to the splendid allegiance and cohesive qualities of the men'
iH^imhtp And the persistent efforts of the officers all along^ the line, these
olxjitaoloj* hnve either been removed or so far overcome that the outlook
lor the future is bright, indeed.
W^h a contract in existence that settled in our favor disputed <iiief-
i;oi\s of many years' standing, with the oriranization practically free
fiom strikes and trouble, with the barriers broken down in Pennsylvtnia.
West Virginia and Colorado, and the organization growing by leaps ana
K»u!\ds, wo may well afford to turn our attention to the question of pro-
\ iviiut: a little comfort and help for our old and dependent members, and
\n.'i\ vuir united efforts evolve a plan that will successfully solve the prob-
'om and a^ld a little touch of human kindness, brotherly love and charity
to the long list of achievements of the United Mine Workers of Amenca
In ivnclusion we submit the written opinion of a few men whose
itwjrni.-od ability, experience, we^l -known love for union principles ani
lutoivst in any movement to advance the labor cause will, in our jaif-
tucut. carry ivnvioTion. or at least command a respectful consideratks;
UxUM all our rtombers.
I I
►
925
Mount Vernon, N. Y., November 1, 1916.
Messrs. William Mitchell, John Hutchison and Evan Evans, Committee
of Invest] firation, re Miners' Home, United Mine Workers of America,
Indianapolis, Ind.
Brothers — Responding to your request for an expression of my views
ID regrard to the relative advantages of establishing a community home
or providing a system of pensions for aged and disabled mine workers,
I write to say that all the experience with which I am familiar would
indicate that a pension system has many advantages over the establish-
ment of community homes.
It is true that trade union experience in the United States with
respect to this subject is limited to two or three international organiza-
tions. The best experience has been had by the International Typo-
graphical Union; I say the best experience for the reason that the expe-
rience of this organization has been extended over a greater number
of years than that of any other and because this organization has tested
the relative advantages of both systems of caring for aged and disabled
members. Indeed, at the present time both systems are in operation;
that n to say, the International Typographical Union established many
years ago at Colorado Springs a great home to which were admitted
members who either through age or disability were unable to earn a
living at the trade. Subsequently the organization inaugurated a system
of pensions. The result has been, I am reliably informed, that the
pension system has not only proved less expensive to the organization,
but has been infinitely more satisfactory and helpful to the beneficiaries.
My Judgment is that a member of our union who has grown old
and is no longer able to work would much prefer to remain at home
and receive a pension of an amount sufficient to provide him with the
necessities and reasonable comforts of life than to be transferred to a
community home, no diflference how attractive and healthful such a
community home might be.
In view of the above I most earnestly urge your committee to
recommend to the members of our organization the establishment of
a pension system and the rejection of the idea of establishing a com-
munity home. I am.
Fraternally yours,
(Signed) JOHN MITCHELL.
Department of Labor, Office of Secretary,
Washington, D. C, November 25, 1916.
Messrs. Wm. Mitchell, John Hutchison and Evan Evans, 1102-1108 Mer-
chants Bank Bldg., Indianapolis, Ind.:
Gentlemen — Your letter of October 30 has just been brought to my
attention. I have no data in my possession relative to the cost of
92G
establishing a home for the aged and infirm members of the Mine
Workers, but my observation in connection with the homes established
by the Typographical Union and the Printing Pressmen's Union haf€
led me to the same conclusion that you seem to have arrived at. Th»
initial cost of establishing such a home must be considerable and the
maintenance great. To my mind the great disadvantage of it is that
it takes the aged and infirm from their home surrounding^ and iirfa£t
may be lifetime associations before they can avail themselves of the
benefits which the home provides. There is no doubt that the hoiiie
is a very good thing for those who would not have to break home ties
or long associations, but I believe that it would be advisable to add a
sufficient amount to what it would cost for building and maintaining
a home to enable the organization to pay an old age pension, wfaidi
would enable the members to maintain themselves in the homes where
their associations are. Sincerely yours,
(Signed) W. B. WILSON.
Washington, D. C, November 8, 1916.
William Mitchell, John Hutchison and Evan Evans, Committee.
Gentlemen — Since you favored me with a call some time ago, 1
have been informed that you have acquired information embracing
statistics on various systems under which pensioning of aged or dis-
abled members may be carried on. I shall therefore state in brief that
I favor the pension plan in preference to the establishment of a hone,
or homes, for one would not meet the requirements of so large an organi-
zation as the United Mine Workers.
I was partial at one time to the establishment of a Home for old
and disabled miners, but on giving some thought to the operations of
the National Soldiers Home, located here in the District of Columbia.
I have changed my views in that regard. That change came about as
a result of inquiry made by me among the inmates of the Soldiers Home.
One day I met an inmate of the Home and during our conversation he
informed me that a feeling of discontent pervaded the whole place, that
but few were satisfied. I remarked that I had heard quite a few of
the inmates were crazy and he confirmed the statement. I asked how
many men were in the Home. He said, "Eight hundred and seventy-
eight." My next question was, "How many of the inmates are crazy!**
His answer, solemnly stated, was, "Eight hundred and seventy-eight"
When I expressed surprise, he explained: "Of course that statement
of mine is an exaggeration. I don't mean to infer that every man in
the Home is insane in the popular acceptance of that term, but they
are all crazy for a sight of their old homes, for the soimd of loved ones*
voices, for the companionship of old home friends. Our lives arc lone-
some to a degree. We were all strang^ers to each other until a short
927
time ago and being thrown suddenly together we cannot assimilate or
form new friendships that are anything like the old ones. Some of us
have wives or children back home and it is heartbreaking to be so far
away from and out of sight and sound of them."
He made other statements that appealed to me as arguments against
the home idea. If regular soldiers, accustomed to being away from
home, find such a good Home as the National Soldiers Home unsuited
to their wants and wishes, how much more distasteful would such a
place be to miners who are the most domestic of men.
A national home for miners would take them away from home at
the very time of life when they should be at home. A cup of water,
a crust of bread, a shake down of straw under a roof in the bosom of
one's family is preferable to better things in a national home and among
strangers.
A national home for miners would tend to break up homes and
separate families. It would call for a greater outlay and afford fewer
comforts than the pension plan. With the pension plan, the old women
would have an opportunity to handle the cash and as one who was
hroug^ht up among miners, I know that in the miner's home the wife
is the financial agent and mainstay of the institution.
I have no vote on the matter, but if I had I'd stuff the ballot box
in favor of the pension plan.
Fraternally yours,
(Signed) T. V. POWDERLY.
Washington, D. C, November 1, 1916.
Messrs. Wm. Mitchell, Evan Evans and John Hutchison, care Mr. Wm.
Green, Secretary United Mine Workers of America, 1106 Merchants
Bank Bldg., Indianapolis, Ind.:
Dear Sirs and Brothers — When you came to the headquarters of the
American Federation of Labor to consult with me as to the establishment
of an old-age pension system for the United Mine Workers of America,
you requested me to put my opinion in writing for your convenience.
The general purpose — that the organization ought to take care of
its aged and indigent members, and to make some provision for their
welfare and protection — is a most worthy one. It is in accord with the
general fraternal concept that underlies the whole organized labor move-
ment. It has much in common with the more sensitive social conscience
that has led to general provisions for those in want.
There has been a movement of increasing strength toward provisions,
by the general government, for the aged, as well as for those in need.
General appreciation of social duty toward aged wage earners who have
926
establishing a home for the aged and infirm members of the Mine
Workers, but my observation in connection with the homes established
by the Typographical Union and the Printing Pressmen's Union have
led me to the same conclusion that you seem to have arrived at. Tlie
initial cost of establishing such a home must be considerable and the
maintenance great. To my mind the great disadvantage of it is that
it takes the aged and infirm from their home surroundings and what
may be lifetime associations before they can avail themselves of the
benefits which the home provides. There is no doubt that the home
is a very good thing for those who would not have to break home ties
or long associations, but I believe that it would be advisable to add a
sufficient amount to what it would cost for building and maintaining^
a home to enable the organization to pay an old age pension, whidi
would enable the members to maintain themselves in the homes where
their associations are. Sincerely yours,
(Signed) W. B. WILSON.
Washington, D. C, November 3, 1916.
William Mitchell, John Hutchison and Evan Evans, Committee.
Gentlemen — Since you favored me with a call some time ago, I
have been informed that you have acquired information embracing
statistics on various systems under which pensioning of aged or dis-
abled members may be carried on. I shall therefore state in brief that
I favor the pension plan in preference to the establishment of a home,
or homes, for one would not meet the requirements of so large an organi-
zation as the United Mine Workers.
I was partial at one time to the establishment of a Home for old
and disabled miners, but on giving some thought to the operations of
the National Soldiers Home, located here in the District of Columbia.
I have changed my views in that regard. That change came about as
a result of inquiry made by me among the inmates of the Soldiers Home.
One day I met an inmate of the Home and during our conversation he
informed me that a feeling of discontent pervaded the whole place, that
but few wore satisfied. I remarked that I had heard quite a few of
the inmates were crazy and he confirmed the statement. I asked how
many men were in the Home. He said, "Eight hundred and seventy-
eight." My next question was, "How many of the inmates are crazy?'*
His answer, solemnly stated, was, "Eight hundred and seventy-eight"
When I expressed surprise, he explained: "Of course that statement
of mine is an exaggeration. I don't mean to infer that every man in
the Home is insane in the popular acceptance of that term, but they
are all crazy for a sight of their old homes, for the sound of loved ones'
voices, for the companionship of old home friends. Our lives are lone
some to a degree. We were all strangers to each other until a short
927
time ago and being thrown suddenly together we cannot assimilate or
fonn new friendships that are anything like the old ones. Some of us
have wives or children back home and it is heartbreaking to be so far
away from and out of sight and sound of them."
He made other statements that appealed to me as arguments against
the home idea. If regular soldiers, accustomed to being away from
home, find such a good Home as the National Soldiers Home unsuited
to their wants and wishes, how much more distasteful would such a
place be to miners who are the most domestic of men.
A national home for miners would take them away from home at
the very time of life when they should be at home. A cup of water,
a crust of bread, a shake down of straw under a roof in the bosom of
one's family is preferable to better things in a national home and among
strangers.
A national home for miners would tend to break up homes and
separate families. It would call for a greater outlay and afford fewer
comforts than the pension plan. With the pension plan, the old women
would have an opportunity to handle the cash and as one who was
brought up among miners, I know that in the miner's home the wife
is the financial agent and mainstay of the institution.
I have no vote on the matter, but if I had Fd stuff the ballot box
in favor of the pension plan.
Fraternally yours,
(Signed) T. V. POWDERLY.
Washington, D. C, November 1, 1916.
Messrs. Wm. Mitchell, Evan Evans and John Hutchison, care Mr. Wm.
Green, Secretary United Mine Workers of America, 1106 Merchants
Bank Bldg., Indianapolis, Ind.:
Dear Sirs and Brothers — When you came to the headquarters of the
American Federation of Labor to consult with me as to the establishment
of an old-age pension system for the United Mine Workers of America,
you requested me to put my opinion in writing for your convenience.
The general purpose — that the organization ought to take care of
its aged and indigent members, and to make some provision for their
welfare and protection — is a most worthy one. It is in accord with the
general fraternal concept that underlies the whole organized labor move-
ment. It has much in common with the more sensitive social conscience
that has led to general provisions for those in want.
There has been a movement of increasing strength toward provisions,
by the general government, for the aged, as well as for those in need.
General appreciation of social duty toward aged wage earners who have
928
given a lil'etime to work in industry or commerce, has taken the form
of advocacy of social insurance under the control and direction of the
P'overnment and governmental agencies.
Many of the proposals for social insurance are of a compulsory
nature. Wage earners now find themselves confronted by this alterna-
tive: either labor organizations must make more comprehensive and
more adequate provision for trade union benefits, or else they will have
forced upon them compulsory social insurance under the control and
the direction of governmental agencies^ Compulsory social insurance
will inevitably result in supervision by the government of the normal
activities of trade unions and in the establishment of limitations of the
protective features of trade unions, and in the delegation to govern-
mental agents all matters that vitally affect the interests, the rights,
the welfare and the freedom of wage-earners.
Since I have realized the significance of the effort that is being
made to force compulsory social insurance upon wage earners, I am
exceedingly gratified to find that the United Mine Workers of America
have authorized the appointing of a committee for consideration of
either the establishment of a home for indigent members, or the creation
of an old-age pension.
All of our experiences with institutions for the benefit of individuals
have convinced me that the institutional method is not the best one.
The institution, even as a method for poor relief, has failed to produce
the desired results. Whatever assistance is rendered to needy members
of society, ought to be given to them in their homes wherever that is
possible. No institution can be managed without a certain degree of
formal discipline, which means absence of the home spirit and the deadly
effect of institutional atmosphere. The same has proved true in the
experiences of the labor movement.
Two of our international unions in the United States have estab-
lished homes for members of their organizations. One, the International
Typographical Union, and the other the National Printing Pressmen and
Assistants' Union. The homes they have built and maintain are excel-
lent and are a monument to the willingness of the workers to do the
right thing by their fellow workers. But even with the most liberal
and generous treatment accorded to the inmates of these institutional
homes, there is an absence of the home feeling — on the contrary, there
is a feeling that they are not at home. Men who have reached an M
age, are separated from their I'elatives, their homes, and their associate?
of their earlier days; just at the time when they need these personal
relationships most keenly they are deprived of them and placed amon?
strangers, and it is not easy for them in their old age to make new
friends and form new relationships.
In addition, the institution can provide for only a limited number
929
of the workers of the organization, and experience has shown that the
expense of the institution is enormously out of proportion to the benefits
conferred.
About twenty-five years ago the convention of the Cigar Makers'
International Union adopted a resolution similar to the one under which
your committee is now operating. After a thorough investigation of
the whole question, the proposal to establish a home for the members
was dropped. The Cigar Makers' orgranization profited through expe-
rience of the printers.
It is my judgment, therefore, that your committee ought to give
its serious consideration to the establishment of an old-age pension sys-
tem. I collected considerable data showing what the labor organiza-
tions of this country have done along this line, and filed it with my
remarks before the House Committee on liabor, when that committee had
under discussion consideration of the joint resolution to authorize a
conmiission to make an investigation of compulsory social insurance, and
to report a plan for compulsory social insurance and the mitigation of
unemployment in the United States. I am sending you a copy of 'that
hearing.
There are two things to which I wish particularly to direct your
attention. First, that it is necessary to accumulate a sinking fund
suflScient to guarantee the stability of the old-age pension system, and
unfailing payment of benefits. Since the United Mine Workers have a
large membership, ranging between three and four hundred thousand
miners, in my opinion, it would be necessary to accumulate a pension
fund of not less than three million dollars before any benefits are paid.
This, of bourse, would mean that after the system had been adopted,
pension dues to the pension fund would be paid for several years by
all members of the organization before any miners could benefit from
the system. The pension fund must be regarded as a distinct fund, not
to be drawn upon for strike benefits or any other of the activities
promoted by the union. This is necessary in order to guarantee the
payment of the benefits promised by the organization. No labor move-
ment can afford to make promises which it does not fulfill; a promise
of the trade union is an obligation. The dues which the miners pay
to the pension fund gives them a property right which they cannot be
denied; therefore, every safeguard must be established to assure unfail-
ing payment of pension benefits.
The second matter to which I wish to call particular attention is
that the amount to be paid as pension shall not be placed too high at
first. It is better to pay a small a^nount in the beginning and to assure
regularity of payment, and then to raise the amount gradually as cir-
cumstances may warrant, than to attempt more than can be accom-
30 —Miner Pro.
930
plished. Of course some advice can be secured from actuaries and repre-
sentatives of insurance companies, which may give you some asisistaiiet
in establishing rates, amoimt of sinking fund and so forth. Howe?er,
the trade union benefit is on an entirely different basis from the inmr-
ance companies, as practically all of them are organized for profits.
The expense of administering a trade union old-age pension is whoUy
different from the administration expenses of regular insurance com-
panies.
I am sending you a copy of the Proceedings of the Philadelphia
Convention of the American Federation of Labor, which contains a re-
port of social insurance, including data furnished by various organiza-
tions showing the expense of these various benefits. This information
may be helpful to you in considering your own problems. Of course tke
pensions paid will increase gradually after the first few years. The
miners of this country are usually healthy, hardy men, who live to a
comparative old age.
Whatever type of old-age pension you may adopt ought to be made
applicable to all of the members of your org^anization, all sharing alike
in the expense of the benefits as well as in the benefits accruing under
it. This is a very worthy proposal you have under consideration, and
I should be glad to assure you of my desire and willingness to be helpfiil
in every way possible.
Fraternally yours,
(Signed) SAMUEL GOMPERS,
President American Federation of Labor.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM MITCHELL,
EVAN EVANS,
JOHN HUTCHISON,
Committee.
Delegate Evans, District 12, moved the adoption of the report of
the Committee on Miners* Home and Old Age Pensions. (Seconded.)
Delegate Rodgers, Local 766, District 12 : I do not want it under-
stood that I am not in favor of an old age pension and in favor of doing
something for the workers when they are not able to take care of them-
selves, but I don't think we can settle the matter here to the satisfaction
of the rank and file. I therefore move that this matter be referred to
a referendum vote. (Seconded.)
Delegate Haywood (A.), District 12: I oppose the amendment of
the previous speaker. I do not think this proposition should be referred
931
to the rank and file; it is a matter that belongs entirely in the hands of
the federal government. It would be ridiculous to refer this to our
membership. I believe plenty of people realize the fact that the United
Mine Workers of America could not afford to tax our membership to
pay old age pensions. I am positive that you would pay as much inves-
tigating claims as you would pay for the old age pensions.
Different countries in Europe have adopted old ag^e pensions and I
think it will not be long until the United States government will adopt
the plan. I do not see why we should take upon ourselves the burden
of caring for the aged workers; that is a burden that should be imposed
upon the industry and upon society in general. Society should provide
for the workers in their old age. If we are eroing to tax ourselves to
support the old members we might as well tax ourselves to take care
of the widows and children of the miners who are killed. We have dif-
ferent fraternal orders that provide homes for their aged members.
While I do not favor a home for our aged members, that is the best vol-
untary plan yet devised for taking care of the old. If you raise the
per capita tax too high men will use that as an argument for not com-
ing into the organization. It will take all the militancy out of the work-
ers. We should insist upon our government taking care of these sol-
diers of industry.
Delegate Rogers, Local 633, District 12: As I stand here today
my mind goes back to the old days when we had such discussion on this
floor. I have stood in years gone by for this organization and helped
build it. I don't know how we should proceed to get the old age pen-
sion, or what method we should adopt, but any steps that are taken by
the organization will be appreciated by me and by the local I represent.
Delegate Fishwick, District 12: 1 move as a substitute for every-
thing before the house that the entire matter be referred to the Inter-
national Executive Board. (Seconded.)
Delegate Flyzik, District 10: I wish at this time to commend the
committee for the excellent report they have submitted to this conven-
tion OR this very important matter. I favor an old age pension, but
the economic movement, not only of America, but of the world, has pro-
claimed that it is the duty of every industry to take care of its incapaci-
tated workmen. That beinpr true, I think we should extend our agita-
932
tion into the legislative halls of our country and try to get a law enacted
to provide for pensioning the aged and incapacitated, just as we have
in the various State laws to provide for the injured and crippled work-
men.
The committee has prepared what I term a masterpiece on this
particular subject, but it is a new question to the rank and file. Per-
sonally, I would favor referring the entire matter to the local unions
for them to review and consider for a year or two, with the advice thit
the delegates coming to the next biennial convention be instructed to
vote for some concrete plan. One recommendation provides for a levy
of 40 cents. If that goes through it means that the members at home
will have to pay an additional 40 cents a month to create the fund. We
know what that means — it means that those districts where they have
no check-off will have very much trouble raising the money. As a
result of that we will find that every year or two you will be compelled
to exempt those men from this financial burden or responsibility. I be-
lieve before we adopt this we should refer it back to the membership;
let them study it over and see if they cannot ag^ree on some concrete
plan two years hence when we reconvene in International convention.
I therefore favor the motion to refer the whole matter to the various
local unions for a period of two years.
Ex-President White : Mr. Chairman and Fellow Delegates — I think
we can agree that something should be done either through our economic
organization or through legislation in our country that will give the
weary toilers of the coal mines something more than the almshouse in
the declining years of their lives. If it is fundamentally right and
sound that the nation should support those men who have given their
all to uphold the country in the hour of danger, I think it is equally
right to take the same care of those who have been the cornerstone of
the government.
We can all compliment the committee on the splendid report they
have made on this subject. This report is the result of resolutions that
have sprung, not from the ofiicial heads of your organization, but from
the rank and file of the various local unions. An examination 6f the
records of the organization will show that there were a number of reso-
lutions bearing on the establishment of a home for aged mine workers
submitted at various times. Some proposed a cottage plan, similar to
933
the institution maintained in Durham, England; another plan suggested
was similar to that of the Typographical Union, which maintains a
home in Colorado Springs. All these things invite our most careful
and serious consideration. I was talking to a number of delegates in
the convention concerning the report, and I arise this morning for fear
the report would not meet the proper reception. I would not like to see
hasty action taken and this report chloroformed ^nd put to sleep for-
ever. Whether we adopt the pension to be paid by our own org^aniza-
tion or by the government, the principle is sound.
I take it the great obstacle to the adoption of the report in this con-
vention is the financial responsibility. I think if we were prepared to
say that we could assess ourselves and Sigxee that it should be the func-
tion of this organization to take care of these weary sons of toil, then
the plan suggested has all the workable features to put it into effect,
and I want to commend the committee for bringing to us such a com-
prehensive report and plan for working it out in our organization. I
think the motion to refer to the International Executive Board is not
the proper motion. This report has cost some money and it has agitated
the minds of our members in the local unions a great deal.
Ten or fifteen years ago, when I was president of the Iowa miners,
I worked season in and season out for the establishment of a home
where the deserving members of our organization who were worn out
by the dull monotony of grinding toil could find rest when sometimes
ungn^teful children had turned their backs on these venerable people.
I felt that this orgranization should be helpful and provide some suitable
place for their old age. The almshouse was no place for these proud
spirits who with their voice and their efforts contributed so much to
the upbuilding of this organization, and I felt that my efforts, if they
were helpful in the establishment of a home of that kind, would be one
contribution I had made to the organization. I was young then and
enthusiastic about the matter. I thought that was the proper plan, but
the Iowa miners defeated it by 507 votes. I am glad now it was de-
feated, because the best thought of those who had investigated has de-
cided that the centralized home is not the best plan. If a home is estab-
lished it should be on the cottage plan.
The committee has investigated this matter and has brought to you
a recommendation favoring a pension. Yesterday we adopted a most
984
magnificent report as to the aims and purposes of the United Mine
Workers of America in this great, world-wide war. That report gives
hope and comfort to every true friend of liberty. Our organization
takes it place in the son, side by side with the other great institutions
of the country in upholding the government. But we said more than
that — we said that when this world conflagrration shall end, when the
sword shall be taken from the hand of the oppressor and we gather
round the council table, on account of its grreat sacrifices labor must be
heard. We ask that labor shall be recognized for the part it has played
in this great world war. It is to be hoped that in the readjustment
spoken of full recognition will be given the aims and purposes labor has
in mind, and I am confident that the pension plan will be one of the
thingrs considered.
I am opposed to referring this report to the International Executive
Board. The Board cannot do anything. The conunittee has exhausted
the field of research and has brought to you a complete report. Let the
report go into the proceedings of your convention; let it find its way
to the local unions, and when we come to our next biennial convention
we will have a clearer idea of the matter. We can then decide whether
it would be wise for this gri'^at economic organization to assume such a
large financial responsibility, or whether we shall seek to secure through
legislation the enactment of the plan provided for in the committee's
report. A great many here do not realize the cost of these institutions.
I am going to grive you an idea of what it is costing to run your organ-
ization.
I understand the committee's report provides for 40 cents a month,
and never to exceed 50 cents. This fund is to be created some years in
advance of the going into effect of the report. In other words, it pro-
vides for the establishment of a fund of sufficient size to establish the
home before the plan goes into effect. That would create an enormous
fund if the assessment were levied on approximately 400,000 members;
but, as it has been pointed out, a great many of our people cannot see
the wisdom of assessing themselves for a fund of this kind. I want to
grive the delegation an idea of what it is costing our members to main-
tain the organization on its present basis. You can then decide the
amount that will be necessary to assume this additional responsibility.
I have here a complete report of what it cost to maintain our or-
935
•
i^anization from 1899 to 1917. I find that the average cost for main-
taining our organization ranges from 64 i cents per member per year to
$3.60 per member per year, exclusive of aid. That is the actual operate
ing cost of your organization.* The average cost per member to main-
tain the aid we have expended on strikes and for other purposes ranges
from 191 cents per member per year to $10,713 per member per year;
the combined cost of these two important features that absorb the whole
of your financial scheme ranges from $1.47 per member per year to
$11.87 per member per year. I am pointing this out to give you in
figures an idea of what you will be assuming if you adopt a pension plan.
I am sure I can subscribe, so far as I am personally concerned, to
the principles of the committee's report, but I feel the men in this con-
vention are not prepared to assume the responsibility of determining
this; and rather than defeat the good work that has been done for our
membership and in order that it may reach the members and be consid-
ered by them we will defer action in the matter. I would like to see it
go to the rank and file for study and consideration, then take it up at
some future convention for action. If this great war should terminate
the form of legislation we are discussing might be t^ken up by the gov-
ernment, and the men who are in the industrial army today might
receive more recognition in the future than in the past. I am heartily
in accord with the fundamental principles of the report and I desire to
again compliment the committee upon it. I hope it will become a per-
manent part of our proceedings and that it will be given to the local
unions so that we will be in a position to discuss it in the proper way
in our next biennial convention.
By vote of the convention the motion to refer to the International
Executive Board was laid upon the tabk.
Delegate Simonds, Local 658, District 12: While I favor the spirit
of the recommendation to refer, still I do not believe the local unions
will ever take definite action on the report. There are things in these
that none of us like. For instance, there is no provision made for the
widow of a member, neither is there any provision made for the minor
children. If a man is injured in the mines and he brings a case under
the compensation law he will not be entitled to anything under the pro-
posed pension plan. Again, a member may die outside of the mines and no
provision will be made for him in that case. Personally, I have two or
1
936
three homes I can go to, and none of as, I believe, cares so much for the
pension for ourselves as for the widows and minor children. I brieve
in the spirit of the report, bat I do not believe it goes far enough.
Delegate Harper, District 12: I agree with the motion and hope
it will be passed. However, I would not care t6 see what the last speak-
er suggested adopted. If we were to take up this question as Uncle
Sam took up the pension question after the Civil war and include all
the widows and orphans it would kill the entire intent and purpose of
what this committee has worked for. I am willing to assist in creating
this fund, and 1 am sure if each delegate here takes this home to his
local union and explains it the local unions will take it up and act upon
it The locals ought to act upon it. I have mined coal- for more than
fifty years, but I am not speaking on this question for a selfish purpose.
I have no desire to be pensioned by anybody, and I hope I never will, but
there are some poor old men who may be cast out by their children who
would be glad to have a big organization like this behind them when
they are unable to work.
I am not in favor of a plan that will take the old men away from
their everyday associations, isolate them in a home and cause Uiem to
die a great deal sooner than they would if they were left among their
friends. I want something that will enable these old men to enjoy the
last years in comfort.
Delegate Evan Evans, District 12: It is perfectly satisfactory to
the committee to have this referred to the rank and file. I am speaking
for the committee when I say the rank and file ought to decide this
question. The recommendation of the committee is that if a pension
system is created by the rank and file it will take in the young men
as well as the old men; that is, if the young men become disabled and
are not able to perform their ordinary work. I am glad the delegates
seem to want to send this back to the rank and file. We do not want
it smothered because we spent a great deal of time and money in mak-
ing the investigation. As far as the committee is concerned, we are
perfectly satisfied to have this referred to the rank and file, the Secre-
tary-Treasurer of our organization to furnish each and every organiza-
tion with a copy of the committee's report so that it can be thoroughly
considered before the members decide whether they want to create a
pension fund or not.
937
Delegate Harlin, District 10: On a question of this magnitude we
ought to at least have sufficient patience to investigate and find put how
deep the water is before we plunge into it. Unless the motion to refer
to a referendum is changed and amended, it seems to me the rank and
file would either vote for this report in toto or reject it — ^there will be
no latitude allowed to amend it to meet changing conditions. I believe
the idea expressed by former President White and Delegate Evans ought
to be carried out in this convention this morning. The members at
home ought to be given an opportunity to give their expression upon
this question of old age pensions, inasmuch as it carries an assessment
of 40 cents per member per month; and then following that expression
I believe the committee and the officers of the International Union ought
to co-operate with each other and bring in a report of the action of the
rank and file before the next convention of the organization, so that
definite action can be taken twenty months from now when we meet in
biennial convention. I think that is the sensible thing for this conven-
tion to do. This is a tremendous question and I am very much impressed
with its magnitude.
I suggest that an amendment be made to the motion that will carry
out the ideas expressed by ex-President White. We can afford to take
a little time on a question of this character. If you refer it just as it
is you will have all kinds of discussion in the various local unions. Some
local unions will want to amend it, some will be dissatisfied with one
section of it and others with other sections. The committee ought to be
able to get the expression of the rank and file so that definite action
can be taken in the next convention.
I want to pay a compliment to this committee. They have rendered
splendid service and have made a wonderfully comprehensive report.
I think the committee will agree with the suggestion that has been
made. We ought to be careful and see what we do in this convention
is practical and will conserve the best interests of the organization. I
have taken this opportunity to express my opinion, because I believe the
pending motion is not sufficient to meet the situation.
President Hayes: Did you make an amendment or sugg^est an
amendment?
]
Delegmte Harlin : I wms making m speech. I did not think it prop-
er to make an amendment at the end of a speedL
President Hayes: An amendment is in order.
Delegate Harlin: Then I move as an amendment that the folkfv-
ing language be added to the motion: That when an expression is re-
ceived from the rank and file on this matter the committee and the
officers of the International Union prepare to submit the entire qoestiflB
for final decision by the next International convention. ( Seconded, i
Delegate Hall, District 6: I rise to support the amendment offered
by the last speaker. I feel that referring the report to a referenhm
vote at the present time is not the way to settle this important question.
Whfle I am a firm believer in the referendunit whUe I think the rank
and file should have an opportunity to voice their sentiments on many
more questions than they have had in the past, I am oppooed to submit-
ting this to a final referendum vote at this time. There are a number
of States that are trying to secure by legislation the old age pension.
If this subject-matter is referred to the rank and file for a referendum
vote without giving them some education along this line it may be possi-
ble that the 40 cents that wfll be included in the report will be respon-
sible for defeating he entire proposition.
If this organization casts a majority vote against the old age pen-
sion system that fact will become known to the different legislative
bodies when the question of securing an old age pension is brought
before them. If the mine workers defeat the proposition by a referen-
dum vote it would injure the cause of old age pension, especially where
an attempt is being made to secure it by legislation. The opponents of
the old age pension by legislation would point to this act of our organi-
Kation. should we defeat it. and say the workers do not want old age
pensions.
Secretary Green : I want to impose on your patience just a moment
while I say a word on the matter now pending. I want to agree with
those who have to!d you that this question is of too great importance
to be ilisposed of in a light or trivial manner. It is a question that
ought to be ^iven the best consideration and thought of the membership
of our or^nization. I am sure I voice the sentimmts of every man
939
within the sound of my voice, old or young:, when I say that we owe to
the old men an obligation and a duty we ought to discharge. If we can
make their declining years a little happier, if we can surround them
with some comfort when they are going down the shady slope of life, we
ought to do it This organization is not founded upon practicability
alone. If you remove the sentimentality and the fraternal tie that binds
us you will destroy the organization.
Men must be educated, men must think and men must study before
their minds are prepared to put any advanced, progressive or decisive
measure into effect. Give our membership a little time to think and
study; give them an opportunity to comprehend what this means; give
them a little time to arrive at a definite conclusion. For. that reason
I think the amendment of Delegate Harlin is the proper one at this time.
I can send to every local union a copy of the splendid report made by
this committee. Each delegate can take home a copy of the report and
explain it to his local union. When the secretary of the local union
gets the report I will send him he can also explain it. Distribute it
as widely as you can ; let the members think and study before they reach
a conclusion. Then after they have studied and thought and read the
report they will be in a position to act.
I know if this proposition is submitted for a definite decision now
as to whether or not it shall be adopted or rejected, the chances are
that because of the cost, the 40 cents per month per member proposed,
our membership would vote it down. But if they have a little time to
think and study and educate themselves, if they fully comprehend what
it means, they may arrive at a conclusion that out of their earnings they
can contribute something to g^ive to our old men a pension in their de-
clining years.
I have positive views on this matter. I am one of those who believe
the working people should not be called upon to bear alone the burden
of taking care of the soldiers in the industrial army in their declining
years; I am one of those who believe that society at large and industry
as well owe to these men compensation in their declining years, and I
am one of those who believe that in any scheme of pensions for old and
disabled workers the government of our nation should reach out and
tax industry and society at large for a part of the money in order to
pmj it to them when tbeir working 6M,yt are ov<
to ICC the day — and that not far distant — whc
Mcial kgistation known as the Woikmen'a Coib[
hare writtm into the statutes of either the Sta&
ment laws that will provide a pension for them w
able to work. In that way the workers will not li
mlvae, bat indoatry will contribnte its share, SOC
■hare and the working people their share as well
time comes, let oa do what we can to help.
Ther« ii in the heart of every old man a feel
declining years his great onion, the imly ecetm
out lonk for help and protection, will care for hin
lay the foondation for such a splendid snpersl
everlasting gratitude of every member of our
membership stndy and analyze this splendid re|
ov^; then let the delegates come back to the ne
to say something more than yon are prepared
proposition.
Upon motion debate was dosed.
The amendment offered by Del^ate Qarlin
motioD offered by Delegate Flyzik as amended wa
REPORT OF DELEGATES TO THE AMERK
OF LABOR CO^'VENTIO^
Secretary Green read the fnllowing rqwrt:
Mr. President and Fellow Delegates:
The first session of the Thirty-Seventh Am
American Federation of Labor was called to a
Aaditoriom, Bnffalo, N. Y., 10 o'clock a. m.. No
convention was in session twelve days, eoneloding
Hon. Charles S. Whitman, governor of N«w
M. Heatd, representing the mayor of the dty <
cordial welcome to the officer? and delegates in 1
Xew York and the city of Boffalo. Mr. Stuart
941
Buffalo Central Labor Council, acted as temporary chairman. Mr. Carl-
ton £. Chase, president of the New York Manufacturers' Association,
and Mr. Archer A. Landon, president of the Buffalo Chamber of Com-
merce, addressed the convention. President Gompers, in behalf of the
delegates, responded, and in well chosen words expressed the thanks of
the delegates for the cordial welcome extended.
In response to an invitation extended by the Executive Council of
the American Federation of Labor, the President of the United States
journeyed from Washington to Buffalo to address the convention. His
address on that memorable occasion is of such importance, so simple and
so inspiring that we are incorporating it in full in this report. It is as
follows :
PRESIDENT WILSON'S ADDRESS.
Mr. President, Delegates of the American Federation of Labor,
Ladies and Gentlemen: I esteem it a great privilege and a real honor
to be thus admitted to your public councils. When your Executive Com-
mittee paid me the compliment of inviting me here, I gladly accepted
the invitation because it seems to me that this, above all other times in
our history, is the time for common counsel, for the drawing together
not only of the energies but of the minds of the nation. I thought that
it was a welcome opportunity for disclosing to you some of the thoughts
that have been gathering in my mind during the last momentous months.
I am introduced to you as the President of the United States, and
yet I would be pleased if you would put the thought of the office into
the background and regard me as one of your fellow citizens who has
come here to speak, not the words of authority, but the words of coun-
sel, the words which men should speak to one another who wish to be
frank v\ a moment more critical perhaps than the history of the world
has ever known; a moment when it is every man's duty to forget him-
self, to forget his own interests, to fill himself with the nobility of a
great national and world conception and act upon a new platform ele-
vated above the ordinary affairs of life and lifted to where men have
views of the long destiny of mankind. I think that in order to realize
just what this moment of counsel is it is very desirable that we should
remind ourselves just how this war came about and just what it is for.
You can explain most wars very simply, but the explanation of this is
942
not so simple. Its roots run deep into all the obscure soils of history,
and in my view this is the last decisive issue between the old principles
of power and the new principles of freedom.
The war was started by Germany. Her authorities deny that they
started it, but I am willing to let the statement I have just made swait
the verdict of history. And the thing that needs to be explained is why
Germany started the war. Remember what the position of Germany in
the world was — ^^as enviable a position as any nation has ever occupied.
The whole world stood at admiration of her wonderful intellectual and
material achievements. All the intellectual men of the world went to
school to her. As a university man I have been surrounded by men trained
in Germany, men who had resorted to Germany because nowhere else
could they get such thorough and searching training, particularly in the
principles of science and the principles that underlie modem material
achievement. Her men of science had made her industries perhaps the
most competent industries of the world, and the label "Made in Germany"
was a guarantee of good workmanship and of sound material. She had
access to all the markets of the ■ world, and every other nation who
traded in those markets feared Germany because of her effective and
almost irresistible competition. She had "a place in the sun."
Why was she not satisfied? What more did she want? There was
nothing in the world of peace that she did not already have and have
in abundance. We boast of the extraordinary pace of American ad-
vancement. We show with pride the statistics of the increase of our
industries and of the population of our cities. Well, those statistics
did not match the recent statistics of Germany. Her old cities took on
youth, grew faster than any American cities ever grew. Her old indus-
tries opened their eyes and saw a new world and went out for its con-
quest. And yet the authorities of Germany were not satisfied. You have
one part of the answer to the question why she was not satisfied in her
methods of competition. There is no important industry in Germany upon
which the government has not laid its hands, to direct it, and when neces-
sity arose, control it; and you have only to ask any man whom you meet
who is familiar with the conditions that prevailed before the war in the
matter of national competition to find out the methods of competition
which the German manufacturers and exporters used under the patron-
age and support of the government of Germany. You will find that they
943
were the same sorts of competition that we have tried to prevent by law
within our own borders. If they could not sell their goods cheaper than
we could sell ours at a profit to themselves, they could get a subsidy
from the government which made it possible to sell them cheaper any-
how, and the conditions of competition were thus controlled in large
measure by the German government itself.
But that did not satisfy the German government. All the while there
was lying behind its thought in its dreams of the future a political control
which would enable it in the long run the dominate the labor- and the
industry of the world. They were not content with success by superior
achievement; they wanted success by authority. I suppose very few of
you have thought much about the Berlin-to-Bagdad raifway The Ber-
lin-to-Bagdad railway was constructed in order to run the threat d force
down the flank of the industrial undertakings of half a dozen other coun-
tries; so that when German competition came in it would not be resisted
too far, because there was always the possibility of getting German
armies into the heart of that country quicker than any other armies
could be got there.
Look at the map of Europe now! Germany is thrusting upon us
again and again the discussion of peace talks about what? Talks about
Belgium; talks about northern France; talks about Alsace-Lorraine.
Well, thos^ are deeply interesting subjects to us and to them, but they
are not talking about the heart of the matter. Take the map and look
at it. Germany has absolute control of Austria-Hungary, practical con-
trol of the Balkan states, control of Turkey, control of Asia Minor. I saw
a map in which the whole thing was printed in appropriate black the other
day, and the black stretched all the way from Hamburg to Bagdad —
the bulk of German power inserted into the heart of the world. If she
can keep that, she has kept all that her dreams contemplated when the
war beg^n. If she can keep that, her power can disturb the world as
long as she keeps it, always provided, for I feel bound to put this proviso
in — always provided the present influences that control the German gov-
ernment continue to control it. I believe that the spirit of freedom can
get into the hearts of Germans and find as fine a welcome there as it
can find in any other hearts, but the spirit of freedom does not suit the
plans of the Pan-Germans. Power cannot be used with concentrated force
against free peoples if it is used by free people.
944
You know how many intimations came to us from one of the Cefi-
tral Powers that it is more anxious for peace than the chief Central
Power, and you know that it means that the peop)^ in that Central Power
know that if the war ends as it stands they will in effect themselves be
vassals of Germany, notwithstanding that their populations are eoo-
pounded of a^l the peoples of that part of the world, and notwithstanding
the fact that they do not wish in their pride and proper spirit of national-
ity to be so absorbed and dominated. Germany is determined that the
political power of the world shall belong to her. There have been such
ambitions before. They have been in part realized, but never before
have those ambitions been based upon so exact and precise and scien-
tific a plan of domination.
May I not say that it is amazing to me that any group of persons
should be so ill-informed as to suppose, and some groups in Russia ap-
parently suppose, that any reforms planned in the interest of the people
can live in the presence of a Germany powerful enough to undermine or
overthrow them by intrigue or force? Any body of free men that im-
pounds with the present German government is compounding for its own
destruction. But that is not the whole of the story. Any man in Amer-
ica or anj-where else that supposes that the free industry amd enterprise
of the world can continue if the Pan-German plan is achieved and Ger-
man power fastened upon the world is as fatuous as the dreamers in
Russia. What I am opposed to is not the feeling of the pacifists, bat
their stupidity. My heart is with them, but my mind has a contonpt for
them. I want peace, but I know how to get it, and they do not.
You will notice that I sent a friend of mine. Colonel House, to
Europe, who is as great a lover of peace as any man in the world, but I
didn't send him on a peace mission yet. I sent him to tjike part in a
conference as to how the war was to be won, and he knows, as I know,
that that is the way to get peace if you want it for more than a few
minutes.
AH of this is a preface to the conference that I have referred to with
regard to what we are going to do. If we are true friends of freedom
of our own or anybody else's, we will see that the power of this country
and the productivity of this country is raised to its absolute maximam.
and that absolutely nobody is allowed to stand in the way of it. When
I say that nobody is allowed to stand in the way I do not mean that they
945
shall be prevented "by the power of the government, but by the pow«r
of the American spirit. Our duty, if we are to do this great thing and
show America what we believe her to be — the greatest hope and energy
of the world — is to stand together night and day until the job is finished.
While we are fighting for freedom, we must see among other things
that labor is free, and that means a number of interesting things. It
means not only that we must do what we have declared our purpose to do,
see that the conditions of labor are not rendered more onerous by the
war, but also that we shall see to it that the instrumentalities by which
the conditions of labor are improved are not blocked or checked. That
we must do. That has been the matter about which I have taken pleasure
in conferring from time to time with your President, Mr. Gompers; and
if I may be permitted to do so, I want to express my admiration of his
patriotic courage, his large vision, and his statesmanlike sense of what
has to be done. I like to lay my mind alongside of a mind that knows
how to pull in harness. The horses that kick over the traces will have
to be put in a corral.
Now, to stand together means that nobody must interrupt the proc-
esses of our energy, if the interruption can possibly be avoided without
the absolute invasion of freedom. To put it concretely, that means this:
Nobody has a right to stop the processes of labor until all the methods
of conciliation and settlement have been exhausted. And I might as
well say right here that I am not talking to you alone. You sometimes
stop the courses of labor, but there are others who do the same; and
I believe that I am speaking from my own experience not only, but
from the experience of others, when I say that you are reasonable in a
larger number of cases than the capitalists. I am not saying these
things to them personally yet, because I haven't had a chance, but they
have to be said, not in any spirit of criticism, but in' order to clear the
atmosphere and come down to business. Everybody on both sides has
now got to transact business, and a settlement is never impossible when
both sides want to do the square and right thing.
Moreover, a settlement is always hard to avoid when the parties
can be brought face to face. I can differ from a man much more radically
when he is not in the room than I can when he is in the room, because
then the awkward thing is he can come back at me and answer what I
say. It is always dangerous for a man to have the floor entirely to him-
M6
self. Therefore, we mcst insist in every icstmnce that the parties come
into each other's presence and there discuss the issues betweoi tibcm tad
not separately in places which hare no communication with each other.
I always like to remind mysrif of a deli^tfal saying of an EnglishmiB
of a past generation. Charies Lamb. He stuttered a little bit^ and met
when he was with a grocp of friends he spoke Tery haraihly of some min
who was not present. One of his friends said« ^Why, Charles, I didn't
know that yoa know So and So.*' --Q-o-oh," he said, '-I-I d-dwkmt; M
can't h-h-hate a mHOB-man I know." There is a fi^reat deal of hnman nt-
tnre, of Tery pleasant human nature, in the saying. It is hard to kite
a man you know. I may admit, parenthetically, that there are some poli-
ticians whose methods I do not at all briicTe in but they are jolly pood
fellows, and if they only wx>uld not talk the wrong kind of politics I wobM
love to be with them.
So it is all idoag the line, in serious matters and things less serioas.
We are all of the same clay and spirit, and we can pet together if we
desire to get together, llierefore. my counsel to yon is this: Let of
show ourselves Americans by showing that we do not want to go off i:
separate camps or grosps by ourselves, but that we want to co-open^
with all other classes and all other groups in the common enterprise
which IS to release the spirits of the world from bondage. I would be
willing :o s<; that up as the ^sal test of an American. That is ibt
mearfrg cf des^^:racy. I have been very much distressed, my feUoT-
cxtize::^. by some cf :he thir.cs that have happened recently. The nso:
spirit is displaying ::5«lf her>e arc there ia this country. I have no syic-
pathy "wiih what some men ar« saying, but I have no sympathy with
the men who take :he:r punishment into their own hands, and I wast tc
say to every man who d.vs ^in such a mob that I do not recognize tarn
as worthy of the free inst:tut:?ns of the United States. There are some
erganiiaticns in this ^-our.try whose object is anarchy and the dcstrcc-
tioc cf law. hut I t: u'.vi not meet their efforts by w^^g mysi^ parcter
in destr>r>--n? the la« I iesrise and hate their purpose as much as ar.y
isat:. but I r?sr«-:t the d:::;rnt pr^-vesses of justice, and I would be too
prrud net t*: st^ th^rr. i.re ;u5t:.>f. 'no^B-ever wTonjr they are.
S: 1 'ar&nt :: .liter mv e^^rnrst r>r>::est against any manifestatioGs of
the spiri: :: liwlessn-^s i:.:i-^her>e rr in any cause. Why, ^estlemer.
Icvk vrhs: :: m^Ans. Wt :'i:m to b^e the greatest democratic people ::.
947
the world, and democracy means, first of all, that we can govern our-
selves. If our men have not self-control, then they are not capable of that
great thing which we call democratic government. A man who takes
the law into his own hands is not the right man to co-operate in any
formation or development of law and institutions, and some of the proc-
esses by which the struggle between capital and labor is carried on are
processes that come very near to taking the law into your own hands.
I do not mean for a moment to compare it with what I have just been
speaking of, but I want you to see that they are mere gradations in this
manifestation of the unwillingness to co-operate, and that the funda-
mental lesson of the whole situation is that we must not only take com-
mon counsel, but that we must yield to and obey common counsel. Not
all of the instrumentalities for this are. at hand. I am hopeful that in
the very near future new instrumentalities may be organized by which
we can see to it that various things that are now ^oing on ought not
to go on. There are various processes of the dilution of labor and the
unnecessary substitution of labor and the bidding in distant markets
and unfairly upsetting the whole competition of labor which ought not to
go on; I mean now on the part of employers, and we must interject into
this some instrumentality of co-operation by which the fair thing will
be done all 'round. I am hopeful that some such instrumentalities may
be devised, but whether they are or not, we must use those that we
have and upon every occasion where it is necessary, have such an instru*
mentality originated upon that occasion.
So, my fellow-citizens, the reason I came from Washington is
that I sometimes get lonely down there. There are so many people in
Washington who know things that are not so, and there are so few
people who know anything about what the people of the United States
are thinking about. I have to come away and get reminded of the rest
of the country. I have to come away and talk to men who are up against
the real thing, and say to them, "I am with you if you are with me."
And the only test of being with me is not to think about me personally
at all but merely to think of me as the expression for the time being
of the power and dignity and hope of the United States.
The report of the Committee on Credentials showed that 440 dele-
gates were present, representing 100 national and international unions.
27 State branches, 87 central bodies, 49 local trade and federal labor
»48
anioBS and 6 f rmtemal ddccmtes. with a
United Mine Worken of America
slrenctfa of 2SjnO. IW
17 8
of
oidiBs Sqrtembcr 30, 1917. soB
central, local trade nnioiis aad federal
distribiited as follovs: 4 were xssoed
tral labor nniocs, 376 tc loeal trade
tint Aurim^
to
to
70 te
and 100 to federal hbor
The secretary's report showed that the reeei]itB for the fiscal
ending September 30. 1917. were $501^406.24 and the eApenJitmcs
U02,440.40: cash balance on baad September 30. 1917, |86J67^:
r7333.20 of this amoont was in the geatrmk fond and S91A^4.S4 in thr
defense fond for local and federal labor nninna, Hie aTera^ paid-19 lad
reported membership for the year was 2,17M34, an avenge w**«^> of
298,732 members over the preceding year. This is the largest menber-
reported for any year since the organization of tibe Amciican Fed-
ition cf Labor. Becanse cf Increasing eipemes of the Americaa Fed-
eration of Labor, the per capita tax was raised from thiee-foorths of a
cent per member per month to seroi-eigfaths of a ee
to one^ghth of a cent iccrease per member.
The rep<Mt of the Execotzre CouncQ to the cw-ieuticm at the
can Federati<»i of Labor covered the activities cf tiK
ing the past year. This report c^ight to be read by
organiicd labor and it is a matter of sincere regret that the rqpwt
fall cannot be incorporated in this report.
dor-
of
A maner of special interest to the
Workers was the adoption by the
** American Labor's Posftioc is Peace or in
delegates from national and inrersational
the Execuuve Coizs^ of the American
Ington, D. C on >Iarrh 12. 1917. There
14$ represeccatiTes of 79 afffliated o:
tions ard 5 dcparticects of :h« American
declaration is as follows:
of the United Miae
€i the dpriaTation entitled
by
with
FederatioB of Labor at Wash-
ireaent at this meetinf
d imaWiated orgaaixa-
Federation of L^bor. The
949
We speak for millions of Americans. We are not a sect. We are not
a party. We represent the or^nizations held together by the pressure
of our common needs. We represent the part of the nation closest to
the fundamentals of life. Those we represent wield the nation's tools
and grapple with the forces that a^e brought under contro,! in our mate-
rial civilization. The power and use of industrial tools is greater than
the tools of war and will in time supersede agencies of destruction.
A world war is on. The time has not yet come when war has been
abolished.
Whether we approve it or not, we must recognize that war is a
situation with which we must reckon. The present European war, involv-
ing as it does the majority of civilized nations and affecting the industry
and commerce of the whole world, threatens at any moment to draw all
countries, including our own, into the conflict. Our immediate problem,
then, is to bring to bear upon war conditions instructive forethought,
vision, principles of human welfare and conservation that should direct
our course in every eventuality of life. The way to avert war is to
establish constructive agencies for justice in times of peace and thus
control for peace situations and forces that might otherwise result in
war.
The methods of modem warfare, its new tactics, its vast organiza-
tion, both military and industrial, present problems vastly different from
those of previous wars. But the nation's problems afford an opportunity
for the establishment of new freedom and wider opportunities for all the
people. Modem warfare includes contests between workshops, factories,
the land, financial and transportation resources of the countries involved;
and necessarily applies to the relations between employers and employes,
and as our own country now faces an impending peril, it is fitting that
the masses of the people of the United States should take counsel and
determine what course they shall pursue should a crisis arise necessi-
tating the protection of our Republic and defense of the ideals for which
it stands.
In the struggle between the forces of democracy and special privilege,
for just and historic reasons the masses of the people necessarily repre-
sent the ideals and the institutions of democracy. There is in organized
950
society one potential organization whose purpose is to further these ideib
and institutions — the organized labor movement.
In no previous war has the organized labor movement taken a dxrect*
ing part.
Labor has now reached an understanding of its rifirl^ts, of its power
and resources, of its value and contributions to society, and must nifce
definite constructive proposals.
It is timely that we frankly present experiences and conditions
which in former times have prevented nations from benefiting by the
voluntary, whole-hearted co-operation of wage-earners in war time, lad
then make suggestions how these hindrances to our national streagtk
and vigor can be removed.
War has never put a stop to the necessity for struggle to esUblii^
and maintain industrial rights. Wage-earners in war times most, ai
has been said, keep one eye on the exploiters at home and the other apon
the enemy threatening the national government. Such exploitations made
it impossible for a warring nation to mobilize effectively its full strengtli
for outward defense.
We maintain that it is the fundamental step in preparedness fcff the
nation to set its own house in order and to establish at home justice io
relations between men. Previous wars, for whatever purpose waged,
developed new opportunities for exploiting wage-earners. Not only was
there failure to recognize the necessity for protecting rights of workers
that they might g^ve that whole-hearted service to the country that cu
come only when every citizen enjoys rights, freedom and opportimity,
but under guise of national necessity. Labor was stripped of its means
of defense against enemies at home and was robbed of the advantages,
the protections, the guarantees of justice that had been achieved after
ages of struggle. For these reasons workers have felt that no matter
what the result of war, as wage-earners they generally lost.
In previous times Labor had no representatives in the comidls
authorized to deal with the conduct of war. The rights, interests and
welfare of workers were autocratically sacrificed for the slogan of "na-
tional safety."
951
The European war has demonstrated the dependence of the govern-
ments upon the co-operation of the masses of the people. Since the
masses perform indispensable service, it follows that they should have
a voice in determining the conditions upon which they give service.
The workers of America make known their beliefs, their demands
and their purposes through a voluntary agency which they have estab-
lished— the organized labor movement. This agency is not only the
representative of those who directly constitute it, but it is the repre-
sentative of all those persons who have common problems and purposes
but who have not yet organized for their achievement.
Whether in peace or in war the organized labor movement seeks to
make all else subordinate to human welfare and human opportunity.
The labor movement stands as the defender of this principle and under-
takes to. protect the wealth-producers against the exorbitant greed of
special interests, against profiteering, against exploitation, against the
detestable methods of irresponsible greed, agrainst the inhumanity and
crime of heartless corporations and employers.
Labor demands the right in war times to be the recognized defender
of wage-earners against the same forces which in former wars have
made national necessity an excuse for more ruthless methods.
As the representatives of the wage-earners we assert that conditions
of work and pay in government employment and in all occupations should
conform to principles of human welfare and justice.
A nation can not make an effective defense against an outside dan-
ger if groups of citizens are asked to take part in a war though smarting
with a sense of keen injustice inflicted by the government they are ex-
pected to and will defend.
The cornerstone of national defense is justice in fundamental rela-
tions of life — economic justice.
The one agency which accomplishes this for the workers is the organ-
ized labor movement. The greatest step that can be made for national
defense is not to bind and throttle the organized labor movement but
to afford its g^reatest scope and opportunity for voluntary effective co-
operation in spirit and in action.
952
During the long period in which it has been establishing itself, the
labor movement has become a dynamic force in organizing the human nde
of industry and commerce. It is a grreat social factor, which must be
recognized in all plans which affect wage-earners.
Whether planning for peace or war the government must recognixe
the organized labor movement as the agency through which it most co-
operate with wage-earners.
Industrial justice is the right of those living within our coontry.
With this right there is associated obligation. In war time obligatiuD
takes the form of service in defense of the Republic against enemies.
We recognize that this service may be either military or industrial
both equally essential for national defense. We hold this to be incon-
trovertible that the government which demands that men and wome:
give their labor power, their bodies or their lives to its service should
also demand the service, in the interest of these human beings, of all
wealth and the products of human toil — property.
We hold that if workers may be asked in time of national peril or
emergency to give more exhausting service than the principles of human
welfare warrant, that service should be asked only when accompanied
by increased guarantees and safeguards, and when the profits which the
employer shall secure from the industry in which they are engaged have
been limited to fixed percentages.
We declare that such determination of profits should be based on
costs of processes actually needed for product.
Workers have no delusions regarding the policy which property
own«rs and exploiting employers pursue in peace or in war and they
also recognize that wrapped up with the safety of this Republic are
ideals of democracy, a heritage which the inasses of the people received
from our forefathers, who fought that liberty might live in this country
— a 'heritage that is to be maintained and handed down to each genera-
tion with undiminished power and usefulness.
The labor movement recognizes the value of freedom and it know<
that freedom and rights can be maintained only by those willing to
assert their claims and to defend their rights. The American labor move-
953
ment has always opposed unnecessary conflicts and all wars for aggran-
dizement, exploitation and enslavement, and yet it has done its part
in the world's revolutions, in the struggles to establish greater freedom,
democratic institutions and ideals of human justice.
Our labor movement distrusts and protests against militarism, be-
cause it knows that militarism represents privilege and is the tool of
special interests, exploiters and despots. But while it opposes militarismt
it holds that it is the duty of a nation to defend itself against injustice
and invasion.
The menace of militarism arises through isolating the defensive func-
tions of the State from civic activities and from creating military agen-
cies out of touch with masses of the people. Isolation is subversive to
democracy — it harbors and nurtures the germs of arbitrary power.
The labor movement demands that a clear differentiation be made
between military service for the nation and police duty, and that military
service should be carefully distinguished from service in industrial dis-
putes.
We hold that industrial service shall be deemed equally meritorious
as military service. Organization for industrial and commercial service
is upon a different basis from military service — the civic ideals still dom-
inate. This should be recognized in mobilizing f^r this purpose. The
same voluntary institutions that organized industrial, commercial and
transportation workers in times of peace will best take care of the same
problems in time of war.
It is fundamental, therefore, that the government co-operate with
the American organized labor movement for this purpose. Service in
government factories and private establishments, in transportation agen-
cies, all should conform to trade union standards.
The guarantees of human conservation should be recognized in war
as well as in peace. Wherever changes in the organization of industry
are necessary upon a war basis, they should be made in accord with
plans agreed upon by representatives of the government and those en-
gaged and employed in the industry. We recognize that in war, in cer-
tain employments requiring high skill, it is necessary to retain in indus-
trial service the workers specially fitted therefor. In any eventuality
954
when women may be employed, we insist that equal pay for equal wk
shall prevail without regard to sex.
Finally, in order to safe^ard all the interests of the wage-eanen
organized labor shall have representation on all agencies determiniBj;
and administering policies of national defense. It is particularly is-
portant that organized labor should have representatives on all boudi
authorized to control publicity during war times. The workers ha?e
suffered much injustice in war times by limitations upon their right to
speak freely and to secure publicity for their just g^evanees.
Organized labor has earned the right to make these demands. It ii
the agency that, in all countries, stands for human rights and is the
defender of the welfare and interests of the masses of the people. It is
an agency that has international recognition which is not seeking to
rob, exploit or corrupt foreign governments but instead seeks to main-
tain human rig;hts and interests the world over, nor does it have to dis-
pel suspicion nor prove its motives either at home or abroad.
The present war discloses the struggle between the institutions of
democracy and those of autocracy. As a nation we should profit from
the experiences of other nations. Democracy can not be established by
patches upon an autocratic system. The foundatipna of civilized inter-
course between individuals must be organized upon principles of democ-
racy and scientific principles of human welfare. Then a national stroc-
ture can be perfected in harmony with humanitarian idealism — a struc-
ture that will stand the tests of the necessities of peace or war.
We, the officers of the National and International Trade Unions of
America in national conference assembled in the capital of our nation,
hereby pledge ourselves in peace or in war, in stress or in storm, to
stand unreservedly by the standards of liberty and safety and preiervi*
tion of the institutions and ideals of our Republic.
In this solemn hour of our nation's life, it is our earnest hope thtt
our Republic may be safeguarded in its unswerving desire for pssce;
that our people may be spared the horrors and the burdens of war; that
they may have the opportunity to cultivate and develop the arts of
peace, human brotherhood and a higher civilization.
But, despite all our endeavors and hopes, should our oountiy be
drawn into the malestrom of the European conflict^ we, with these fcW*
1- *■•■
956
of human rights, freedom and liberty, economic, social and politkil
justice.
Under this caption several subjects interesting and of yital im-
portance to our movement and to our country are set forth with ft^
curacy and clearness, and are worthy of the fullest perusal and keenest
thought We urge all delegates and all others to carefully read all that is
said on this subject. It particularly refers to the change in Russia frov
despotism to opportunity for freedom; the declaration of basic principles
and policies of the provisional government of Russia and the appoint-
ment of a commission by President Wilson to visit Russia on a diplo-
matic mission on behalf of the government of the United States.
We note with keen interest the appointment of James Duncan, First
Vice-President of the American Federation of Labor and President of
the Granite Cutters' International Association of America, upon this im-
portant commission. We appreciate the action of President Wilson and
felicitate the American people upon the wisdom of his selection. Upon
this important mission full recognition was given to the trade unioB
movement, to the workers — the masses — and it required one who possessed
an intimate basic knowledge of the rise and development of the labor
movement of our country, its achievements, its hopes and its aspira-
tions, all of which are possessed to a remarkable degree by our esteemed
fellow trade-unionist. Brother Duncan. We moreover congratulate
Brother Duncan upon his selectiqn and for the eminently successful man-
ner in which he discharged the obligations resting upon him.
We declare that had there been a trade union movement in Russia
it would have had a stabilizing force and a far-readiing beneficent effect
in the crisis now resting so heavily upon the Russian people. The Rus-
sian people have lived for centuries in one of the most brutalized autoc-
racies that has ever disgraced the pages of history; they were denied
the right of self-government, the right to congregate for any ec<momic
or political purposes, the right to attain an education, and because of
these limitations there existed a lack of experience that would have been
of priceless value now in stabilizing and maintaining their new-foand
freedom.
The trade union movement, had it existed in Russia, would have
developed discipline and a central power not of an autocratic nature, but
957
a power rather to execute and carry into effect the democratically ex-
pressed will of the majority of the people.
We note with the greatest satisfaction the cable messages of fra-
ternity and good will sent to the people and the provisional government
of the new Russian democracy by President Gompers and by the Execu-
tive Council of the American Federation of Labor.
Upon the question of conferences held and proposed by the Interna-
tional Federation of Trade Unions and other associations, we shall have
more to say under a separate caption. Suffice it at present to say we
concur and recommend for endorsement the action of our officers and the
Executive Council in connection with these important conferences.
The convention unanimously adopted the report of the committee.
Peace Terms.
Upon that portion of the report of the Executive Council under the
above caption (p. 62),. your committee reports as follows:
There can be no true co-operation from an international standpoint
except where the elected and responsible representatives of the workers
participate under an agreement which recognizes and safeguards the
rights of each nation to fix and declare its own destiny, and yet broad
enough, big enough and intelligent enough to submerge selfishness and
non-essentials to the common good of the workers of all nations.
Peace terms should presage a condition tending to a lasting peace
grounded upon conditions that are just, fair and honorable to the peo-
ples of all countries.
We ag^'ee with the Executive Council that "The government should
be only an instrumentality of the people instead of dominating and
actuating their lives," and further, that "This terrific war must wipe
out all vestiges of the old concept that the nation belongs to the ruler
or government," and moreover, "There is no element in all nations more
concerned in the achievements of conditions making for permanent peace
between nations than the working people, who constitute the majority
of every nation. The future must be constructed upon broader lines than
the past. We insist, therefore, that the government of the United States
provide adequate and direct representatives of wage-earners among the
4
\
958
plenipotentiaries sent to the Peace Congress, and urge upon the labor
movements of other countries to take like action."
The Executive Council offers the following declaration as a basis
upon which peace should be negotiated:
1. The combination of the free peoples of the world in a common
covenant for genuine and practical co-operation to secure justice and
therefore peace in relations between nations.
2. Governments derive their just power from the consent of the
governed.
3. No political or economic restrictions meant to benefit some na-
tions and to cripple or embarrass others.
4. No indemnities or reprisals based upon vindictive purposes or
deliberate desire to injure, but to right manifest wrongs.
5. Recognition of the rights of small nations and of the principle,
"No people must be forced under sovereignty under which it does not wish
to live."
6. No territorial change or adjustment of power except in fur-
therance of the welfare of the peoples affected and in furtherance of
world peace.
In addition to these basic principles, which are based upon declara-
tions of our President of these United States, there should be incor-
porated in the treaty that shall constitute the guide of nations in the
new period and conditions into which we enter at the close of the war
the following declarations, fundamental to the best interests of all na-
tions and of vital importance to wage-earners:
1. No article or commodity shall be shipped or delivered in inter-
national commerce in the production of which children under the age of
16 have been employed or permitted to work.
2. It shall be declared that the basic workday in industry and com-
merce shall not exceed eight hours.
3. Involuntary servitude shall not exist except as a punishment for
crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.
i
959
4. EBtablishment of trial by jury.
Your committee concurs in the foregroing with a clear understanding
that it is submitted as a basis upon which peace terms may be negotiated.
In addition to the peace terms which the Executive Council recom-
mended in its report, the following proposal should be incorporated:
The governments of the various nations shall exchange labor repre-
sentatives, according to them the same authority and honor that is given
to any other diplomat. Governments have long been accustomed to ex-
change commercial, industrial and financial representatives, and we sub-
mit that this concept ought to be widened to include not only the above-
named interests but also those who furnish the human labor energies
essential to co-ordination for production.
One of the paramount facts which clearly stands out, above all
others, in this unprecedented world war is that labor is a basic force in
producing the materials of civilization and is co-equal with all other
essential elements in national life.
It is not only fitting that labor should be given this merited recogni-
tion, but no other single policy would contribute more effectually to the
democratization of relations between nations, thereby strengthening
forces and conditions that make for permanent peace based upon essential
human justice.
If a labor conference is held prior to the war's close or prior to a
time in which the belligerent nations are to participate in a peace con-
ference, labor would be forced to declare specific terms presaging the
conditions upon which peace should rest; this implies an inadvisable
attitude not only for labor but, moreover, for our country as well. Neither
American labor nor the American government should now state the final
binding terms of peace. Both, however, can be instrumental and exercise
a potential force at the proper and opportune time.
This is a world war in which seventeen nations are allied against
the central powers. Our government did not start this war. We should
not, in the light of present events, call a peace conference or arbitrarily
name inflexible peace terms. Such a responsibility rests upon our gov-
ernment and is a prerogative and responsibility it should first assume
and exercise.
I
%0
We concur in the action of the Executive Council in refusing to be
led into a premature peace conference, whether emanating from Ger-
many or originating with her sympathizers here or elsewhere, and con-
gratulate it upon its sag^acious judgment in refusing to participate or
becoming involved in any schemes of this character.
Conditions are changing from day to day and that which appeals
to our judgment today as proper fundamental peace terms may be
changed over night.
Genuine democracy, the great issue now in war, had no lodgment
in the minds and hearts of those who started this war; neither was it
an appreciable issue until made so by our entrance into the war. Other
sound principles may develop, which we should like later to make on^
of the basic principles upon which peace should be declared.
When a peace conference is held it should be at a time and place
when and where the workers of the vanquished as well as those of the
triumphant countries may participate upon an equality, in order that
the best interests of labor and of the trade union movement may be
fully promoted.
When victory is achieved none will be quicker to extend the fra-
ternal hand of trade union fellowship to the organized workers in all
countries now at war, or will do so more heartily than will the American
Federation of Labor.
In connection with this subject we call special attention to the
November issue of the American Federationist, which contains much
interesting and instructive correspondence.
The San Francisco convention of the American Federation of Labot
in adopting a part of the report of the Committee on International Labor
Relations, instructed the Executive Council to call a labor peace confer-
ence of all nations at the time and place the peace conference is held by
the belligerent nations, and authorized the Executive Council to send
two delegates, one of whom should be the President of the American
Federation of Labor. This action was reafSrmed at the Baltimore con-
vention in 1916.
Your committee recommends that that action be again reaflSrmed
with the addition that at least five delegates, one of whom shall be the
961
President of the American Federation of Labor, be selected to participate
in this conference.
The convention adopted the report of the Committee on Co-opera-
tion appointed by President Gompers in accordance with Resolution No.
86, adopted by the Baltimore convention, November, 1916. By the adop-
tion of this report the American Federation of Labor endorsed without
reservation or limitation the Rochdale plan of co-operation.
The action of the convention in concurring in the report of the com-
mittee indicates the favorable attitude of labor toward the co-operative
movement. Herein follows the report of the committee. It is both in-
structive and interesting, and for that reason we have incorporated it in
full in our report to the convention :
% REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON CO-OPERATION.
Buffalo, N. Y., November 17, 1917.
To the Executive Council, American Federation of Labor:
Reversing the usual order of reports, the committee submits at the
outset its recommendations. They are as follows:
1. That a qualified trade unionist co-operator be appointed by the
President of the American Federation of Labor to serve one year as lec-
turer and adviser on the practical work of Rochdale co-operation.
2. That this appointee shall have office room in the American Fed-
eration of Labor building in Washington, which shall be the center of
information by correspondence and otherwise on the subject.
8. That he shall visit localities in which co-operative societies are
in process of formation or have already been formed, and give practical
information to the officers and members of such societies, making out
routes of travel for this purpose so as to conserve his time and perform
the work at a minimum of expense.
4. That it shall be understood that central labor unions and local
trade unions as such shall not form co-operative societies, but shall ap-
point conunittees from their membership to act in co-operation with
other citizens who are in sympathy with the trade union movement in
assisting in the upbuilding of a general co-operative movement.
31— M. Pra
962
5. That every local trade union Utider the jurisdiction of the Amer-
ican Federation of Labor be requested to contribute the sum of one dol-
lar ($1.00) in order to establish successfully the Federation bureau for
promoting and advancing the cause of true co-operation in the United
States and Canada.
Your committee believes the submission of this practical program
to be of more value to the trade unionists of the country than an exten-
sive survey of the co-operative movements of the world or any exhaust-
ive dissertation on the principles of co-operation which might be nuuk
the subject matter of a report, except to say that we have found that
protests, denunciations, condemnations and investigations are alike with-
out power to influence employers to pay the rate of wages they should
pay; provide safe and healthful conditions of employment, or establish
the relationship that should obtain between the employers and the work-
ers or the reasonable hours that should constitute a day's work.
The only way we have been able to assure these conditions has been
through the establishment of the trade union movement, a powerful or-
ganization of workers to enforce labor's just demands.
This is just as true of the merchants and business men as it is of
other employers. Protests, denunciations, condemnations and investiga-
tions will not enable us to obtain premanently the best articles which
we use in every day life for just prices.
There is nothing that will accomplish this purpose except organiza-
tion, and the co-operative movement is the organization that is designed
to protect the workers in their relations with the merchants and the busi-
ness men in the same sense that the trade union movement protects them
from the employers. The two movements are twin remedies.
If we had a thorough co-operative movement throughout America,
comprising in its membership the workers thereof, there would be less
need for official governmental food control agencies.
And without that kind of organization established permanently to
deal with this question there is no guarantee to the workers that the
cost of living for them and their families will be permanently placed on
the basis that should obtain, and it is for that reason that we believe that
the American Federation of Labor should assist in establishing, build-
963
ing. up and strengthening in every way possible a legitimate organiza-
tion of bona fide workers in our country and Canada as part of the great
world's co-operative movement; so that after the trade union movement
has secured for the workers the wages that they are entitled to for the
labor they perform, they may be assured in spending those wages that
they will get for them their full value.
We hold Chat it is just as essential that a workingman should get
ten dollars' worth of actual value for his wages when he spends them
as it is that he should get the ten dollars that he is entitled to for the
labor that he performs.
We would also recommend that the United States government be
requested by the Executive Council of the American Federation of La-
bor to take up the question of the co-operative movement in connection
with its activities relative to the high cost of living, with a view to
utilizing as far a^ possible the existing co-operative organizations for
immediate purt)oses and encouraging the creation of additional co-oper-
ative organizations where they are needed and conditions are suitable.
There has been assembled in the offiees of the American Federation
of Labor a considerable body of literature on the subject, among which
are the standard works, reports from various countries, and lists of
recent publications.
Your committee has excluded from its consideration all forms of
associated work which do not fall within the strict limits of the Roch-
dale co-operative system.
The simple principles of this system are:'
1. A democratic organization.
2. One vote for each member with equality in share ownership.
3. Cash returns quarterly to members of the difference between
the total amount they have paid for their purchases and the lesser total
cost of these purchases to the co-operative society, including among the
costs depreciation and a reasonable amount for a reserve fund to meet
emergencies and extend the business.
4. Rejection of the principle of profits.
964
5. Current interest on loan capital.
6. Sales where possible preferably to members only.
7. Distributive co-operation to precede productive.
8. A sufficient number of retail stores to be established to assure s
market before a wholesale department is created.
9. Observance of methods recommended by the International Co-
operative Alliance.
All the members of your committee have made the subject of co-
operation the study of many years, have had personal experience in con-
ducting or investigating co-operative societies and are acquainted with
co-operation as a gnreat world movement. In their judgment the co-oper-
ative principle and the trade union principle give rise to no hurtful in-
terference with each other, but are mutually helpful, and each is in a
degrree beyond measure a factor in the economic, social, political and
educational development of the wage-working masses.
(Signed) G. W. PERKINS,
Chairman.
J. H. WALKER,
W. D. MAHON,
A. E. HOLDER,
J. W. SULLIVAN.
Regarding the decision of the federal court at Ft Smith, ArL, in
the case of the Coronado Coal Company vs. the United Mine Workers of
America wherein a jury rendered a verdict for $200,000 damages against
the United Mine Workers for alleged violation of the. Sherman Anti-
Trust Law, the convention took action by adopting the following motion:
"That the Executive Council be instructed to investigate
all the facts in connection with this case and that they render
the United Mine Workers of America such assistance as may
be within their power in carrpng this case to the Supreme Court
of the United States, if necessary." .
James Lord, President of the Mining Department of the Americas
Federation of Labor, submitted the following report of the activities
of that department during the past year.
965
MINING DEPARTMENT.
The year that has elapsed since the adjournment of the Baltimore
onvention has been the most critical period in the history of the
.merican labor movement, and it speaks well for the structure and
olicy of the American Federation of Labor and the affiliated national
nd international unions that the rights, interests and conditions of
le workers have been so well conserved, and at the same time our
lovement been in the position of rendering such splendid service in
le great struggle for the maintenance of such democracy as has been
stablished on earth against the greatest machinery of autocracy and
lilitarism the world has ever seen.
Owing to the fact Uiat the A. F. of L. and its representative spokes-
men of all affiliated unions took the highly intelligent position they
id when it was realized that we must inevitably be drawn into this
olocaust, and the fact that I was honored by being appointed on the
xecutive Committee of the Committee on Labor of the Council of
ational Defense, and also that I accepted membership on the National
oal Committee, I have not been able to go out into the mining regrions
3 much as I would have liked to have done, but, whether in the field
r in Washington, I have labored to the best of my ability and oppor-
mity that the rights of Labor be conserved, its standards be maintained,
ad the maximum of service rendered to our great country.
The affiliated unions of the Mining Department have made splendid
regress during this most critical time, and their official representatives
ave been taxed to the limit of their physical and mental powers in
leeting the ever-changing conditions, one abnormal situation after an-
ther, and have reason to cong^ratulate themselves by the splendid results
r their labors.
The International ^nion of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers has,
irgely because of its importance in connection with the production of
>pper, been continually meeting one crisis after another, and has,
hile fighting with all its might to see that democracy should not be
•at for the humblest citizen of our Republic in this world fight for the
aintenance and further opportunities for democracy, exhibited a broad
id highly patriotic vision of the problems by which it has been con-
'onted, and has bent ever energy to the end that the production of
1
966
copper and other metals should be kept at the maximiiin. They have
a splendid and highly intelligent membership, who see their economic
salvation measured by their spreading the g^pel of democratic unionism
and establishing intelligent joint relations throughout the hard rock min-
ing fields of North America. They also are cursed in many districts
by more than their share of freaks, fanatics and diaroptionists, who
seem to think that their mission in life is to prevent the growth or
progress of unionism. These misgruided men are greater memies to
progress than even the union hating employer, and are often the vdiide
by which he can over-ride unionism. The officials of the L U. of M. IL
and S. W. have worked untiringly in the face of these obstacles and
have been successful in negotiating joint agreements in the union fidds
and being a steadying influence in the non-union fields. Metalliferous dis-
tricts are becomig as truly competitive as are coal districts, and there is
a growing tendency on the part of mining and smelting concerns to
establish equitable joint relations, who never gave union recognition s
serious thought heretofore. Solidarity on the part of the workers will
open the door to district joint agreements where they have never existed.
We can not too strongly condemn acts of violence, d^H>rtation8 and
forcible suppression of the workers in exercising or demanding their
constitutional rights, such as have been practiced by certain employers,
but repeat that many of these unlawful occurrences would never hi4>pai
if the workers would put an end to their own differences not involving
fundamental principles and unite on the economic fidd in the bona fide
labor movement.
The United Mine Workers have also had to bring aU their energy
and power to bear on the unusual situation created by our entrance into
the arena of war, and with splendid results. They have organized more
than five hundred local unions during the past year. On AprO 16, 1917,
they secured a general advance in wages amounting to 25 per cent, and
on October 6, 1917, they secured another wage advance amounting to
$1.40 per day for day men, 10 per cent, a ton for miners, and 15 per
cent, on yardage and dead work. They also secured a contract during
October of this year for eighteen thousand newly organised Mine Workers
in Elastem Kentucky and Tennessee. They have exerted every influence
to keep the production of coal to the maximum and have given their
967
time and efforts freely to the government in the crisis we are passing
through*
Lack of time and opportunity will not permit me to render a com-
prehensive report regarding the activities and achievements of the
other international unions affiliated with the Department at this time on
account of my recent return from attending the Trade Union Congress
and Inter-Allied Conference in Britain, which activities will be embodied
in my annual report to the Buffalo Convention of the Mining Department.
With the limited time at my command during the past year I have
assisted in negotiating a joint agreement between the Iron Miners and
Operators in New Jersey, visited some of the larger camps of Arizona,
attended the Maryland and District of Columbia Federation of Labor
Convention in Cumberland, Md., during the month of April, at which
convention of the Mine Workers of Maryland were fully represented for
the first time in their history, and toured the gold and silver camps at
Ontario where a critical situation existed during last June. I have
worked with the committee on Labor and the Coal Committee up to
my departure to Great Britain, and was helpful on several occasions in
brincring about settlements or avoiding industrial disturbances by getting
in touch with the representatives of the Council of National Defense
and the mining concerns affected.
It is my sincere belief that by the intelligent and co-operative
position taken by organized labor in connection with our governmental
and international crisis, the bars of prejudice have been broken down
re^^arding organized labor and adequate joint relations between em-
ployers and employes in a larger proportion than has ever been recorded,
and a new conception of industrial justice manifested in places where
it had heretofore been unknown, and Labor's declaration in Peace or
in War, of March 12th, marks an epoch in the march of the workers
towards democracy, and will in the days to come be regarded as one
of the greatest and most significant of our historic declarations.
It is well nigh impossible to incorporate in a report of this kind,
the action of the convention on the numerous questions which come
before it. The report of the Executive Council, the special reports on
special subjects which were considered and acted upon and all of the
addresses delivered to the convention, which would be educational and
95C
of human rights, freedom and liberty, economic, social and p<ditiesl
justice.
Under this caption several subjects interesting and of vital im-
portance to our movement and to our country are set forth with ac-
curacy and clearness, and are worthy of the fullest perusal and keenest
thought We urge all delegates and all others to carefully read all that is
said on this subject. It particularly refers to the change in Russia froip
despotism to opportunity for freedom; the declaration of basic principles
and policies of the provisional government of Russia and the appoint-
ment of a commission by President Wilson to visit Russia on a diplo-
matic mission on behalf of the government of the United States.
We note with keen interest the appointment of James Duncan, First
Vice-President of the American Federation of Labor and President of
the Granite Cutters' International Association of America, upon this im-
portant commission. We appreciate the action of President WUson and
felicitate the American people upon the wisdom of his selection. Upon
this important mission full recognition was given to the trade union
movement, to the workers — the masses — and it required one who possessed
an intimate basic knowledge of the rise and development of the labor
movement of our country, its achievements, its hopes and its aspira-
tions, all of which are possessed to a remarkable degree by our esteemed
fellow trade-unionist, Brother Duncan. We moreover congratulate
Brother Duncan upon his selectiqn and for the eminently successful man-
ner in which he discharged the obligations resting upon him.
We declare that had there been a trade union movement in Russia
it would have had a stabilizing force and a far-reaching beneficent effect
in the crisis now resting so heavily upon the Russian people. The Rus-
sian people have lived for centuries in one of the most brutalized autoc-
racies that has ever disgraced the pages of history; they were denied
the right of self-government, the right to congregate for any economic
or political purposes, the right to attain an education, and because of
these limitations there existed a lack of experience that would have been
of priceless value now in stabilizing and maintaining their new-found
freedom.
The trade union movement, had it existed in Russia, would have
developed discipline and a central power not of an autocratic nature, but
957
a power rather to execute and carry into effect the democratically ex-
pressed will of the majority of the people.
We note with the greatest satisfaction the cable messages of fra-
ternity and good will sent to the people and the provisional government
of the new Russian democracy by President Gompers and by the Execu-
tive Council of the American Federation of Labor.
Upon the question of conferences held and proposed by the Interna-
tional Federation of Trade Unions and other associations, we shall have
more to say under a separate caption. Suffice it at present to say we
concur and recommend for endorsement the action of our officers and the
Executive Council in connection with these important conferences.
The convention unanimously adopted the report of the committee.
Peace Terms.
Upon that portion of the report of the Executive Council under the
above caption (p. 62),. your committee reports as follows:
There can be no true co-operation from an international standpoint
except where the elected and responsible representatives of the workers
participate under an agreement which recognizes and safeguards the
rights of each nation to fix and declare its own destiny, and yet broad
enough, big enough and intelligent enough to submerge selfishness and
non-essentials to the common good of the workers of all nations.
Peace terms should presage a condition tending to a lasting peace
grounded upon conditions that are just, fair and honorable to the peo-
ples of all countries.
We agree with the Executive Council that "The government should
be only an instrumentality of the people instead of dominating and
actuating their lives," and further, that "This terrific war must wipe
out all vestiges of the old concept that the nation belongs to the ruler
or government," and moreover, "There is no element in all nations more
concerned in the achievements of conditions making for permanent peace
between nations than the working people, who constitute the majority
of every nation. The future must be constructed upon broader lines than
the past. We insist, therefore, that the government of the United States
provide adequate and direct representatives of wage-earners among the
958
plenipotentiaries sent to the Peace Congress, and urge upon the labor
movements of other countries to take like action."
The Executive Council offers the following declaration as a basis
upon which peace should be negotiated:
1. The combination of the free peoples of the world in a common
covenant for genuine and practical co-operation to secure justice and
therefore peace in relations between nations.
2. Governments derive their just power from the consent of the
governed.
8. No political or economic restrictions meant to benefit some na-
tions and to cripple or embarrass others.
4. No indemnities or reprisals based upon vindictive purposes or
deliberate desire to injure, but to right manifest wrongs.
5. Recognition of the rights of small nations and of the principle,
"No people must be forced under sovereignty under which it does not wish
to live."
6. No territorial changes or adjustment of power except in fur-
therance of the welfare of the peoples affected and in furtherance of
world peace.
In addition to these basic principles, which are based upon declara-
tions of our President of these United States, there should be incor-
porated in the treaty that shall constitute the guide of nations in the
new period and conditions into which we enter at the close of the war
the following declarations, fundamental to the best interests of all na-
tions and of vital importance to wage-earners:
1. No article or commodity shall be shipped or delivered in inter-
national commerce in the production of which children under the age of
16 have been employed or permitted to work.
2. It shall be declared that the basic workday in industry and com-
merce shall not exceed eight hours.
3. Involuntary servitude shall not exist except as a punishment for
crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.
i
959
4. Establishment of trial by jury.
Your committee concurs in the foregoing with a clear understanding
that it is submitted as a basis upon which peace terms may be negotiated.
In addition to the peace terms which the Executive Council recom-
mended in its report, the following proposal should be incorporated:
The governments of the various nations shall exchange labor repre-
sentatives, according to them the same authority and honor that is given
to any other diplomat. Governments have long been accustomed to ex-
change commercial, industrial and financial representatives, and we sub-
mit that this concept ought to be widened to include not only the above-
named interests but also those who furnish the human labor energies
essential to co-ordination for production.
One of the paramount facts which clearly stands out, above all
others, in this unprecedented world war is that labor is a basic force in
producing the materials of civilization and is co-equal with all other
essential elements in national life.
It is not only fitting that labor should be given this merited recogni-
tion, but no other single policy would contribute more effectually to the
democratization of relations between nations, thereby strengthening
forces and conditions that make for permanent peace based upon essential
human justice.
If a labor conference is held prior to the war's close or prior to a
time in which the belligerent nations are to participate in a peace con-
ference, labor would be forced to declare specific terms presaging the
conditions upon which peace should rest; this implies an inadvisable
attitude not only for labor but, moreover, for our country as well. Neither
American labor nor the American government should now state the final
binding terms of peace. Both, however, can be instrumental and exercise
a potential force at the proper and opportune time.
This is a world war in which seventeen nations are allied against
the central powers. Our government did not start this war. We should
not, in the light of present events, call a peace conference or arbitrarily
name inflexible peace terms. Such a responsibility rests upon our gov-
ernment and is a prerogative and responsibility it should first assume
and exercise.
]
960
We concur in the action of the Executive Council in refusing to be
led into a premature peace conference, whether entianating from Ger-
many or originating with her sympathizers here or elsewhere, and con-
gratulate it upon its sagacious judgment in refusing to participate or
becoming involved in any schemes of this character.
Conditions are changing from day to day and that which appeals
to our judgment today as proper fundamental peace terms may be
changed over night.
Genuine democracy, the great issue now in war, had no lodgment
in the minds and hearts of those who started this war; neither was it
an appreciable issue until made so by our entrance into the war. Other
sound principles may develop, which we should like later to make onp
of the basic principles upon which peace should be declared.
When a peace conference is held it should be at a time and pla<x'
when and where the workers of the vanquished as well as those of the
triumphant countries may participate upon an equality, in order that
the best interests of labor and of the trade union movement may be
fully promoted.
When victory is achieved none will be quicker to extend the fra-
ternal hand of trade union fellowship to the organized workers in all
countries now at war, or will do so more heartily than will the American
Federation of Labor.
In connection with this subject we call special attention to the
November issue of the American Federationist, which contains much
interesting and instructive correspondence.
The San Francisco convention of the American Federation of Labor
in adopting a part of the report of the Committee on International Labor
Relations, instructed the Executive Council to call a labor peace confer-
ence of all nations at the time and place the peace conference is held by
the belligerent nations, and authorized the Executive Council to send
two delegates, one of whom should be the President of the Americar
Federation of Labor. This action was reaffirmed at the Baltimore con-
vention in 1916.
Your committee recommends that that action be again reaffirmed
with the addition that at least five delegates, one of whom shall be the
961
President of the American Federa|ion of Labor, be selected to participate
in this conference.
The convention adopted the report of the Committee on Co-opera-
tion appointed by President Gompers in accordance with Resolution No.
86, adopted by the Baltimore convention, November, 1916. By the adop-
tion of this report the American Federation of Labor endorsed without
reservation or limitation the Rochdale plan of co-operation.
The action of the convention in concurring in the report of the com-
mittee indicates the favorable attitude of labor toward the co-operative
movement Herein follows the report of the committee. It is both in-
structive and interesting, and for that reason we have incorporated it in
full in our report to the convention :
* REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON CO-OPERATION.
Buffalo, N. Y., November 17, 1917.
To the Executive Council, American Federation of Labor:
Reversing the usual order of reports, the committee submits at the
outset its recommendations. They are as follows:
1. That a qualified trade unionist co-operator be appointed by the
President of the American Federation of Labor to serve one year as lec-
turer and adviser on the practical work of Rochdale co-operation.
2. That this appointee shall have office room in the American Fed-
eration of Labor building in Washington, which shall be the center of
information by correspondence and otherwise on the subject.
8. That he shall visit localities in which co-operative societies are
in process of formation or have already been formed, and give practical
information to the officers and members of such societies, making out
routes of travel for this purpose so as to conserve his time and perform
the work at a minimum of expense.
4. That it shall be understood that central labor unions and local
trade unions as such shall not form co-operative societies, but shall ap-
point committees from their membership to act in co-operation with
other citizens who are in sympathy with the trade union movement in
assisting in the upbuilding of a general co-operative movement.
31— M. Pro.
d62
5. That every local trade union ahder the jurisdiction of tbe Ama-
ican Federation of Labor be requested to contribute the sum of one dol-
lar ($1.00) in order to establish snccessfnDy the Federation boremn for
promoting and advancing the cause of true co-operation in the United
States and Canada.
Your committee believes the submission of this practical program
to be of more value to the trade unionists of the country than an extcfi-
sive survey of the co-operative movements of the world or any exhaust-
ive dissertation on the principles of co-operation which might be made
the subject matter of a report, except to say that we have found ^t
protests, denunciations, condemnations and investigations are alike with-
out power to influence employers to pay the rate of wages they should
pay; provide safe and healthful conditions of employment, or estaUiah
the relationship that should obtain between the employers and the work-
ers or the reasonable hours that should constitute a day's work.
The only way we have been able to assure these conditions has httn
through the establishment of the trade union movement, a powerful or-
ganization of workers to enforce labor's just demands.
This is just as true of the merchants and business men as it is of
other employers. Protests, denunciations, condenmations and investiga-
tions wiU not enable us to obtain premanentiy the best articles which
we use in every day life for just prices.
There is nothing that will accomplish this purpose except organiza-
tion, and the co-operative movement is the organization that is designed
to protect the workers in their relations with the merchants and the busi-
ness men in the same sense that the trade union movement protects them
from the employers. The two movements are twin remedies.
If we had a thorou^ co-operative movement throughout America,
comprising in its membership the workers thereof, there would be less
need for official governmental food control agencies.
And without that kind of organization established permanently to
deal with this question there is no guarantee to the workers that the
cost of living for them and their families will be permanentiy placed on
the basis that should obtain, and it is for that reason that we believe that
the American Federation of Labor should assist in establishing, build-
963
ing: up and 8treng:thening in every way possible a legitimate organiza-
tion of bona fide workers in our country and Canada as part of the great
world's co-operative movement; so that after the trade union movement
has secured for the workers the wages that they are entitled to for the
labor they perform, they may be assured in spending those wages that
they will get for them their full value.
We hold {hat it is just as essential that a workingman should get
ten dollars' worth of actual value for his wages when he spends them
as it is that he should get the ten dollars that he is entitled to for the
labor that he performs.
We would also recommend that the United States government be
requested by the Executive Council of the American Federation of La-
bor to take up the question of the co-operative movement in connection
with its activities relative to the high cost of living, with a view to
utilizing as far a& possible the existing co-operative organizations for
immediate purt)oses and encouraging the creation of additional co-oper-
ative organizations where they are needed and conditions are suitable.
There has been assembled in the offiees of the American Federation
of Labor a considerable body of literature on the subject, among which
are the standard works, reports from various countries, and lists of
recent publications.
Your committee has excluded from its consideration all forms of
associated work which do not fall within the strict limits of the Roch-
dale co-operative system.
The simple principles of this system are:'
1. A democratic organization.
2. One vote for each member with equality in share ownership.
3. Cash returns quarterly to members of the difference between
the total amount they have paid for their purchases and the lesser total
cost of these purchases to the co-operative society, including among the
costs depreciation and a reasonable amount for a reserve fund to meet
emergencies and extend the business.
4. Rejection of the principle of profits.
964
5. Current interest on loan capital.
6. Sales where possible preferably to members only.
7. Distributive co-operation to precede productiye.
8. A sufficient number of retail stores to be established to assure i
market before a wholesale department is created.
9. Observance of methods recommended by the International Co-
operative Alliance.
All the members of your committee have made the subject of co-
operation the study of many years, have had personal experience in con-
ducting or investigating: co-operative societies and are acquainted with
co-operation as a grreat world movement. In their judgment the co-oper-
ative principle and the trade union principle give rise to no hurtful in-
terference with each other, but are mutually helpful, and each is in a
degrree beyond measure a factor in the economic, social, political and
educational development of the wage-working masses.
(Signed) G. W. PERKINS,
Chairman.
J. H. WALKER,
W. D. MAHON,
A. E. HOLDER,
J. W. SULLIVAN.
Regarding the decision of the federal court at Ft. Smith, Ark., in
the case of the Coronado Coal Company vs. the United Bfine Workers of
America wherein a jury rendered a verdict for $200,000 damages against
the United Mine Workers for alleged violation of the. Sherman Anti-
Trust Law, the convention took action by adopting the following motion:
"That the Executive Council be instructed to investigate
all the facts in connection with this case and that they render
the United Mine Workers of America such assistance as may
be within their power in carrying this case to the Supreme Court
of the United States, if necessary." .
James Lord, President of the Mining Department of the American
Federation of Labor, submitted the following report of the activities
of that department during the past year.
965
MINING DEPARTMENT.
The year that has elapsed since the adjournment of the Baltimore
Dnvention has been the most critical period in the history of the
merican labor movement, and it speaks well for the structure and
Dlicy of the American Federation of Labor and the affiliated national
id international unions that the rights, interests and conditions of
le workers have been so well conserved, and at the same time our
ovement been in the position of rendering such splendid service in
le great struggle for the maintenance of such democracy as has been
itablished on earth against the greatest machinery of autocracy and
ilitarism the world has ever seen.
Owing to the fact that the A. F. of L. and its representative spokes-
en of all affiliated unions took the highly intelligent position they
id when it was realized that we must inevitably be drawn into this
)locaust, and the fact that I was honored by being appointed on the
xecutive Committee of the Committee on Labor of the Council of
ational Defense, imd also that I accepted membership on the National
oal Committee, I have not been able to go out into the mining regions
i much as I would have liked to have done, but, whether in the field
* in Washing^ton, I have labored to the best of my ability and oppor-
inity that the rights of Labor be conserved, its standards be maintained,
id the maximum of service rendered to our great country.
The affiliated unions of the Mining Department have made splendid
rogress during this most critical time, and their official representatives
ive been taxed to the limit of their physical and mental powers in
eeting the ever-changing conditions, one abnormal situation after an-
her, and have reason to congratulate themselves by the splendid results
' their labors.
The International ^nion of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers has,
rgely because of its importance in connection with the production of
»pper, been continually meeting one crisis after another, and has,
hile fighting with all its might to see that democracy should not be
st for the humblest citizen of our Republic in this world fight for the
aintenance and further opportunities for democracy, exhibited a broad
id highly patriotic vision of the problems by which it has been con-
onted, and has bent ever energy to the end that the production of
966
copper and other metals should be kept at the maximiim. They have
a splendid and highly intelligent membership, who see their economic
salvation measured by their spreading the gospel of democratic unicmism
and establishing intelligent joint relations throughout the hard rock min-
ing fields of North America. They also are cursed in many districts
by more than their share of freaks, fanatics and disniptionists, who
seem to think that their mission in life is to prevent the growth or
progress of unionism. These misguided men are greater ^lemies to
progress than even the union hating employer, and are often the vdiicle
by which he can over-ride unionism. The officials of the L U. of M. M.
and S. W. have worked untiringly in the face of these obstacles and
have been successful in negotiating joint agreements in the union fidds
and being a steadying influence in the non-union fields. Metalliferous dis-
tricts are becomig as truly competitive as are coal districts, and there is
a growing tendency on the part of mining and smelting concerns to
establish equitable joint relations, who never gave union recognition s
serious thought heretofore. Solidarity on the part of the workers will
open the door to district joint agreements where they have never existed.
We can not too strongly condenm acts of violence, d^K>rtations and
forcible suppression of the workers in exercising or demanding their
constitutional rights, such as have been practiced by certain employers,
but repeat that many of these unlawful occurrences would never happoi
if the workers would put an end to their own differences not involving
fundamental principles and unite on the economic field in the bona fide
labor movement.
The United Mine Workers have also had to bring all their energy
and power to bear on the unusual situation created by our entrance into
the arena of war, and with splendid results. They have organized more
than five hundred local unions during the past year. On April 16, 1917,
they secured a general advance in wages amounting to 25 per cent., and
on October 6, 1917, they secured another wage advance amounting to
$1.40 per day for day men, 10 per cent, a ton for miners, and 15 per
cent, on yardage and dead work. They also secured a contract daring
October of this year for eighteen thousand newly organized Mine Workers
in ESastem Kentucky and Tennessee. They have exerted every influence
to keep the production of coal to the maximum and have given their
967
time and efforts freely to the government in the crisis we are passing
through.
Lack of time and opportimity will not permit me to render a com-
prehensive report regarding the activities and achievements of the
other international unions afl&liated with the Department at this time on
account of my recent return from attending the Trade Union Congress
and Inter-Allied Conference in Britain, which activities will be embodied
in my annual report to the Buffalo Convention of the Mining Department.
With the limited time at my command during the past year I have
assisted in negotiating a joint agreement between the Iron Miners and
Operators in New Jersey, visited some of the larger camps of Arizona,
attended the Maryland and District of Columbia Federation of Labor
Convention in Cumberland, Md., during the month of April, at which
convention of the Mine Workers of Maryland were fully represented for
the first time in their history, and toured the gold and silver camps at
Ontario where a critical situation existed during last June. I have
worked with the committee on Labor and the Coal Committee up to
my departure to Great Britain, and was helpful on several occasions in
bringing about settlements or avoiding industrial disturbances by getting
in touch with the representatives of the Council of National Defense
and the mining concerns affected.
It is my sincere belief that by the intelligent and co-operative
position taken by organized labor in connection with our governmental
and international crisis, the bars of prejudice have been broken down
regarding organized labor and adequate joint relations between em-
ployers and employes in a larger proportion than has ever been recorded,
and a new conception of industrial justice manifested in places where
it had heretofore been unknown, and Labor's declaration in Peace or
in War, of March 12th, marks an epoch in the march of the workers
towards democracy, and will in the days to come be regarded as one
of the greatest and most significant of our historic declarations.
It is well nigh impossible to incorporate in a report of this kind,
the action of the convention on the numerous questions which come
before it. The report of the Executive Council, the special reports on
special subjects which were considered and acted upon and all of the
addresses delivered to the convention, which would be educational and
helpful if read by mil of the memben of our organiuition. Sodi i
report^ however, would be altogether too volomiiioiis, hence the reuoo
why we cannot include a fnD report of the proceedings of the conrentioiu
in a report of this kind. We have dwdt upon such matters as appeared
to be of special interest.
The two fraternal delegates lepicaenting the British Trades Unioo
Congress were John Hill and Arthur Hayday. Brother Wm. Lodge wu
the fraternal delegate from the Canadian Trades and Labor Congress.
The following officers were elected:
President, Samnri Gomp^s. dgarmaker.
First Vice-President, James Duncan, granite cotter*
Second Vice-President, James (XConndl, machinist.
Third Vice-President, Jos. F. Valentine^ iron moMer.
Fourth Vice-President, John R. Alpine, plnmber.
Fifth \lce-President, H. R Pteiham, railroad triegrapher.
Sixth Mce-President, Frank Daffy, carpenter.
Seventh Mce-President, Wm. Green, coal miner.
Eighth Mce-President, Wm. D. Mahon, street ndlw«yman.
Secretary, Frank Morrison, printer.
Treasurer, Daniel J. TolHn, teamsto*.
Brother Jos. A. Franklin of the Boilermakers ^and Brother Wm. J.
Bowen of the Bricklayers were elected as fraternal delegates to the
British Trades Union Congress. Brother Stoart Hayward of the Bnifslo
Central Labor Council was elected fraternal delegate to the Cansdisn
Trades and Labor Congress.
The date of holding the annual conventions of die American Federa-
tion of Labor was changed from November to June. It was decided to
hold the next convention in the City of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN P. WHITE,
FRANK J. HATES,
JOHN MITCHELL,
WM. GREEN,
JOHN H. WALKER,
FRANK FARRINGTOK.
JOHN MOORE,
JOHN L. LEWISl
i
969
The report of the delegates was made part of the records of the
convention.
Delegate Franckey, District 12: I rise at this time for the pur-
pose of discussing a matter that vitally affects various sections of the
coal industry of this country. If it were not for the action taken by
the convention that deprived me of the floor when the report of the
President was under consideration I would not at this time take up the
time of the convention. Considerable has been said about the recent
increases in wages obtained in the conferences in New York and Wash-
ington, but nothing has been said as to how these increases will apply
throughout the country and in what manner the earnings of the miners
of the country will be equalized.
Speaking first of the increase granted in the New York conference,
which was 10 cents per ton to the miners and 60 cents a day to the day
m^n, the miners of Illinois were not satisfied with the manner in which
it was applied. Some locals went on strike as a protest against the way
the Increase was applied. Notwithstanding the fact that these strikes
were in violation of the contract, another joint conference was held in
Washington. At the conference in Washington the miners secured
another increase of $1.40 for the day men, 10 cents a ton for the miners
and 15 per cent, on yardage and dead work.
A point of order was raised that Delegate Franckey was discussing
a matter that has been disposed of by the ratification of the Washington
Agreement.
Delegate Franckey: I may be out of order, but I feel that I am
coming to a question that is properly before the convention. Resolutions
referring to this matter that should have been referred to the Committee
on Resolutions were printed under the head of "Miscellaneous."
President Hayes: Delegate Franckey will please be seated. The
point of order is well taken. Questions of scale have been disposed of
and cannot now be discussed by this convention. The entire subject has
been disposed of by the ratification of the Washington Agreement.
Mother Jones was granted the privilege of the floor to sul^mit the
following resolutions:
RESOLVED, That we express our deep appreciation for the untiring
970
efforts of Fremont Older, Eklitor of the San Francisco Bulletin, in bdiaU
of social justice for the working people of our country.
Mother Jones made a brief statement of the manner in which Mr.
Older had championed the cause of labor and the pecuniary loss he
had suffered because of the stand he took on the Mooney caae.
The resolution was adopted.
Mother Jones made a brief statement of the manner in which the
late Senator Kern of Indiana had championed the cause of the miners
during the West Virginia strikes, when a large number of them were
imprisoned by the military authorities, and submitted the following
resolution:
RESOLUTION ON DEATH OF SENATOR KERN.
Resolved, That we express to the widow of the late Senator Kern
our appreciation for the valuable assistance he rendered the Mine Workers
of America, especiaUy during the West Virginia strikes, and express our
sincere sympathy for her in her great loss.
The resolution was adopted unanimously.
Mother Jones : I have a resolution I want tiie convention to endorse.
We are not always dealt with squarely by the courts^ As a general rale
they are strictly capitalistic, appointed for the interest of the exploiters
and not the interest of the workers. When a court does do justice to
workers, as happened to be the case in Arizona, I think they ought to be
commended. As you know, there was a contest in the election of
Governor Hunt. I felt he was elected, and when the information came
to me that he was defeated I felt there had been some crooked work done.
The corporate interests of 99 John Street, New York, control aU the
copper interests of Arizona and New Mexico, or nearly alL They have
reached their claws down into Mexico. There was a strike in Morenci.
and the governor went down and ordered the sheriff to deputize forty
miners to serve as deputy sheriffs. He also sent a company of militis
to the border and ordered them to allow no scabs and gunmen to ocmie in.
The strike went on for some time. There was very little money in the
treasury, but the governor sent out an appeal through the state to help
971
8upi>ort the strikers, and for that reason the high class burglars of
99 John Street, New York, turned down the governor through their
understrappers and courts. Now the governor has won out; justice has
won over corruption and rottenness, and every citizen of the nation
should pay his respects to that court.
Mother Jones submitted the following resolution:
RESOLUTION COMMENDING ARIZONA SUPREME COURT.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The corporation interests and other exploiters of the peo-
ple of the State of Arizona by trickery, bribery and other forms of cor-
ruption debauched the last election in that State for the purpose of
defeating the Hon. J. P. Hunt, a proven friend of the people, and organ-
ized labor who was a candidate for Governor, and
Whereas, The State Supreme Court of that State has decided that
the Hon« J. P. Hunt was duly elected Governor and that he must be
given the right to assume the duties of that position; and
Whereas, In view of the many biased and dishonest decisions that
have been rendered against the people's interest and in violation of
the Constitution and laws of our country and the different States by many
courts in recent years, this decision stands out as an oasis in the desert,
a credit to the men who made it and an inspiration to those who believe
in honest, clean and competent courts; therefore be it,
Resolved, That this convention extends its congnratulations to Hon.
J. P. Hunt, Governor of the State of Arizona, on his re-election to that
high position to which he is so eminently fitted; and be it further
Resolved, That the same be extended to the people of the State of
Arizona on their good judgment in selecting Hon. J. P. Hunt for their
governor; and be it further
Resolved, That we express our appreciation for the high standard
of justice and fair play set by the Supreme Court of Arizona in ren-
dering this decision, and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the
members of the Arizona Supreme Court, to Governor Hunt and given
to the press.
972
The resolution was adopted unanimously.
Secretary Green: I was asked for information the other day by
Delegate Foster, of Ohio. I promised to give him the information he
sought. I have looked up our records and find that at a meeting of
the International Executive Board held during the year 1917 the Board
learned that during the anthracite and bituminous wage conferences
held in New York, between February 29 and the middle of May, 191(>,
President White was in New York almost continuously. Not only was
the anthracite wage conference negotiated in New York but also the
bituminous wage contract. During that time President White incurred
incidental expenses that were not included in his bill submitted to me
each month. Many of the items of expense were for services rendered
by men who went to various places to secure information that was
valuable and in the interests of the mine workers. These expenses
totaled quite an item and the Board felt that President White should
be reimbursed for these expenses. By motion of the International Elxecu-
tive Board he was paid $500 to cover these incidental expenses. That
is the answer to the inquiry of Delegate Foster.
I In reply to a question asked by Delegate Jones, of District 12, I
find from an examination of our records that there are 88 organizers
and field workers employed.
Regarding the item in my report on page 12, wherein it appears
that President White was paid $6,083.32, I desire to make the following
explanation: During the seven years that he served this Intematiooal
organization as its president the Executive Board each year voted him
a vacation, just as former presidents have been voted vacations. On
account of the pressing work he at no time took the vacation that had
been voted him by the International Executive Board. When he retired
as your President, following a custom of the past your Executive Board
voted him six months salary, which amountcki to |2,000. That is in-
cluded in this $6,000 about which inquiry has been made. At no time
was his salary more than $4,000.
I have been handed a resolution by some delegates from Indiana.
They ask unanimous consent for its consideration at this time. It
was prepared by them and they thought they had sent it in time to
973
be included with the other resolutions. It was not received in time to
be printed.
No objection being offered, Secretary Green read the following
resolution:
RESOLUTION DEAUNG WITH SOLDIERS* WAGES.
Whereas, In our present struggle for world-wide democracy the
working people of our country have made great sacrifices and our young
men are being called from the mines to answer the country's call on very
short notice, and
Whereas, It has come to our notice that many operators have in the
past exacted from the earnings of the young men being called to lay
down their working tools and take their places in the service of our
government 10 per cent, of the wages due them for labor at the time of
being called for duty; therefore be it
Resolved, By the delegates to this convention that we go on record
condenming such action on the part of the employers of labor as unpatri-
otic; that all who have been taken away from their jobs and were forced
to submit to such reduction in their wag^es in order to secure a settle-
ment, be reimbursed for the amounts so deducted, and that all mine
workers who may be called in the future shall receive a settlement in
full without deducting any per cent of their wages; and, be it further
Resolved, That the matter of employers deducting 10 per cent, of
the wages of laborers, members of the national army, be referred to the
various state councils of defense immediately by our national officials.
STANLEY COOK, President,
J. L. SIMS, Delegate,
L. U. 625, Linton, Indiana.
The resolution was adopted as read.
Unanimous consent was obtained or the introduction of the follow-
ing resolution submitted by representatives of the Iowa District:
1
974
INTERSTATE CONFERENCE AND OUTLYING DISTRICTS.
To the Twenty-sixth Cooaecative and Third Bienniml CraventiiHi of the
United Mine Workers of America:
Whereas, We bdieTe that the operators and miners of the oatlying
districts where bituminous coal is mined should be represented in joint
conferences whoi basic wage agreements are being made so that the
represqitatiYes of each district may have a voice and vote in determin-
ing what wages and conditions shall be agreed upon for their respectire
; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Intematioiial Executive Board and the repre-
sentatives of the four states known as the Interstate Movement, viz.:
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Western Pttmsylvania, be instructed by this
convention to take steps and make further and greater effort to enlarge
the Interstate Joint Conference by the admittanoe of such diatncts as
they are able to agree upon; and, be it fortiier
Resolved, That when the Interstate Conferences are to be held it
shall be the duty of the international secretary-treasurer to notify tiie
resident officers of each district when and where the conference is to be
h^ so that they may so journey to the city where the said conference
is being held if they wish to do so, and the representatives of the outly-
ing districts shall be permitted to sit in conference with the representa-
tives of the miners of the Interstate Conferance when they are meeting
for the purpose of negotiating wage scales and have a right to voice
their sentiments on questions that may affect their districts; and, be
it further
Resolved, That no agreonent be made governing the outlying dis-
tricts unless the represoitatives of said districts are given a voice and
vote on same.
Respectf uUy submitted,
J. C. LEWIS, President District 13.
JOHN GAY, SecreUry-Treasurer District 13.
SAM BALLANTYNE, International Board Monber District 13.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the resolution.
Presid^t Hayes: The chair desires to state that this resolution
975
- •
reflects our views and will clear up any misunderstanding that may
have arisen the other day that we were trying to bar the outside districts
from having a part in the interstate negotiations.
The motion to adopt the resolution was carried.
REPORT OF FRATERNAL DELEGATES TO THE WESTERN
FEDERATION OF MINERS' CONVENTION.
Indianapolis, Ind., January 26, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention United Mine Workers of America, in Convention
Here Assembled :
Your fraternal delegates to the Western Federation of Miners'
convention, which convened in Great Falls, Mont., July 17 and adjourned
July 29, 1916, beg leave to submit the following report:
President Moyer in his report to the convention took occasion to
mention joint contracts, and was high in the praise for the manner in
which our organization makes contracts with the operators. It was also
the sentiment of the delegates that our method of making contracts is
the proper method. We are glad to report' that in several parts of the
United States' the Western Federation of Miners are working under
joint contracts, which, in a good many cases, carries with it the
check-off.
Amalgamation.
For several years past it has been the sentiment of both the Western
Federation of Miners and the United Mine Workers of America that
both organizations should be amalgamated. Two years ago, acting
under instructions of the convention, President White appointed a com-
mittee of three, viz., Frank Farrington, Adam Wilkinson and Robert H.
Harlin, to meet a committee of three from the Western Federation of
Miners, viz.. Dean W. Selfridge, Joseph Gorman and J. B. Rankin. The
committee which represented the United Mine Workers of America on
this question made their report some time ago in the columns of the
United Mine Workers 'Journal, which you are all familiar with. Presi-
dent White also mentioned the matter in his last report. We herewith
quote the report of the committee which represented the Western Fed-
1
976
ermtion of Miners on this qnestioa to their international board, and
PRsidcnt Moyer, in turn, submitting the report to the convention.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF WESTERN FEDERATION
OF MINERS' AMALGAMATION.
Butte, MonL, July 29, 1915.
To the Officers and Members of the Western Federation of Miners:
We. your committee, elected by the last cwiventioii of the Western
Federation of Miners to meet a similar eommittee from the United
Mine Workers of America < appointed by the U. M. W. of A. Executive
Board I for the purpose of discussing the feasftility of amalgamating
the tvo organixationsv and« if possible, to work oat a plan of amalgs-
mation. the same, if accomplished, to be submitted to a referendum vole
of the two organisations for ratification or rejectioii, report as follows:
The president of the United Mine Workers of America, Brother
John P. White, was notified of the Section of the committee by the
Western Federation of Miners, and it was left to the chairman of the
coimmittee fnxn the United Mine Workers of America to suggest the
date and place of meeting. Their chairman, Frank Farrington, notified
Dean W. Setfridge, chairman of the W. F. of M. committee, thtt
October 7. 1914. woold be a suitable date and Butte; Moot^ a smtabk
place. The meeting was postponed to October 12, 1914, and on tiiat dste
tiie joint committee meeting took place in Carpenters* HaD, Bntte, Moat
The committee remained in sesaon all day and mK agmia the fol-
lowisg day. when all phases of ^ae amalgamatioii as it affected both
orgaaixaiktts and as Tiewed by the nw n\m i n of botk eonmxttees wot
gone inux At the end of the aeeood day Um W. F. of M.
comminee was informed by the U. M. W. of A. eoamittee thaL
before iesliz^ fTxrtber wiih the sacaer. they mv* ha^« foDer tnfoima-
ix-i: than was the:: i^ i.>sr ^Lsads ct?ccersxBg the statos of the Westers
FeiieraixG of M::>rrs. as-i ajsc ^^t they deared fiuthen coBsahatioB
wrih tbeir executive bojiri cc the satser. The mecftiBC was therefore
aiiL>>^£rsec to he caljec t;.x«^^* ^* ssex fnsre date to diipuec of the
matter. Ohairsan Farriz^tix: gavv sccke of die sieeamd iirii g for
July er. I?:^ i= Buttle. Mc^i. a=!d os that date the
HalL Bane, Man:.
977
The chairman of the W. F. of M. committee, Dean W. Self ridge,
placed a report of the assets and liabilities of the Western Federation
of Miners in the hands of the committee of the United Mine Workers of
America, and it was decided to adjourn until the following day to give
the U. M. W. of A. committee time to peruse the papers submitted.
On July 28 the committee met for final action. After full considera-
tion of the matter it became evident that an amalgamation cannot be
effected at the present time. The U. M. W. of A. committee stated that
while desirous of seeing an amalgamation consumated, hold that no
direct benefits can be derived thereby at this time; that the duty of their
organization lies first with the coal miners; that half of the coal miners
are still unorganized and until organized are a menace to their or-
ganization; that if the Western Federation of Miners became
part of the United Mine Workers of America the metal miners' locals
must enforce the same jurisdiction and methods of industrial arrange-
ments as prevail in the coal miners' organization, and, in short, that
until the metal miners build up their own organization it would be
almost out of the question to expect the United Mine Workers of Amer-
ica to assume the added responsibility that must devolve upon them.
They also held that even in the event of amalgamation the metal miners*
organization must necessarily retain its identity as a district within
the United Mine Workers of America, that instead of lessening
the cost as far as per capita is concerned, it would increase it, as a
certain per capita must go to the international of the United Mine
Workers of America, and as each district maintains an executive board,
president, secretary, treasurer, etc., the Western Federation of Miners
as a metal district organization therefore would have to maintain as
many officers as at present, and in addition pay a per capita tax to the
, headquarters of the United Mine Workers of America. Those reasons
are all valid and powerful and the justice of the United Mine Workers
of America attitude on the question of amalgamation must be apparent
to all.
The membership of the Western Federation of Miners and the metal
miners in general must realize their duties and responsibilities. Until
they build up an organization in proportion to the men employed in the
mining industry, they cannot look for some outside organization in a
different industry to assume the responsibility of doing so. The U. M.
978
W. of A. committee state truly that their organizatkm has and wiD pn
their moral and financial suport to the Western Federation of Minn
as far as it is in their power, outside, of coarse, the oblic^ations to tiidr
own membership, which natoraUy come first. They stated further tint
they will recommend to their executlTe board to grant the services of
some of their organizers to assist in the metalliferoos cmmps to increue
the membership of the Western Federation of Miners.
After the joint committee adopted the lesdoticm they adjourned
sine die. The conmiittee of the Western Fedetetkm of Miners then met
and prepared the report now submitted. We herewith present all cotr-
spondence on this subject and recommend that they be kept with and as
a part of this report for future reference.
Respectfully submitted,
DEAN W. SELFRIDGE, Chairmsn,
JOS. GORMAN, Secretary,
J. B. RANKIN, Committee.
It will be noted that both conunittees agree that the time is sot
opportune for amalgamation. It is our opinion that both committees
used good judgment on this question in not rwonnnending amalgarai-
tion. as there is yet plenty of organizing work to be done by both uniom
which should be done first.
TRANSFER CARDS.
Considerable complaint has been made from some districts of the
United Mine Workers of America regarding the raeUuid by which mem-
bers are transferred from the Western Federation of Miners to the
United Mine Workers of America local uniona, as tiieir cards did not
show how long they had been members, what initiation fee had been
paid, how long they had worked around the mine, etc^ as our cards show.
Acting under instructions of the Intematioiial Executive Board, we took
this matter up. and we axe giad to report that the Western Federation
of Miners* convention acted favorably on this qnestioii.
The foHowing is a resolution adopted on tiiis question:
We« your Comminee on Constitution, wish to submit the following
i«!SoIution for your consideration, and recommend it became Section 8
«79
of Article XII. Transfer cards shall be issued to members going to
work in the jurisdiction of another international organization. Said
transfer cards shall contain member's name and description, how ad-
mitted, amount paid as initiation fee, how long a member, occupation
and length of time so occupied. Said card to be designed by the Execu-
tive Board of the Western Federation of Miners.
Signed by
E. G. HUNTLEY,
R. L. PARKER,
ALFRED BORDSEN,
ALEX McKAY,
WM. LAKELAND.
The above resolution was carried unanimously and later submitted
to a referendum vote of the members and carried and is now in effect.
CHANGE OF NAME.
On account of the Western Federation of Miners extending their
territory, under their charter from the American Federation of Labor,
which includes all the metalliferous mines, mills and smelters of the
United States and Canada, the convention decided to change the name of
their org^anization from the Western Federation of Miners to a more
appropriate name — that of the International Union of Mine, Mill and
Smelter Workers.
ELECTION.
The last election of the Western Federation of Miners was carried
out to a great extent like some of our past elections, with much circu-
larizing, charges and counter-charges by those who were holding office
and those who were candidates for office. During the first few days of
the convention it looked as though it would be impossible to bring both
factions together. We are glad to report that after several attempts by
President Lord of the Mining Department of the American Federation
of Labor, he was successful in bringing both factions together. The
following was a resolution adopted on this question, which we believe by
the sentiment expressed by both factions, will be of much benefit to the
membership of their organization. This resolution follows:
Gxwt Falb. MonL, Jalj 27, 1916.
Resolntioiis adopted at a confeicaee presided over by Jama Lori
president of the Mining Department of the American FederatJoB d
Labor, composed of delegates from Ariaona onionB and the execntnv
board of the Western Federation of Miners:
Whereas, In the campaign for election of officials of the fedentka.
the character of individnals was assailed and their motives impnsud
through the medium of circular letters and articles appearing in Tazioa
publications engendering bitterness and creating dissession, and
Whereas, All realize that in snch an atmosphere statements aic
heralded to the world that would not be made at ordinary times and be-
tional lines drawn that retard progress, and
Whereas, All realize that such policy is not in accord with the
fundamental principles of unionism, that the progress of the labor lBOf^
ment is infinitely greater than the interests of any individual, that in
order to unite the unorganized the spirit of unity and fraternity mast
animate those appealing for united action; therefore be it
Resolved, By those participating in this conference that we deplore*
the unfortunate occurrences of the past, we pledge ourselves to bvy
every unkind word, to mutually foiget and forgive the cruel aqtersion
cast upon members of our organization in official position and those
seeking places, and we further pledge ouradvcs to unite hands and
energies in a conmion effort to enlist every man in the metal miiiiDg
industry under the banner of our organization.
CHAS. H. MOYER, ED. J. GRANT,
C. E. MAHONEY. GEO. D. SMITH,
ERNEST MILLS, CHAS. DETRICK,
YAXCO TERZICH. H. S. McGLUSKEY,
WM. DAVIDSON, ROBT. A. CAMPBELL,
J. C. LOWNEY, H. V. BENE,
GUY E. MILLER, GEO. PO¥nBLL,
Executive Board. Aziacma Delegates.
JAMES LORD,
Chairman.
WiUiam J. Sneed, of Herrin. 111., natioiial oiganiaer, who has hid
981
charge of the Rosiclare strike for the Western Federation of Miners,
was present and addressed the convention. He was well received by the
delegates. We were all treated very cordially by all the officers and
delegates attending the convention. We were invited to speak on any
question that came before the convention. We addressed the convention,
explaining our contract relations with coal operators and other matters
regarding the United Mine Workers of America. At the closing of the
convention the following resolution was adopted:
Great Falls, Mont., July 29.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-second Consecutive and
Second Biennial Convention of the Western Federation of Miners:
Brothers: Whereas, This convention has been honored by the
presence of W. J. Sneed and Fraternal Delegates Donaldson and Dobbins
of the United Mine Workers of America, and
Whereas, We have profited by their advice and counsel and that
their presence here demonstrates to us the deep fraternal feeling that
exists between the two organizations; therefore be it
Resolved, That we, the officers and delegates in convention assem-
bled, do extend to W. J. Sneed and Fraternal Delegates Donaldson and
Dobbins of the United Mine Workers of America fraternal thanks and
that they convey to their organization our fraternal greetings and that
the Western Federation of Miners are with them in their efforts to
advance the cause of the working class.
Respectfully submitted,
E. G. LOCKE,
WM. DAVIDSON,
GUY E. MILLER.
The convention was presided over by the old war horse and hero of
labor, Chas. H. Moyer, in a fair and impartial manner, every delegate
receiving the same consideration. Election returns showed the follow-
ing successful candidates.
President, Chas. H. Moyer.
Vice-President, J. B. Rankin.
Secretary-Treasurer, Ernest Mills.
Board Members, Wm. Davidson, Guy E. Miller, Alfred Beardaon,
Wm, Bams.
In closing, we wish to think the delegates of our last intematioDil
convention who gave ns the opportunity to represent our organization in
that convention. We also want to thank all the officers and delegates of
the Western Federation of Miners' convoition through their delegates
to this convention, for their courteous treatment while attending the
convention. The next convention of the Western Federation of Minen
will be held in Denver, Colo., in July, 1918.
Respectfully submitted,
ED. DOBBINS, District No. 12,
WM. DONALDSON, District No. 2,
Fraternal Delegates W. F. of M. Conventicm.
The report was made part of the records of the convention.
Delegate Howat, District 14, asked the privilege of the floor on a
question of personal privilege.
Delegate White (J. P.), District 13: I do not wish to oppose Dele-
gate Howat getting the floor, although under the parliamoitary procedure
he claimed the privilege that is now granted him he has not been entitled
to the floor. I want him now to state wherein I violated the rules of dis-
cussion the other day.
President Hayes: The other day Delegate Howat was promised the
floor by the chair under the order of Miscellaneous Business for the pur-
pose of answering statements he claimed reflected upon him. Ddegate
Howat will reply to the personal reflections he claims and not discuss the
general question.
Delegate Howat: I don't see why you are so technical with me here
all at once. You were not so technical with former Presidoit White
when he spoke.
President Hayes : I am adhering strictly to parliam^itary law.
Delegate Howat: I regret that it becomes necessary for me to
appear before this delegation to defend myself again against the unjust
988
attack made upon tne a few days ago by foriher President White, in
which he reflected upon my honesty and integrity as a man. His state-
ments were heralded throughout the country by newspapers, leaving the
impression that I committed some crime, and trying to poison the minds
of the people and lead them to believe I had done something wrong or
committed some dishonest act. Former President White has been talking
about and vilifying me for the past four years.
Delegate White: I arise to a point of order. What may have hap-
pened between President Howat and myself in the past was not the sub-
ject of the debate on the floor of this convention the other day. I cer-
tainly did not make any cowardly or unjust attack upon Alex HowaU I
object to any extraneous matter that was not contained in the resolution
under discussion. The scope of my address to the convention can only be
the basis of the privilege granted to President Howat now.
President Hayes: Delegate Howat will discuss the question of per-
sonal privilege.
Delegate Howat: I want to tell the coal miners here the truth, that
is all. In discussing what occurred between former President White and
myself during the past four years I don't want to tell anything but the
truth. I want to say to the miners here today that I am not going to
ask any favors from any man; all I want from the miners is a square
deal and an opportunity to be heard. I want to show the delegates that
the attack made on my honor and integrity a few days ago by former
President White was absolutely unjust and uncalled for. He told you,
in order to try to justify himself, that I had used his name time and
again in the remarks I had made during the discussion on the automatic
penalty clause. All I said about him was that when I returned from
Washington I saw in a Kansas newspaper that former President White
had condemned me — no, I did not use that statement; he did condemn me
in the statement to the press, but I did not use that in my statement — I
said that when I returned from Washington I saw in a Kansas paper that
President White was quoted as saying that the automatic penalty clause
was fair and right and should be accepted. I said we thought it was
unfair and unbecoming on the part of President White to make a state-
ment of that kind, in view of the fact that we had not as yet reached
our agreement with the coal operators of the Southwest, and it was not
984
» /
right to make statements that would hamper us in our ne^otiatioBs.
Pn^dent White used that as a pretext to get up here and condemn and
vilify me and try to lead the coal miners and the people of the country to
Mieve that I had committed a dishonest act. The history of my lif«
Has been i-evealed to the world in a way that few men's histories have
b««n r«vealed» in my lawsuit against the coal operators in Kansas City
ab^ut eighteen months ago.
Prireident Hayes: The question of the lawsuit in Kansas City on
not b« discussed under a question of personal privileg^e. If you go into
thi;» (|U^tton President White will want to consume a great deal of time
>tt n^iying and we will be here all day. The chair has no alternative bot
t^> adhifr^ t\> the rule for personal privilege.
IVletcate Howat : So far as I am concerned I want to give him all
chv^ ciUM h^ wants to attack me, and I will give him all he wants.
^V^deft: Haye$: The delegation is getting is getting might tired
v>t ihx* a!f*:r
IV«'<^^;^ Hk<'w«c: In the lawsuit in Kansas City eighteen months
j^%» I >ii'ai^ r;^: oc. eke witness stand and for three consecutive days sab-
;<v«v\i w :h< vTOKW-^vMtiination of one of the shrewdest lawyers west of
t>w Mt^«'>:i^*.r»^- i«^'>^r> After chat I was declared not guilty.
l>^<^ideR: Hay^s: Delegate Howat, we are not considering the law-
suit !r Kar.sa$ City. You aTv««» Ci> reply to charges you claim were made
^Y fv^rmer President While. L<K us see whether this ddegation sustains
i^^ ruling of the chair or. the «|iM«lioii of personal privilege.
A rising vote was taken os the qnestion, inasmuch as Del^ate Howat
v^bejkrted to the ruling of Pressidert Hayes.
President Hayes: In the c^inioD of tiie chair the convention has
sustained my ruling. We have nothinir to covor op, and if we want to
^ into this matter we will go into it right and will be here all day; bot
vxu a question of personal privilege yoo cannot go into these extraneous
matters.
IVlegate Howat : I expected a poi^t of order to be called on me. I
was entitled to the floor three or four days ago* but I thought I would be
held here until the miners were resdy to go home. I am not afraid to
985
have every word of the truth come out here. What I want is a square
deal, and all I want in connection with this matter is to be allowed the
floor after my good friend President White has spoken. When he takes
the floor and tells half the truth I want to be allowed to tell the other
half before you holler to sit down or go home and adjourn the convention.
While I am not permitted now to speak on some of the things I would
like to bring out in order to show the injustice President White has done
me for the past four years, I challenge and defy him or any oUier man
to show one dishonest act of my life. That is worth something to me —
it ought to be worth something to any man. All a poor nian has in this
world is his name and his reputation. John P. White has been condemn-
ing and vilifying me so long in rhis country it has got to be a practice
with him; he believes he has a right to do it, but any time any man gets
up and says anything about former President White he is called a dema-
gogue.
In the remarks of John P. White a few days ago, in referring to me,
he said that I almost bordered on the demagogue; he spoke of four-
flushers, grandstanders, etc. In my dealings with John P. White in the
past four years, he has shown, to my satisfaction at least, that he is one
of the greatest grandstanders that ever held official position in this
organization.
President Hayes: Delegate Howat, you have abused the privilege
of the chair, and you know you have. You are not speaking to a question
of personal privilege at all. You will conflne yourself to what was said
about you in the debate the other day.
A delegate: I move that neither of them be heard. We want to
go home.
Delegate Howat: There are some of you people that don't want to
hear the truth.
President Hayes: That is a misstatement, and you know it. This
delegation does want to hear the truth. Why did you not arise the other
day and ask to be recognized while this debate was being carried on ?
Delegate Howat: I tried to get the floor three times and the chair-
man of this convention never looked near me.
986
President Hayes: He has reliable iafomiation that IMegate Howit
never tried to get recognitioii.
Delegate Howat : I arose to my feet.
President Hayes: Yoq never said, "Mr. Chairman.''
Deleeate Howat : I yelled ''Mr. Chairman" mitn I was black in the
face.
President Hayes: I do not want yon to leave the impression tint
the chair is trying to take advantage of you* but there are certain Ism
governing every deliberative assembly* and if some delegates do not
know that they ought to read* up on it and find out.
Delegate Howat: Since I am limited to this particular point I will
try to show the delegates what crime I have supposed to have committed
in the eyes of John P. \^liite. Here is the agreement that was made in
Washington. Let us see what it says: 'This agreement is subject to
and will become effective only on condition that ihe selling price of coil
shall be advanced by the United States govemmoit to cover the increased
cost in the different districts affected, and will take effect on the first
day of the pay period following the order advancing such increased
prices."
Now, let us see what I said:
"Pittsburgh* Kansas, October 29, 1917.
"John P. White, care Fuel Administrator, Washington, D. C:
"According to press reports 45 cents per ton is added to selling price
of coal for entire country. I am absolutely positive this will not absorb
the increase in District 14 on account of the cost of deadwork. I hope
you will see that enough is added to this to absorb the full amount of the
increase that we will receive. Oi>erator8 also daim and insist that they
will be unable to pay full amount of Washington increase in wages unless
a sufficient amount is added to the selling price of coaL If this questtion
is not settled before the first day of November it will probably result in
our mines being closed on that day.
"Kindly wire me if you will reconunend to Mr. Ciarfield an increase
m the selling price of coal in this district along the lines I have sug-
gested."
987
You will note I say ''on the selling price of coal in this district along
the lines I have suggested." What lines did I suggest?
"I hope you will see that enough is added to this to absorb the full
amount of the increase we. will receive."
Isn't that what the Washington Agreement calls for? The general
commissioner of the Coal Operators' Association, in speaking to me over
the long distance telephone, said he had also seen that 45 cents was to be
added to the selling price of coal. He informed me that he was afraid
the operators would not pay the full amount because the 45 cents a ton
would not cover the increase in many of the mines in that district, and
especially in the Osage county field. I was convinced then, and am yet,
that there were many of the mines in Kansas in the low coal field where
45 cents would not cover the increase. That is true of the low coal in
the Osage county field. Rather than have the mines tied up on the first
of November I sent former President White the telegram he read here
the other day. I had my mind made up that if the operators refused to
pay the full amount of the increase on the first of November I was going
to tie up the mines in that district until they did pay. That is the reason
the telegram was sent. There was absolutely no secret about it, because
I stated to John P. White himself — and you can judge from what he said
about me the other day whether he is a friend or not — that I would
recommend an advance in the selling price to absorb the full amount of
the increase.
If the Fuel Administrator had notified me that he would add enough
to that amount to absorb the increase the general commissioner of the
Operators' Association assured me they would be willing to go to Wash-
ington with their books, as other operators had done, and show that the
45 cents would not cover the full amount of the increase in many of the
mines in our district. If the Fuel Administrator had agreed to that the
coal operators would have been compelled to go to Washington with their
books and show to the satisfaction of the Fuel Administrator that 45
cents a ton would not absorb the full amount of the increase in our dis-
trict. If they had done that they would have had enough added to cover
the increase. If they had been unable to convince the Fuel Administrator
that they .were entitled to any more, I presume he would have refused to
increase the 45 cents. I am quite sure the miners here will agree that
988
in the large veins in Hlinois it would not take one-half the amount to
absorb the full amount of the increase that it would in oar small Tein of
coal in Kansas. If it takes 45 cents in Illinois it would take about 80
cent-s in Kansas. I don't think it took 45 cents in any of the mines in
Illinois, and in many of them 20 cents would fill the bill very nicely— and
they grot 45 cents.
There was no ulterior motive in sending the telegram; it wasnt
because of any consideration I had for the coal operators. The minen
of the Southwest know that I have been attacked and vilified by tiw
operators from one year's end to the other in the press; but still we are
expected to comply with our agreement. All I offer to do in this tdegram
is to ask that. they get the full amount of the increase to absort) tiie
increase to the miners. I am not disposed to let any personal feeling I
have towards the coal operators in the Southwest interfere with me in
my dealings with the miners and operators.
Now about compelling the operators to pay this increase out of ihsk
own pockets. The fact that I sent this telegram requesting that they
get enough to absorb the increase in our wages has nothing whatever to
do with any personal feeling between the operators and myself; it was
with the sole object in view to have enough added so that it would not
be necessary for me to call the miners of District 14 out on the first day
of November. Notwithstanding the fact that the officials of the miners'
orgranization agreed that we would have no increase in wages unless
enough was added to the increase in the selling price to absorb the
advance to the miners, that does not say that the coal operators might
not be making $1.50 or $2.00 a ton on every ton of coal they were pro-
ducting, even though the miners did agree that they would receive enough
in the selling price of coal to absorb the other increase they were going
to pay the coal miners.
Now, I will try to show why I took the position that the operators
should be compelled to pay this increase out of their own pockets. This
telegram was sent on the 29th of October, 1917. At that time we had
reached an agreement with the operators in Kansas City, with the pen-
alty clause eliminated. We reached that agreement on the 23d day of
October. On the 29th I sent the telegram to former President White.
Up to that time no word of any kind had come to the officials of the
Southwest that we had to agree to a penalty clause satisfactory to the
Fuel Administrator of this country. A day or so later we received a
telegram asking us to come to Washington, that the penalty clause was
not satisfactory to the Fuel Administrator. The officials of the three
Southwest Districts proceeded to Washington. When we reached Wash-
ington and had our conference with Dr. Garfield the coal operators
repudiated the contract they had made with us ten days previous, and
there in the presence of Dr. Garfield said we should not have any increase
in wages unless we would tear up the contract they had made with us,
to which they had attached their signatures, and they sent word out to
the public press that they were satisfied with the penalty clause; that
they had an agreement with us they believed would hold that was eqtlally
fair to both sides. I say it was equally fair to both sides, because they
coidd not take a fine out of the miners' wages until the miners had an
opportunity to speak in their own behalf. It was then the operators said
we would not have an increase in wages until we tore up the agreement
we had fought so hard to obtain only a few days previously. They said
that must be torn up and another negotiated that would include the auto-
matic penalty clause. They said if we did not do that we would receive
no increase in wages; that they had to have the automatic penalty clause,
and the only reason they had agreed to the contract with us with the
penalty clause eliminated was because they were afraid of a strike.
I told Dr. Garfield when the United Mine Workers of America made
agreements they believed in standing by them, and when they made
contracts with the coal operators they believed in having them carried out.
We showed Dr. Garfield the agreement and called his attention to the
fact that the operators' signatures were attached to it. I then said in
the presence of Dr. Garfield that as far as I was concerned I would
eliminate the government from the case and fight it out with the opera-
tors. Because the coal operators took the cowardly attitude they did in
tearing up the contract I was willing to fight them and make them pay
the increase out of their own pocket. John P. White would leave the
impression with you that Alex Howat would not make the operators pay
the increase out of their own pocket, and because I sent this telegrram that
I was very considerate of the operators. He told you it wasn't the same
Alex Howat that talked to the operators. This is the same man, and I
am not ashamed of any official act of mine.
990
We left Washington and decided to call an interstate convention, h
that convention I made one of the hardest and one of the most determined
fights of my life to compel the coal operators of the Southwest to pay
that increase out of their own pockets — and that was two or three weds
after I sent this telegram to John P. White. I took the position that
when they repudiated their contracts with us and told us we must tear
it up and agree to another or we would not get any increase in wages
that I took that position. In the interstate convention in Kansas City I
recommended that we reject the automatic p^ialty clause, that we vote
against it first, last and all the time, because it was an outrage on the coal
miners of this country. The convention voted to reject the penalty dauae.
The' following day I recommended a strike that would tie up every coal
mine in the Southwest unless the coal operators carried out the contnct
they had made with us; that we fight it out with them and make then
pay every cent of this increase in wages out of their own pockets. That
recommendation lost by 18 or 20 votes out of 375 votes. The following
day, as near as I can remember, the convention voted again, and voted
to accept the penalty clause. The convention instructed the officials of
the Southwest to go to the operators and obtain the best penalty dause
they could get. As a result of that we went to the coal oi>erator8 and
they submitted a proposition to us.
What I say or have said in regard to the penalty clause isn't a reflec-
tion on any man; it isn't because of any personal feeling I have against
anyone, because a couple of the best friends I had in the miners' organiza-
tion were on the committee in Washington. But the coal miners of
Kansas that know me best and the coal miners of the Southwest know
that I have always been opposed to any penalty clause of any kind. I
have always maintained that every man in this coimtry is entitled to a
hearing and a fair and impartial trial before any penalty is inflicted on
him, or before any money is taken from his wages. Tliat is the reason
I opposed the penalty clause. After the convention voted to instruct the
officials to obtain the best penalty clause they could, and after I looked
things over, I said, "My God! is it possible that the coal miners of ihe
Southwest are going to agree to a proposition of this kind?" The opera-
tors placed an interpretation on it that if a man laid off for funerals or
anything of that kind the money would be taken from his wages. That
applies in Indiana, doesn't it?
991
A number of Indiana delegates stated that it did not apply in
Indiana.
Delegate Howat: That is what they do in Kansas, anyway, and it
is going to be up to me when I go home to call a few strikes to get back
some of that money they stole out of the miners' wages. Then you will
hear a howl if I cal> a strike to get back soi^ie of that money. I will
be told there is some other way to get it back, but I don't know what it is.
When the proposition was submitted to the convention the delegates
finally voted to reject the penalty clause. The delegates from District 14
voted 136 against it and 3 for it. The convention adjourned then and the
other two districts,. after talking the question over with their delegates,
decided we were up against it and the best thing for the organization was
to accept it and make the the best they could of it until this convention
would meet. The other bwo districts signed up, and, of course, I followed
suit. I don't propose to fight the whole world down there all the time.
I will fight a little bit to try to get justice for the miners, but with the
government on my back and the public on my back and everybody else I
decided it was time to call a halt. Then I told our men they would have
to get in line with the other two districts.
' I made one of the hardest and most determined fights I ever made
in my life to compel the coal operators to pay that increase in the miners'
wages out of their own pockets. President Wilkinson, of District 21, also
informed me that he had received word from the general commissioner
of the operators. He went to Washington with his operators and secured
an increase of 25 cents in the selling price of coal for them. Ex- President
White didn't say anything about that. President Wilkinson didn't go to
Washington to get an increase in the selling price of coal for the opera-
tors because he was considerate of them, but because he wanted it so that
the coal miners^-inight receive their increase without th necessity of call-
ing a strike in District 21. I am not afraid to have the truth told, and
I can stand here and challenge any man m this country to show one dis-
honest act of my life. I make that statement and I have made this reply
to former President White so that the coal miners of this country and
the public may not be deceived by the press reports that went out.
I would like to ask President Frampton, of Missouri, who was very
active in that convention, whether I made a fight in the interstate con-
1
992
v«naon ^v compei the operators to pay the increase out of their owd
Jeieicace Frampton: Yes, I will say you took that position all
-.hrvuyfi ciK cunventioiu and I had the unpleasant duty to perform of
ipptMuuj: :t.
D«te^te Howmt: I will ask President Wilkinson, who is a wann
'rHHid Ji former President White, if I made that fight?
9
lHi«iciiie Wilkinson: Yes.
Ac Utis point a large number of delegates asked the speaker to sit
i^wtt 4nd nterrupted him when he sought to complete his address.
?»M4«ieQt Hayes: The convention will be in order- Let Delegate
i^wac iiav« ;ill dM time he needs.
*.)ii««icate Howat: I hope when President White takes the floor, if
Hi '.r»^ :u mi9r«pre«ent me again or leave any kind of reflection on my
w<M«4v ^la ncnicrity. that you will be fair enough to me to give me an
s>i^(Mriutiiiy CO r«ply to him; I hope you will be as fair to me as yoo
'%\njukii «aiit ni« ;uHi other men to be to you. That is all I ask. I ask no
a^^^rs ^( any man; I ask no special privileges; all I want. is a square
44^: 'Juki \^ ^l I am entitled to and I believe that you will see that I
The v.\Niv«ncion was adjourned to 1:30 p. m. of the same day.
■LIVKNTH DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION
t'tw vviiv^niion was caUed to order at 1:30 p. m., Saturday, January
^*, t^v^uUvttt Hayes in the chair.
iViVKHiv k^ttaer. District 19: In behalf of the delegates from
Nx>wviuM.tivi «» Kentucky and Tennessee I desire to oflPer a resolution to this
\v' xCtjvviKMt b^tig offered, Delegate Bittner submitted the following:
998
Indianapolis, Indiana, January 26, 1918.
To Officers and Delegates to the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the United Mine Workers of America:
Whereas, The Mine Workers of District No. 19, Southeastern Ken-
tucky and Tennessee, recog^nize the fact that the United Mine Workers
of America is the only institution in this country that will better the con-
ditions of the coal miners and their families; and,
Whereas, This great and grand organization came into Southeastern
Kentucky and Tennesse and through the support given us have estab-
lished the union, giving us the eight-hour work day, a uniform day wage
scale, the right to mine committees and the largest advance in wages
ever secured in our field; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we, the delegates to this convention, representing the
miners and their families of Southeastern Kentucky and Tennessee, take
this occasion to convey our sincere thanks and appreciation to Interna-
tional President Hayes, Vice-President Lewis, Secretary-Treasurer Green,
and the International Executive Board, and to former President John P.
White for the splendid services they have rendered in our behalf; and.
We further ask every delegate in this convention to carry back home
to the membership our thanks and appreciation for the splendid support
given us; and, be it further
Resolved, That we pledge our undjnng losralty to the United Mine
Workers of America, to the end that every man who works in the mines
on the North American continent will be enrolled as a member of our
organization.
(Signed) John Baulfe, Local 157; G. F. Baker, Local 587; P. J.
Lynch, Local 890; T. J. Smith, Local 890; J. M. Gorm, Local 890; Ben
Delph, Local 945; E. P. Walsh, Local 1264; John Jeffrey, Local 1808;
John Brooks, Local 1327; G. M. Stamper, Local 2052; James Gabbard,
Local 2617; A. G. Duncan, Local 2572; W. E. Arbuckle, Local 2673; H. F.
Reed, Local 2687; J. T. Brooks, Local 2884; G. H. Stondifer, Local 2914;
C. L. Vaughn, Local 2925; George Collins, Local 2929; J. M. Htirst, Local
2983; D. W. Cannon, Local 2984; Joseph C. Henbee, Local 2997; J. H.
Ledford, Local 3161; W. C. Presley, Local 3162; J. J. Henderson, Local
32— M. Pro.
31M; W. R DasBCT. Lotml lliS; Gcsnl Frmley, LoaJ 8166; John PMttr.
MR. Loca: 3167: Qnizkce Pidfctt, Locml 3169; Alfred Shmrp. Locml 3a«I:
Jobn T. Fmner. Local X5C9: W. IL FocUr, Loc^ 3525; Alfred Suhl
Hunter. Local 3609: Aaron McKencj, Local 3615; W. E. Lyiidi, Loal
361S; J. IL Siarpe. Local 3U2: S. E. Walker, Local 3643; Wm. Xdaan.
Local 3644; Jo2m EMerr- I'M^ 3^4^: D. C. Newport, Local 3646; W. X.
York. Local 3650: Wm Hcaagcr. Local 3670; R Cecfl, Local 3697; W. X
Sayior. Local 3706; Jama Gabbaid, Local 3727; W. A. Campbell, Lool
3743; J. A. Brassca, Local 3176; D. F. Price, Local 3186; A. W. Goicf.
Local 31£r:: Wm. Xiadj. Local 3188; R. a BidrigB, Local 3189; ICh
Brymn% Local 3190; J. F. ScCde, Local 3193; H. N. West» LoaJ 3800:
C L. Tas^uu Local 3201; J. a ClaxloB, Local 3228; Hatliev ft^^jfas.
Local 322S; E. L. Terrr. Local 3230; John IL Rains, Local 3231; S»»i»
CampbeO, Local 3233: Clmrles Eadi, Local 3241; John Gnen, Local 3251:
J. F. Hcndren. Local 3252; P. T. GamnoB, Local 3262; JoMph Demarem.
Local 3263; J. X. Ronictti, Local 3264; S. D. Bryut, Local 32K; R A
Lockj, Local 3223: OiesIeT TVMpaoB, Local 3340; Price Gale, Local
3341; W. IL HaDars. Local 33a; Geor«e Banter, Local 3345; W. S.
Smhli, Local 3347: J. H. Elshrick, Local 3347; G^aea Hambiin, Loed
3348; J. & Centers, Local 3371; Robert B. McKedian, Local 3378; W. R.
mx. Local 33S1; J. I^ Coins. Local 3387; Jos. Hembree, Local 3389;
A. B. Coon, Local 3390: R. C. Rkfinga, Local 3391; H. F. Reed, Local 3392:
W. T. Gnzbbs. Local 3396; James J. Blantan, Local 3396; C E. MattiBgly.
Local 3423; P. D. Casdeberrr. Local 3463; Price Gale, Local 3469; C T.
Former Presidecr Jobn P. Wbhe: I ezcaedincly regret tbat the
time of this conTentkm wiD be consomed in liatffiing to a repetition of
matters tbat hare no place bere. Tbe delegates bave been imnaoaDy
patient; thev hare tried to be fair, as tliej baTe always done, and tbey
bare been espedaDT considerate d me, nuiwltbstandfwg tbe fact tiiat I
volnntaril3r left voor coiaicOs and no kaiger preside otcr jonr i»ganiia-
tion. I repeatedlj state when mr friend Howat took tbe floor that tbov
was nothing to be gained bv tbe dlwrnwinii, and I stated also tiat be
bad not arailed himself of tbe proper right of pwaimal piifilegc. After
listening to bis attempted defense I diink tbe delegates to tiiis oonTcntion
a7« more cceninced than erer tbat Brotbo* Howat was move concerned
996
about explaining away the little telegram that I read here the other day
than he was to avail himself of any question of personal privilege. You
know it is a good policy when men go to war to take some weapons along
with them, and I hold in my hand excerpts of my address made the other
morning, furnished by the official stenographer, and by no stretch of the
imagination can there be a single ground for personal privilege in any-
thing I said about Delegate Howat. However, he sought to reply so that
he might inject into the discussions of this convention something in
which he was concerned, and which was not submitted to this convention
for consideration.
President Howat says I have undertaken to malign him most mali-
ciously; that I have dogged his footsteps; that I went out of my way to
do him an injustice. If I were the type of man who would single out an
individual like Howat, a district president, to make an attack, such as
he attempted to portray, of course the rules of the house would prevent
such a discussion. As I reported to you two years ago, I never consid-
ered Alex Howat an impediment to my success in the labor movement.
I never feared his power and I have never been so much concerned about
what he did in Kansas that I felt constrained to go out of my way 'to
interfere with his prerogatives as president of the Kansas miners. I
have been content to let time, the great leveler of all things, do its work,
and it will work in Kansas just as well as other places. What I tried to
tell this convention in my address a few days ago was that masked
behind this specious talk on the Washington Ag^^eement there was an
argument, most extraordinarily advanced by Howat and his followers in
the Southwest for the purpose of injecting into these proceedings an
i^ue through which they hoped they might bring some discredit to me.
When I gave the word of this organization to the President of the
United States I felt that I was giving the bond of the United Mine Work-
ers. I said then that the mine workers could well afford for the consid-
eration they were receiving to postpone their wage demands in this con-
vention; that they could afford to bide their time, and when the horrors
of war were passed away we could approach these questions with calm
consideration. By and overwhelming vote of this convention you have
most magnificently registered your endorsement of the word I gave the
president of this country. I said, among other things, that Alex Howat,
in singling out the penalty clause, and telling the mine workers of Kan-
1
996
saa — ^who have saason in and seaaon out f<^owed hia lead bUndly, frt-
quently to their own diaappointment — he told theae men one tiling lod
told me another; and Alex Howat, in tr]^^: to explain his right to the
floor on a question of personal privilege took up the entire time to
explain away his position and that little silent mesaage abont 'tlie dirty
coal operators" of Kansas. Not a single word was contained there tint
can be construed, in the light of parliamentary procedure, aa giving Alex
Howat the license to stand on the floor of this convention and carry od
the discussion he did this morning.
Alex Howat knows and everyone here knows the aims of the Wash-
ington Agreement. I had no objection to his petitioning the coal admin-
istrator for a larger increase in the selling price for the Kansas coal
operators if that was necessary to advance the wages of the miners; hot
I said he verged on the demagogue when he told the mine workers in the
Kansas City convention, and when he read into the record here his own
utterances, that had the mine workers of the Southwest staid witii him
he would have made the coal operators pay the increase to tbe miners
out of their own "dirty pockets'* from the profits they had wrung fhnn
the miners before the agreement.
When the government gave the operators in tiie Southwest the same
consideration that was g^ven the coal operators all over this country
Alex Howat was not running true to form if he was to be consistent as
a leader of our niovement when he told the poor Kansas miners that are
laboring under the worst conditions we can find almost anywhere — they
are digfging a pencil mark of coal — and we are asked to emulate the
example of the Kansas policies as the things men should aspire to in this
organization!
I held then and I hold now that I did not contravene the grounds of
personal propriety in reviewing the philosophy of Alex Howat and his
followers in the Southwest when they were tnring to have Hm mine
workers of this country repudiate an agreement sudi aa has been
explained in this convention, I hold, and the judgm«[it of this convention,
reinforced by an overwhelming majority of this country, concurred in
my opinion that there is enough wrapped up in the Waahingtcm Agree-
ment to justify its ratification by this convention. We can w^ afford
to bide our time until there will be no restriction placed upon the legiti-
997
mate efforts of our union to correct such inequalities and make such
adjustments, internal and otherwise, as conditions may seem to warrant.
But the difference between my friend Howat and myself is this: I am
willing: to abide by the laws of the United Mine Workers, but my friend,
Mr. Howat from Kansas, when these thing^s that he seems to be so
obsessed with are not forthcoming, is willing to set his wishes over the
overwhelming wishes of our organization. I said in my address the
other day, "There is nothing but idle talk thrown out to befog the issue,
to blind, if you please, honest men who are struggling hard to support
the administration and their organization loyally.'-
I said that Alex Howat sent me the telegram I read. I did not doubt
that he felt in his own heart that these operators needed the increase in
wages to meet the demands he made and wrung from them. I never
doubted that he stood on the floor of the Kansas City convention and
stood out for all these things he demanded, but I was showing what Alex
Howat was trying to do with me and what he was trying to do to the men
in Kansas City. He tells you that above all the other men who have
presided over your destinies I have proven myself the greatest grand-
stander of the age. I have rendered at every stage of my official pro-
ceedings a true account of my stewardship; I have never asked immunity
from investigation, and you can turn the white light of publicity and the
searchlight of investigation on my private and official acts and I will
never take an appeal from the judgment of this convention. No matter
what I might do, no matter how much I might achieve during the admin-
istration of the affairs of this organization it would be a physical impos-
sibility and something I never hoped or expected, to gain from Alex
Howat the encomium of approval for the slightest thing I may have
achieved for the organization. Alex Howat and all his followers can
search the records of this organization and they will never find that
more was accomplished under preceding administrations in the same
period of time than by the men associated with me in the administration
of the affairs of the United Mine Workers. Why doesn't he tell you all
the truth? Why doesn't he tell you that in the Kansas City convention
they refused to give the mine workers a verbatim report so the records
might speak for themselves? It has been one of the proud boasts of
this modern dictator to stand out and make his slogan "the dirty coal
operators/' and we find him telling the Kansas miners and the miners of
998
the Southwest that he will make them do one thing, and he said in tk
next breath that it was necessary that they have more than was gircB
the mine owners of any other section of the country under the fedeni
order. I take no exception to his asking that the coal operators be ghcD
larger consideration, but the thing I do object to ia his effort to dehidi
the mine workers in one instance and then plead the interests of the eoil
operators in the other.
If I am the despised character our friend yould have you believe, it
has not been many years since he wrote me this letter telling me v^
a bright future there would be for the mine workers of this eoantry if
John P. White succeeded in his ambitions to become president of tkif
organization, telling me that if the mine workers would honor me with
their confidence I could count on him as a loyal supp<»ter,; that he hailed
my election as a fortunate thing for the organization. What has entoed
into my life; what ofl&cial act of min has changed the course of die
opinions entertained by that man then and tiie position I have taken nov?
I was the author of a penalty clause before I became president of
the international union, and I challenge any man to say where the lovi
organization has not been abreast with the most modem progress df
your organization; and when the time comes in this conventiim that
districts are required to come forward to support the international and
provide b<mds to stay the hand of the courts Iowa will not be found
wanting. Iowa will come forward as she has always done in the past;
there will be no lagging step.
Howat did not discuss any question of personal privilege; there was
nothing in my remarks that gave him grounds for that. I ridiculed his
philosophy as a leader and I held up to your view 270 strikes in the
little Kansas coal field. There was no executive order for those strikes,
but we find in 90 per cent, of the cases the alleged reason for the strike
is '^o contract." We are led to believe that the *coal operators who
operate in Kansas are a different type of men from those who operate
in Oklahoma and Missouri. We find the principal operations in the
Southwest are controled by the Central Coal A Coke Company and bf
the Western, a subsidiary concern, and that they are operating not only
in the Southwestern districts but in Illinois. We find the organizatkm in
Missouri walking along in that line, securing all the benefits of the
organization for the members, and when tiiey strike their officers go out
999
in defense of the men. But we do not find that condition in Kansas. There
is a strike in Kansas, the mines have been shut down for three weeks
and the report of that strike is that the men have quit. Some grievance
affecting those men, no doubt serious in a small way, and yet the old
slogan is, ''No contract and the men have quit.'' The miners of Kansas,
if they want Alex Howat's leadership, have no cause to complain. I
have not concerned myself with trying to abuse Brother Howat; he and
I have had some controversies that are now not before this house and
I have allowed these things to be dismissed from my mind; I did not
inject them into my address the other day. I have admired him for some
of the things he stood for; I have supplemented his efforts in the South-
west; the records of this organization will show that I journeyed to the
Southwest scores of times, and the decisions I rendered and helped Alex
Howat to obtain will not bring the blush of shame to the mine workers
of the Southwest.
Yet because some things have transpired Alexa Howat rushed to
the conclusion — with the single mind he is possessed of — ^that I am his
antagonist, that I really fear his power in this organization, that I have
been so concerned about his conduct in the Southwest that I consider my
success in this movement wrapped up in his attitude toward me. His
punishments, so far as I am concerned, are self-imposed. I hold his
conduct is not in consonance with what was laid down in Washington.
He said that I said I endorsed the penalty clause. I said nothing of the
kind. When Dr. Garfield, Alex Howat and the presidents of the South-
west districts met in Washington I was not there; I was on my way to
Fort Smith, Ark., to testify in the court proceedings that have been
mentioned here. Shortly after I left the witness stand a newspaper
reporter came to me and read an account of the disagn^eements between
Howat, the other officials and Dr. Garfield. He asked my opinion of Dr.
Garfield. I said Dr. Garfield's attitude was inherently correct and funda-
mentally sound and that Alex Howat and the other officers of the South-
west were evading a responsibility they owed to their fellow men when
they fought that policy.
I never took pains to wire anybody in the Southwest as to whether
that agrement should be ratified or not; I never went out of my way to
interfere with the deliberations of the Kansas City convention. I had
left the councils of your organization and consequently whatever they
1000
did was done through the influence of the Federal Fuel AdministntioL
and, so far as I know, uninfluenced by yma intematioiULl president 1
knew Brother Howat entered into an agreement and I knew before tint
acreement was entered into a strike order had been issued to the minen
of the Southwest, which was not even mentiotied to the intematioBBl
organization, in open violation of the laws of our unioa which provide
that before a district engages in a strike the consent of the intematioBil
organisation must be secured.
I wired them when that was on and urged them to rescind tint
strike order until the government took action on the main and principal
question. They did tiiat, not out of love and respect for the president
of this organization, not that they were omcemed about matters locsDy.
but they rescinded it later on went into negotiations which resulted in
an agreement without the automatic penalty clause. When the Federal
Fuel Administration learned of the agreonent they were told their pen-
alty clause did not meet the requirements of the govmnrnt nor of tiw
Fuel Administrator.
I held there was sufficient of value in the Washington Agreement to
give you men justice in ratifying it, and by the votes of this convention,
after the widest latitude was allowed in ddmte, yon vindicated tiiat
judgment. And I say now what I said in my arguments the other day;
if the strikes in Kansas, Indiana. Illinois and dsewhere that went on in
violation of and over the protests of the olllcers of those districts htd
not takoi place we would not have been bothered about a penalty clause.
I said also that the men who are now fighting the penalty clause in many
instances went on strike in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and elsewhere to have
that Washington Agreement put into effect, with the penalty elsose,
before the first of November.
If the miners of Kansas think they can afford to follow the leader-
ship of Alex Howat, that is no concern of mine; I have never interfered
with the autonomy of the Kansas district or any other district tiiat was
self -supporting. I don't want to take away from Alex Howat any of the
records he has made. I would be a blind critic, indeed, if I thought that
all the good that was in this organization was wrapped up in John P.
White and that there was no good in Alex Howat. You would have a
perfect right to repudiate me for such a position as that. I do not want
to injure his future. I understand he has a good mother and a good wife.
1001
and I wish him all good for the future. If there is no one else who
will interfere less with his future or be prone to wish him well than I,
he will live to a happy old age. If my work for this organization has
not earned for me a small place in your affections I will feel my life
has been in vain. I have never asked for more than that, I shall never
ask for less. If I have in a degree helped you to better conditions I will
be happy. In the evening of my life I hope I may have the consolation
of being able to look back over the career of a useful life, a life which
at one time, with the aid of my associates and the help of the rank and
file of this movement, was instrumental in bringing to the homes of the
mine workers of this country a little more sunshine and happiness than
existed there when I first was honored by your confidence, my cup of
happiness will be full. This will be the last convention, so far as I can
look over the horizon of the future in which I will raise my voice. I am
here because I felt I would be called upon to give an account of my
stewardship as the president of this grreat and mighty union.
Delegate Howat: Mr. Chairman, I would like to privilege of reply-
ing to some things said by former President White.
President Hayes: Does the convention wish to hear President
Howat again?
An aye and nay vote was taken on the question asked by President
Hayes.
President Hayes: Delegate Howat, the convention refuses to allow
you to talk again.
Delegate Isherwood : I desire to ask Delegate White a question.
Delegate White: I will yield to a question.
Delegate Isherwood : Isn't it a fact that you endorsed the strike in
District 21, 1916, when we came on strike over the automatic penalty
clause?
Delegate White: That was not the cause assigned. I endorsed the
strike in District 21 over a number of grievance and because the oper-
ators in the Interstate Southwestern District had withdrawn from the
conference because the miners refused to follow the agreement. The
operators of District 21 went out of that conference and orgranized what
1002
is known as the Oklahoma Coal Operators' Association. Among other
things, however, the miners in Kansas City eliminated the penalty
clause referred to by the brother in the gallery, but there were severtl
causes besides the penalty clause. I endorsed the miners in their stzike
and it was through my efforts a conference was held later. I sustained
the miners in their negotiations to carry out the basic agreement made
in Kansas City.
Delegate Isherwood: I will make one more statement. Isn't it i
fact that when we defeated the operators in the Southwest you made i
statement in Oklahoma that it was one of the grandest victories ever
won in the Southwest because we defeated the penalty clause?
Delegate White: I never considered the saving of our people fnn
their own aggressions was a victory. That in no way injured yoor
interests and had the agreement been complied with there would haye
been no cause for concern. There were many other questions wraiqied
up in the conference in Oklahoma. The chief one was the question of
lists. That seemed to be the burning issue, and I said so far as that was
concerned, and taking the agn^^ement as a whole, it might well be am-
sidered a triumph for the miners of District 21.
Delegate Haywood, District 12, asked unanimous consent to intro-
duce a resolution in which it was proposed to donate a sum of moncr
to assist in securing justice for Tom Mooney and the other defendants in
the case still under indictment.
Objection was offered to the introduction of the resolution.
Secretary Green: I feel the question of donating further sums of
money to aid in the defense of Thomas Mooney can well be settled by
the International Executive Board. We have already made donations
and I am sure it is the express wish of the delegates to this ccmvention
that a reasonable amount be donated. I am sure if you will allow this
matter to go to the International Executive Board such donaticHi as our
International treasury will permit will be made to help in the defensi
of Mooney. Personally I will favor as liberal a donation as our Inter-
national organization can spare at this time.
Delegate Grills, District 12: I move that this matter be referred
to the International Executive Board. (Seconded.)
j
1003
Delegate McGuinn, District 12: I wish to offer an amendment and
I would like to state my reasons for doing so.
President Hayes: An amendment is not in order. A motion to
refer is before the house.
Delegate Haywood : I wish to oppose the motion to refer. I had in
mind in offering the resolution that a donation of this kind would be a
lot better than a donation after they hang Tom Mooney.
President Hayes: The board will meet Sunday afternoon.
Delegrate Haywood: Brother Green made a statement some time
ago that the board had already donated on two occasions-. I fail to see
that in your report, Brother Green.
Secretary Green: I think I was in error when I said we had
donated |1,500. The amount donated was $500.
Delegate Jones (T.), District 12: Didn't you say the executive
board donated twice to the Mooney defense fund? How many times did
the board donate and how large were the donations?
Secretary Green: I cannot recall. We donated $500, and I believe
we donated a thousand dollars the year before.
The motion to refer to the executive board was carried.
Delegate Zibb, District 12: There is a resolution in the miscellaneous
pamphlet that has not been considered. I was instructed by my local
union to see that this resolution was brought before the convention. It
is Resolution No. 160. I would like to move the adoption of that resolu-
tion.
President Hayes: Your motion is not in order. By previous action
of the convention all these resolutions dealing with scale mattes^ and
working conditions were referred to the next biennial convention.
Delegate Lawson, District 15: I arise at this time on a question
of personal privilege to answer and deny a few misstatements that were
made on the floor of this convention day before yesterday, and I shall
not take very long to do it. Mr. Moran stated when he came to Colorado
to take charge of our district I refused to co-operate with him.
1004
Beleg&te Pippin: I arise to a point of order. Yesterday I yielded
my ri^rht to the floor. I yielded a question of personal privilege for ihe
purpose of getting through with this convention, but if Delegate Lawaoo
opens this up I will make a statement.
Delegate Lawson: What local union do you represent in this
convention?
President Hayes: That is not a question of personal privilege.
Delegate Lawson: When Delegate Moran came to my office in
Denver on the 15th of February we sat down and talked the entire situa-
tion over. I told Delegate Moran I would do all in my power to assist
in building up our district, and I invite him to show one single thing I ever
did to prevent him from making an absolute success of his work in oar
district. He made a statement to the effect that the general manager of
the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company stated in a meeting that the company
would like to see John Lawson president of District 15. That same
gentleman, Mr. Weitzel, refused to permit John Lawson to dig coal in
the C. F. & I. mines. I hold in my hand a certified copy of the verbatim
record of the meeting with the C. F. & L Company. I want to read just
a few words of the report in connection with my statement and let this
delegation decide whether Jim Moran told the truth or not. Mr. Monn
was speaking and said: ''You want a record here to post Mr. Lawson
on what I have said. Is that your motive?" Mr. Weitzel said: "No, it
is not. I would much rather see you than see him president." Mr.
Moran said: ''It don't look that way." Mr. Weitzel said: "I really
would."
That is the answer to Mr. Moran's statement about the companies
wanting John Lawson to act as president of that district. He stated that
I had accepted a job with a coal company and tried to leave the impres-
sion that I had the job yet I did work for the Victor-American Fuel
Company for two months after our organization had signed up with
them and the first work I ever did for that company in my life was after
the Hastingfs explosion. I went there as a volunteer to help get those
poor fellows out of that mine. ' After I had worked three shifts the story
went around that John Lawson was not qualified to help in the rescue
Up to that time, in the brief time I had worked to get men for that
company, and with no authority at all to employ any one but to do the
1005
same thin^ we have always done, try to get men to work at a union
mine for a union company under union conditions.
Mr. Moran made the statement that I was trying to injure the
organization. He also made the statement that I had told him if he
wanted the job or if he wanted my union card I would quit the job and
I would keep my union card. He stated that John Lawson was going up
and down Colorado and he wondered where I got the money. He left
the inference with this delegation that John Lawson was being paid from
some unknown source. When I made a trip through Colorado with
Delegate Doyle the miners of our state paid our expenses.
A number of delegates advised the speaker to ''sit down/' and ''get
through."
Delegate Lawson: I know you are getting tired of this, but let me
say to you that Granby HiUyer, the coal company judge that sent me to
prison for life, was willing that I should be heard. Now if you want
to be Granby Hillyers you have my permission.
Delegate Harlin, the board member from Washington, stated that
John Lawson sat on an appeals and grievance committee and decided a
case in which he was interested. That is an absolutel falsehood. When
that case came up John Lawson left the committee and would not sit on
the case until it was finished. If Delegate Brophy, president of District
2, is here he can tell you whether I am speaking the truth or not. I
believe he was chairman of the committee referred to.
Delegate Harlin also made reference to Schneider and Murphy, the
two Baldwin-Felts detectives. Yet, it is true that Schneider and Murphy
were employed by our organization. They were employed by a policy
committee of which I was a member, and there were three other mem-
bers on that committee of which our international president was chair-
man. Schneider was the man who later testified against me because I
refused to let him hold up our organization. When he came to the office
and asked for money it was John Lawson who told him he could not get
it, and he said he would sell out to the other side if we did not grive him
some money. I told him to go to hell, that he could not get our money.
John O'Neil also attacked me in this convention and said I was a
confidential agent of a coal company — a premeditated falsehood. I
1006
never was so employed and nobody knows better than John O'Neil, Jim
Moran and the other men who know me. Nothing: of the kind ever
occurred; I invite them, yea, I challenge them to show one single thing
that John Lawson ever did in his life to injure the miners of our dis-
trict or of this great organization. But they have been at this kind of
business a long time. I was hopeful that after John D. Rockefeller and
his coal company detectives had failed to put the rope around John
LawBon's ne^k, at least he would be permitted to go his way and assist
in the work of our organization; but he was not to be permitted to do
that because these same men and other men paid out of the treasury of
this international union have gone up and down the country endeavoring
to discredit me. I challenge them to show any act of mine that has ever
caused any reflection upon my union.
Now I am done. I hope this business of trying to destroy the repu-
tation of men in our organization is nearly at an end, that it has gme
about as far as it is going to go. I don't believe the time has come yet
when members of our union are going to be permitted to take up a fight
inaugurated by the coal companies and the Rockefellers in Colorado. I
hope when this is done it will be the end of this dirty work.
Delegate Pippin: I want to make a few brief remarks in reply to
the statements made by Delegate Lawson of Colorado, in which he per-
sonally attacked each and every representative of the United Mine
Workers in District 16. The delegates will remember a few years ago
when E. L. Doyle of Colorado came into this convention and for three
hours took up your time with a tirade against the international oflBcials,
and the entire matter was stricken from the records of the convention.
President Hayes : Secretary Pippin will confine himself to Uie ques-
tion before the house.
Delegate Pippin: John R. Lawson has taken up a great deal of
your time making accusations under a blanket charge of certain thmgs
that happened in Colorado. I want to take this opportunity to deny most
emphatically the statement he made when he referred to Secretary
Pippin and his conduct in the State ederation of Labor. I deny that I
took any part whatever in the election of the State Federation of Labor
of Colorado. The delegates ought to be satisfied with the great results
that have been accomplished for our organization in Colorado, although
1007
we did not have the support of John R. Lawson in accomplishingr those
great results.
When the representatives of the international went into Colorado on
the 15th day of February, 1917, they found an orgranization there almost
depleted of membership. One year ago last June your organization in
District 15 had 2581 paid up members. Today you have a membership
of upwards of 8,000. Week before last I turned over to Secretary Green
a check for $4,332, collected from the Colorado miners, something that
has never been done before. And I want to tell you now that some of
those men who have come into this convention representing certain local
unions in Colorado did not help to pay the assessment that was collected
and paid over to Secretary-Treasurer Green.
Mr. Lawson says he has been accused of being associated with cer-
tain coal companies. He knows that accusation is true. He further
knows it is true that Weitzel, superintendent of the C. F. & I. Company,
made the statement to me that our organization was not a democratic
organization, that if it was a democratic organization it would have
John R. Lawson at the head of it in Colorado. If he has any charges to
make before the courts of this organization I am willing to answer him.
Delegate Harlin, District 10: Mr. Chairman, knowing how im-
patient this delegation is, I will not dignify John R. Lawson with any
reply other than to say that my remarks were based on records.
The president of the International Tobacco Workers' Union spoke
here the other day. He has always been a good friend of the miners'
organization. He has two resolutions presented which were submitted
to the Committee on Resolutions, but owing to an oversight they were
not read yesterday. Out of courtesy to the Tobacco Workers' Inter-
national Union, I want to read them now:
REPORT OF COMBflTTEE ON RESOLUTIONS.
Delegate Harlin, for the Committee, reported on the following reso-
lution submitted by the Tobacco Workers' International Union to their
representative, President Mc Andrew:
1
, 1008
UNION LABEL TOBACCO FOR SOLDIERS.
Whereas, The United States is at war in the defense of democratic
institutions, and is mobilizing its land and naval forces in training camps
in this country and abroad ; and
Whereas, Ehrery American is pledged to do his hit in helping to
bring about the quickest, successful result; and
Whereas, Included in these mobilized forces are thousands of mem-
bers of organized labor, who will be compelled to forego the pleasure
of smoking and chewing their favorite brands of tobacco and cigarettes,
unless tbey are supplied from private sources; and
Whereas, The Tobacco Trust has put on a great newapaper cam-
paign, appealing to the patriotic feelings of the soldiers' relatives and
friends to send them a kit containing an assortment of tobacco and
cigarettes, not through any patriotic desires, but for the purpose of
increased revenue for this powerful corporation, one of the most antago-
nistic monopolies by which organized labor is opposed; and
Whereas, The Tobacco Workers' International Union desiring to for-
nish trade unionists, who are now serving their country in the army
and navy and in cantonment camps, with tobacco and cigarettes bearingr
the Union Label, have established a fund for that purpose, inviting the
trade unionists, who desire, to contribute to this Patriotic Union Label
Tobacco Fund; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the United Mine Workers of America, in convention
assembled in Indianapolis, Ind., January 15, 1918, endorse the patriotic
movement established by the Tobacco Workers' International Union,
and that the Central Bodies and Local Unions will co-operate, through
voluntary subscription to this fund and prove to the American people
the lojralty of organized labor for their fellow members, who are at
the front in defense of their country, and the fundamental principles for
which they are organized.
The resolution was adopted unanimously.
RESOLUTION OF TOBACCO WORKERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION.
Whereas, It is assumed, and the assumption confirmed by statistical
calculation, that the purchasing power of the organized workers of this
country is of tremendous proportions, reaching into billions of dollars
in the course of a calendar year; and
Whereas, The practical application of our purchasing powers as
trade unionists has been sadly neglected through the indifference of the
members of organized labor. Information gathered from dealers is to
the effect that very few union men insistently demand products bearing
the union label, except it be when such articles have some coupon
scheme attached to them; and
Whereas, The Tobacco Workers International Union is one of the
organizations that is suffering from this condition of indifference and
neglect, with the result, that members of our union have been walking
the streets, while those employed in the trust and non-union factories
are working overtime; therefore, be it
Resolved, That as the Tobacco Workers' blue label has for many
years been extensively advertised among all the unions now in affiliation
with the American Federation of Labor, it is therefore entitled to a
fuller co-operation from our fellow trade unionists in the demand for
union labeled tobacco, cigarettes and snuff; be it further
Resolved, That we, the delegates to the United Mine Workers of
America, in convention assembled in Indianapolis, Ind., January 15, 1918,
declare that we will use every effort through our International Union to
co-operate and assist the Tobacco Workers' International Union in creat-
ing a greater demand for union label tobaccos, snuff and cigarettes.
The resolution was adopted unanimously. .
■
Delegate Harlin obtained unanimous consent to the introduction of
the following resolution :
Gallup, New Mexico, January 3, 1918.
Whereas, It appearing that on the 31st day of July, A. D. 1917, and
prior thereto, certain officers, agents and employes of the Gallup-Ameri-
can Coal Company, doing business in McKinley county. New Mexico, did
1010
unlawfully and feloniously conspire together with the sheriff of tie
county of McKinley, State of New Mexico, to injure, oppress, threaten
and intimidate citizens of the United States and members of this organi-
zation in the exercise and enjoyment of the rights and privileges secured
to than by the constitution and laws of the United States, and did un-
lawfully, in pursuance of the carrying out of said conspiracy, falsely im-
prison and deprive some thirty members of this organization of their
liberty and did unlawfully transport them from Gallup, New Mexieo, to
Belen, New Mexico, some two hundred miles distant, and did then and
there threaten to take their lives if they returned to their hofnes in Gal-
lup, contrary to the provisions of Section 6509 of the Revised Statutes
of the United States in such cases made and provided; therefore, be it
Resolved, That this convention direct the International ExeeutiTe
Board to bring this matter to the Attorney-General of the United States,
with the object in view of leading to the prosecution of said offoiders
for the violation of the rights of said members of this organizaticm, or
take such other steps as will be necessary to bring about the prosecution
of said offenders by the United States government.
LEO P. GALVIN,
Financial Agent for Gallup, New Mexico.
The resolution .was adopted as read.
Chairman Harlin : This completes the report of our committee.
(Signed) ROBERT H. HARUN, Chairman,
PAUL J. SMITH, Secretary,
JAMES MATTHEWS,
WILLIAM DALRYMPLE,
FRANK WAITE,
WILLIAM HARGBST,
WILLIAM MITCHELL,
J. R. KENNAMER,
CLARENCE McCAFFERTY,
Committee on Resolutions.
Delegate Harper, District 12 : A woman has been over here in the
lobby taking notes of the proceedings. I understand she is employed by
the C. F. & I. Company. ^
1011
President Hayes: We have nothing to hide from anybody. Our
conventions are always open, and the chair is certain that in every con-
vention we have Jield detectives have been present.
Delegate Moyer: The report of the secretary shows we have put
money into Liberty Loan Bonds. Will we have to wait thirty years to
get the money for the organization?
Secretary Green: No, you can convert a Liberty Loan Bond into
cash at any time.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON LITIGATION.
Delegate Moore, District 6, chairman of the committee, reported as
follows :
Indianapolis, Ind., January 26, 1918.
We, your Committee on Litigation, appointed for the purpose of giv-
ing consideration to the procedure that should be followed by the organ-
ization in an attempt to have annulled the Federal Court of Arkansas'
decision rendered in the so-called Coronado Coal Company case, which
was brought to the attention of the convention in the President's report,
advise that we have given this matter most careful consideration, con-
sulted with our attorneys and have concluded that the only recourse open
to the organization is to file bond and take an appeal to the higher court
and if needs be to the Supreme Court of the United States.
In order that this may be done it is necessary for the United Mine
Workers of America to raise approximately $800,000 within a very few
days. It is necessary that this be done if the integrity of the United
Mine Workers of America and the orgranized labor movement of the
country is to be protected against similar legal procedure and is to be
allowed to exist.
If the decision is not set aside, then it is within the province of the
enemies of the organized labor movement to at any time they may choose
to do so to harass and destroy the effectiveness of the movement by con-
stantly keeping us involved in such litigation and as a result of the liti-
gation attach the funds of the organization and thus destroy completely
the effectiveness of the organized labor movement.
1012
Therefore we, your committee, recommend that the oflSeen of o«r
Intemmtional Union be and are hereby instructed to make sndi mmngt-
ments as may be necessary to file bond and to i4»peal to the hi^ier
court. In order that the money may be raised the accredited oflScers of
the districts enumerated below have pledged themselves to loan to the
International Union the money necessary to cover the bond and other
expense incidental thereto, to- wit:
District No. 1 $ 5,000.00
District No. 5 60,000.00
District No. 6 105,000.00
District No. 9 5,000.00
District No. 10 5,000.00
District No. 11 25,000.00
District No. 12 345,000.00
District No. 13 130,000.00
District No. 14 10,000.00
District No. 17 5,000.00
District No. 19 5,000.00
District No. 21 40,000.00
District No. 22 25,000.00
District No. 25 10,000.00
District No. 27 25,000.00
We, your committee, further advise that this money is loaned to the
International Union by the District organizations enumerated upon con-
dition that the money will be returned immediately to the District organ-
izations in event the decision of the higher court should annul the Fed-
eral Court decision, and upon the further condition that in event the
Federal Court decision is not annulled the District organizations will be
reimbursed by the International Union as rapidly as that body can accu-
mulate money to pay off the indebtedness, and with the further under-
standing that the International Secretary will purchase Liberty bonds
to the amount of the bond, to be deposited as collateral and that the in-
terest accruing from the Liberty bonds will be paid over to the District
organizations in accordance with the ratio of money loaned.
We, your committee, further recommend that the International offi-
cers be and are hereby instructed to employ the most eminent counsel
1013
obtainable to prepare and prosecute this appeal, and we further recom-
mend that the International officers co-operate with the District officers
in an endeavor to influence an early decision by the higher court.
We also recommend that the International officers shall have power to
work out any further detail in connection herewith, to the end that the
decision of the Federal Court of Arkansas shall be annulled.
JOHN MOORE,
FRANK FARRINGTON,
JOHN WILKINSON,
PHILIP MURRAY,
THOMAS KENNEDY,
JOHN BROPHY,
C. F. KEENEY,
MARTIN FLYZIK,
EDW. STEWART,
Committee.
A motion was made and seconded to adopt the report of the com-
mittee.
Delegate Farrington: I want to say for the benefit of the various
District organizations that have so generously agrreed to contribute
money to the limit of their ability to the International in order to prose-
cute this appeal that it will be necessary for them to file checks with the
International Secretary for the amount they have agn^eed to contribute
at the earliest date possible, because this bond must be filed not later
than the 17th of February. There will be many items of detail to work
out in connection with filing the bond. You will therefore see the neces-
sity of turning the money you have agn^^ed to give to this fund over to
the Secretary as early as possible.
The report of the committee was adopted unanimously.
Indianapolis, Ind., January 26, 1918.
We, your Committee on Litigation, appointed for the purpose of
considering the Hitchman Coal Company case mentioned in the Presi-
dent's report to this convention, desire to report that we have given
most careful consideration to every aspect of this case and have con-
cluded that we have no legal redress in the courts of our land and that
\
1014
the only hope of the organized labor movement in face of a decision of
this kind lies in their ability to secure legislation that will prevent such
court procedure.
Therefore, we reconmiend that the International Executive Board
invoke the assistance of the American Federation of Labor and by their
mutual co-operation devise plans and make arrangements to appear be-
fore the Congress of the United States and to use every effort possible
to secure the enactment of legislation necessary to prevent such court
procedure. JOHN MOORE,
FRANK FARRINGTON,
JOHN WILKINSON,
PHILIP MURRAY,
THOMAS KENNEDY,
JOHN BROPHY,
C. F. KEENEY,
MARTIN FLYZIK,
EDW. STEWART,
Committee.
The. report of the committee was adopted with one dissenting vote.
President Hayes: The committee is discharged and the Interna-
tional organization and the convention wish to thank the members for
their work.
ELECTION OF DELEGATES TO THE MINE, MILL AND SMELTEK
WORKERS' UNION.
Delegate Savage, District 6: I move that we proceed to the elec-
tion of fraternal delegates to the convention of the International Mine,
Mill and Smelter Workers' Union. (Seconded and carried.)
President Hayes: Past custom will govern us in this matter; there
will be a separate election for each of the delegates; nominations will be
made, a rising vote taken and the delegates receiving the largest number
of votes will be declared elected. Nominations are in order.
Delegate Farring^ton, District 12: I desire to place in nomination as
fraternal delegate to the convention of the International Mine, Mill and
Smelter Workers' a man who has been a faithful worker for the organiza-
1015
tion for many years, and who, so far as I know, has never up to this
time asked for any honor at the hands of an international convention. I
am not going to go at length into an explanation of why the convention
should elect the man I am going to nominate, because I think he is well
enough known to the delegates to make that unnecessary. I take great
pleasure in placing in nomination Delegate Lee Hall, vice-president Dis-
trict No. 6.
Delegate Thomas Price, District 11, was placed in nomination by
Delegate Smith, Local 1394, District 11.
Delegate John Wilkinson, District 21, was placed in nomination by
Delegate Phillips.
Delegate D. A. Frampton, District 25, was placed in nomination by
Delegate Haywood, District 12.
Delegate Pio Franckey, District 12, was placed in nomination by
Delegate Jones (T.), District 12.
Delegate Archie Forbes, District 11, was placed in nomination by
Delegate Foster, Local 228, District 11.
Delegate Chas. O'Neil, District 2, was placed in nomination by Dele-
gate McMillan.
Delegate Joe Loftus, District 12, was placed in nomination by Dele-
gate Ritchie, District 12.
John R. Scott, Peoria, 111., was placed in nomination by Delegate
Pascoe, District 12.
Delegate C. F. Keeney, District 17, nominated by Delegate Dwyer,
District 17.
Delegate Frank Farring^n was nominated by delegates from Dis-
trict 12.
Delegate Alex Howat, District 14, was placed in nomination by Dele*
gate McCleish, District 12.
Delegate Thomas McCullough, District 13, was placed in nomination
by Delegate Hampton.
^ 1016
Delegrate Jock Miller, District 12, was placed in nomination by Dele
Srate Carso.
Delesrate Van Bittner, District 19, was placed in nomination by
Delegate Reed.
Delegate Will Prentice, District 12, was placed in nomination by
Delegate Paska.
Delegate Savage, District 6: Is Delegate Frampton in the hall? I
am informed that he is not. I don't think he would be a candidate if he
were here.
Delegate Howat, District 14: I will assume the responsibility of
withdrawing his name if he Is not here. You are going to elect one dele-
gate noWy I understand.
President Hayes: One delegate this time and then we will have
nominations for a second delegate. That is the usual custom.
The secretary called the names of those nominated. All the nominees
except Delegates Hall, Price, Forbes, Scott and Prentice, either declined
to stand, or the names of those who were not present were withdrawn by
i*epresentatives of their districts.
The election proceeded in the usual way, the messengers acting as
tellers, and the following result was announced:
Lee Hall, 564 votes; Thomas Price, 25 votes; Archie Forbes, 13
votes; J. R. Scott, 15 votes; Will Prentice, 11 votes.
Delegate Hall, having received a majority of the votes, was declared
elected.
For the second election the following names were placed in nomina-
tion:
Delegate Martin Flyzik, District 10, nominated by Delegate Moore,
District 6; Delegate Pio Franckey, District 12, nominated by Delegate
Haywood; Delegrate Thomas Price, District 11, nominated by Delegate
Greenway; Delegate Adam Wilkinson, District No. 27; Vice-President
Lewis, nominated by Delegate Robinson, Ohio; Delegate John Cray, Dis-
trict 13; Delegate Allen Haywood, District 12; Delegate George L. Mer-
1017
cer, District 12; Delegate Philip Murray, District 5; Delegate Jock Mil-
ler, District 12; Delegate Alex Howat, District 14; Delegate John R.
Lawson, District 15; Delegate P. J. Smith, District 19.
Delegate Farrington: Delegate Mercer is not here. I am sure he
is not a candidate, and I assume the responsibility of withdrawing hie
name.
Delegates Flyzik, Franckey and Price accepted the nominations. The
other nominees declined to stand.
Delegate Flyzik received 448 votes; Delegate Franckey, 166 votes;
Delegate Price, 46 votes.
Delegate Flyzik was declared duly elected.
Delegate Price and Delegate Franckey, having received the second
largest votes in the two elections, were declared the alternates.,
SELECTION OF CONVENTION CITY.
President Green read invitations from the following cities: Chi-
cago, invitation extended by Mr. George M. Spangler, manager Chicago
Convention Bureau; Columbus, Ohio, invitation extended by Mr. John
Y. Bassell, Manager Columbus Convention and Publicity Association;
San Francisco, Mr. R. L. Webb, Secretary San Francisco Convention
League.
The Secretary announced that an invitation had been forwarded
from Washington, D. C.
Delegrate Wilkinson, District 27: I desire to place in nomination one
of the most beautiful cities in America, Washington, D. C. There are
many reasons why we should take the convention to Washington, but it
is needless to enumrate them. One of the chief reasons I might state
is that the government is taking a great interest in the affairs of the
United Mine Workers, and it is possible the United States may be our
employer when we hold our next convention. I therefore place in nomi-
nation Washington, D. C.
Delegate Howat, District 14: I desire to place in nomination one
of the finest cities in America; a city where union men are always wel-
1
1018
eome; where people demonstrmted to the Americmn poblk and to tiie
woridng men that they are really good friends of the woridng: men during
the street car strike some months ago. I therefore plaoe in nominatioD
City, Mo.
Delegate Robinson, District 6: I take pleasure in asking tiiat the
eonrention be takm back to its mother state. I therefore place in nom-
ination Cleveland, Ohio.
Delegate Doyle, District 6: There is a city which is the most beso-
tifnl in the county. One who sees it will never forget it, the city of
Denver, Colorado.
Ddegate Gay, District IS: This seems to be a time ftjft each dele-
0
gate to say something in favor of his own particular city. We have one
of the most progressive towns in the United States, and I wish to place
in nomination Des Moines, Iowa.
Delegate Brown, West Virginia: I desire to have the convention held
in a dty in the state in which I was bom. I therefore desire to second
the nomination of Cleveland, Ohio.
Mr. A. J. Kennedy, secrrtary Chamber of Commerce, Clevdand:
The city of Cleveland is deeply interested in your visiting ns when you
hold your next convention. I have been requested to eztoid to you a
hearty invitation to make that your s^ection. In the midst of the
unusual times which are before us we realize that we can not go to great
expense i% holding convoitions. Cleveland fortunately is so located that
your organization can, with economy in mind, come to our city. It is
located on the main lines between Buffalo and Qiicago, of easy access
from the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Indianapolis gateways through
which your members must traveL
You have changed the date of holding your convention. Cleveland
lies along the shores of Lake Erie, occupying twenty-one miles of that
lake frontage. After your strenuous days of labor in the conventimi you
will have some pleasure in the evening on the cooling shores of Lake Erie.
We want you also to come to Cleveland to see the manner in which
the wage earners of our city are represoited in the affairs of the munici-
pality. There is no avenue of life in Cleveland in which the wage earner
1019
is not represented. We want you while there to investigate for your-
selves the manner in which our municipal authorities have given every
consideration to the welfare of our citizens, particularly the more humble
citizens.
We have more than twenty-five acres of parks. Recently we have
authorized the appropriation of over a million dollars to take care of
our unfortunates. We don't want it, but we decided to have a sanitary
place in which to keep those who are so unfortunate as to have to go
there. Cleveland is deeply interested in the industrial activities of this
country. The iron and steel industries, the ship industry, and, most
important of all, the coal industry are well represented there. I am
charged to extend to the nited Mine Workers of America an invitation to
remove their headquarters to the city of Cleveland. We are in position
to take care of you in any manner. Cleveland already is the head-
quarters of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Enfi^ineers, Brotherhood of
Firemen and Engineers, Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, Inter-
national Lathers' Union, Amalgamated Window Glass Workers, Inter-
national Asbestos Workers. Negotiations are on which promise to bring
to our city the National Letter Carriers' Association and the National
Federal Employes' Association. We want you to become part of us Jind
have a share in our municipal affairs.
Mr. Michael Goldsmith, representing the central labor body of
Cleveland, addressed the convention as follows:
A majority of the delegates know the kind of fellows you will meet
in Cleveland. All the cities that have been nominated are all right, but
we have the best city in the United States for organized labor. From
the mayor down, every one will do everything that can be done to make
your deliberations pleasant. The eats are cheap, the pleasure is plenty,
and we have the only town in the United States where the United Mine
Workers can come and feel at home — with all due resi>ect to the other
cities. I could go on from now until tomorrow morning, but I know you
are tired and want to go home. I invite you to Cleveland in the name of
org^anized labor. I will be on the job, morning, noon and night; I will
have the best committee you ever saw, and I bet when you leave Cleve-
land you will say you want to come back and stay there forever.
Delegate Harlin: I want to second the nomination of Delegate
lOSO
WiUdnaon, thmt the next convention of the United Mine Woii»n of
Aniericm be held in Washington, D. C. I have one or two remaoos for
seconding the nomination that I want to briefly mention. The first
reason is that there is more than a likelihood that before many months
pass the coal mines of America will be operated by the govemment of
the United States. If that should happen the only logical place for tlie
next conventi<m is in Washing:ton, D. C. In the month of September the
cost of transportation to Washington, D. C, will be very little more than
it is to the dty of Indianapolis. I believe it will be a tremendous edoca*
tkn to the members of the United Mine Workers of America to meet in
the capital city of the nation, and it will be an education to the govern-
ment to have the United Mine W^orkers assemble there. For these res-
sons I second the nomination of Washington, D. C.
A risincr ^^te was taken and the tellers announced the following
result:
Cleveland, o07 votes; Kansas City, 239 votes; Washington, 18T
votes; Denver, 13 votes; Des Moines, 10 votes.
Total votes cast, 956. Cleveland havin^^ received a migority of sU
the votes cast, was declared the city in which the next convention would
beheld.
President Hayes: This completes the work of the convention. The
chair desires to state* now that we are about to go to our homes, that I
fed I can compliment the delegates to this convention upon the important
legislation they have enacted. This, in my opinion, has been the most
important conventi<m in the history of the United Mine Workers of
America. I am glad that we have legislated wisely, sanely and well
and in support of our country in these trying times. We have by oar
action in this convention placed our organixation in the front rank of
labor organizations as a patriotic institution. My friends, we have
given to the world our expression of loyalty, and I might say at this
time the success of the war depends in large part upon the United Mice
Workers of America. I know you will go to your homes imbued with
the idea and sen;im«n: to do everything possible to help your country
win this creat war for freedoir. justice and humanity.
1021
The delegation arose and Delegate Walsh of the anthracite field led
in singing: "America."
.At 4:30 Saturday, January 26, the twenty-sixth consecutive and
third biennial convention of the United Mine Workers of America was
adjourned sine die.
1022
RESOLUTIONS PRESENTED BUT NOT ACTED UPON.
RESOLUTION NO. 1.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and TliiH
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
The 'following preamble and resolution was adopted by the Ways
and Means Council of Board Members of District 8 of District 12, at a
meeting held in Pekin on Sunday, December 2, 1917 :
Whereas, The increase in wages that was accepted by our officiali at
Washingrton was absolutely inadequate to meet the present high prices
of the necessaries of life; and
Whereas, Our officials agreed to a penalty clause, thereby changing
the agreement that was ratified by a minority vote of the rank and file,
notwithstanding the fact that resolutions sent to our State and Inter-
national officers only authorized them to request the operators to meet
them in joint conference for the purpose of obtaininif additional increase
in wages to meet the ever-incceasing prices on the necessaries of life axKi
supplies necessary for the production of coal; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we ask the delegates to the next International con-
vention, to be held in Indianapolis on the 15th day of January, 1918, to
repudiate the Washing^ton agreement and consider it not in effect after
the 81st day of March, 1918; and be it further
Resolved, That the International convention proceed as in former
conventions and make new demands ui>on the operators for an additional
increase in wages, to which we are justly entitled, even under the present
government-fixed prices on coal at the mine.
(Signed) THOMAS SHAW, Peoria. THOS. R. NEILL, Secretary,
FRANK JOHNSON, Ellisville, JOE JOHNSON, President
WM. HARTNESS, Norris, WM. HARTNESS, Fin. Sec'y,
Resolutions Committee. Local Union No. 198$.
Similar resolutions were submitted by Local Union 1800, Wesley, 111,
and 1053, Belleville, 111.
Miscellaneous.
1028
RESOLUTION NO. 2.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
The following preamble and resolution was adopted by the Ways
and Means Council of Board Members of District 8 of District 12» at a
meeting held in Pekin on Sunday, December 2, 1917 :
Whereas, It is an undeniable fact that the demands made upon the
operators by our representatives in convention have never been adhered
to because of the fact that a Policy Committee has had the power to set
aside the will of the convention and present demands in keeping with
the ideas of only a few; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the demands made by the highest authority in the
Mine Workers, namely, through our representatives in convention, be the
original demands to go before the operators, and that no Policy Commit-
tee or others will have i>ower to change same without first consulting the
membership through a referendum vote. This alone spells democracy.
(Signed) THOMAS SHAW, Peoria.
FRANK JOHNSON, Ellisville,
WM. HARTNESS, Norris,
Resolutions Committee.
THOS. R. NEILL, Secretary,
JOE JOHNSON, President,
WM. HARTNESS, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 1986.
Similar resolutions were submitted by Local UnioQ 1800, Wesley, 111.,
and 1058, Belleville, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 3.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
The following preamble and resolution was adopted by the Ways
and Means Council of Board Members of District 8 of District 12, at a
meeting held in Pekin on Sunday, December 2, 1917 :
Whereas, The present contract contains a clause that prevents any-
thing being done in district or sub-district conventions that will increase
the cost of production or reduce the earning capacity of the mine, which.
1024
-EfK£. TUikes it impossible to obtain even a hearing: before the oper-
...*r« n :he different sub-districts on the numerous inequalities which
^:>;:: 'hvreiore. be it
:vtfsoLveu. That we ask the delegates to the International convention
J lemzinti rhe abolition of the above clause and under no circumstances
•4:tw :c any proposition submitted by the operators, or any others, with-
ux. .2» ^miiRation of the aforementioned clause, as it has proved itself
:m icznu^un^ bicck in obtaining justice, and to its credit can be traced
av MMi at iuKunteat that exists among a large majority of our mem-
. Signed) THOMAS SHAW, Peoria.
FRANK JOHNSON, Ellisville,
WM. HARTNESS, Norris,
Resolutions Committee.
THOS. R. NEILL, Secretary,
JOE JOHNSON, President
WM. HARTNESS, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 1986.
>;•-» au- -if^^/iutioiw were submitted by Local Union 1800, Wesley, 111..
..v. -.-v. <«»'**■ -i.e. - ■-
RESOLUTION NO. 4.
Eldorado, 111., December 7, 1917.
V ifKn?* > litvi Teie^te* of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
»:vi! ■■ i%. ,*;«i^wi«:cr of the U. M. W. of A.:
\,^a< ^-.c. ''*)a: w^^o the official tellers of any election of officers or
w >x.- ».\ ■^r-,»fn.»*::;cc or other referendum vote taken in District 12,
', % .. V .'s.»v'i* :i*.< ballots or returns from locals and finds errors
. s. M >i>vx'».a^ :iK«: such count of votes be postponed for ten days and
*. . ■ >i»^.xiat >!tv»wr»^ errors be returned to recording secretary of
s . .,. V ■ s -''^'^ orrvTs tor corrections, and at the expiration of ten
» . v 1. i-^ >iia.' .i;f»in convene and count the return of all returns
K.vvs. .%.iv: ovm' secretaries have not returned corrected return
^^.x V. .K4* iJiK". *uch !ocal s vote will not be counted; be it further
V ... .\»x.. ' -I.,. .t;iv 'ocal secretary who has a return sheet sent back
« . «Kx.>x>i>s .iriii he fails to correct same and return it to place
1025
of countins: within the ten days, shall be expelled from office of secretary
Itnd be prohibited from holding such office in the future.
TOM CAMERON, Rec. Sec'y,
ED. KIRK, Fin. Sec'y,
_. ., , .. , ... , , Local Union No. 88.
Sunilar resolutions were submitted by:
Local Union No. 43, Spring Valley, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 5.
Spring Valley, 111., December 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, It is a well known fact that conditions vary to such an
extent in different localities that it is impossible to settle all crrievances
or to adjust all matters that should have consideration in joint confer-
ences when wages and working conditions are under negotiation; there-
fore, be it
Resolved, That the sub-districts be established in the following man-
ner: First, that there be not less than nine sub-districts, and the presi-
dents of the sub-districts, with the three resident officers of District 12,
shall compose the district executive board, and the present method of
having district board members to be abolished ; and be it further
Resolved, That each sub-district have one president, one vice-presi-
dent and one secretary- treasurer, and these three officers shall look after
the field work and settle all cases such as our present Board member, and
in case of disagreement with the commissioner the case shall go to the
joint group Board as at present.
WM. CRAIG, President,
THEO. DESERF, Rec. Sec'y,
LUCIAN DART, Fin. Sec'y,
_. ., ... , ... , , Local Union No. 43.
Similar resolutions were submitted by:
Local Union No. 38, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 1800, Wesley, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
33 —Miner Pro.
1026
RESOLUTION NO. 6.
Eldorado, IlL, December 7, 1917.
To the Oflken and Delegates of tlie Twenty-sixth Conaecntive and TUrd
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, As the present eontraet and the method of handling cua
is very unsatisfactory to oar membership and our records have bseone
bardoied with decisions of long standing; and
Whereas, These decisions in many instances have set aside writtot
terms of the contract as well as killed the spirit of it; and
Whereas, We believe the substituting of Board members* dpinimi
for the written terms of the agreement is bad policy and should be dis-
continued; therefore, be it
Resolved, That our next contract be written more specific and thit
the practice of deciding cases on former decisions be discontinued tad
all cases that shall be handled shall be decided on the merits of the cue
in accordance vrith the contract without regard to past precedents, and
the decisions so reached shall only stand the life of the contract nndtf
which they are rendered.
JOHN HARRELSON, President,
TOM CAMERON, Rec Sec*y,
ED. KIRK, Fin. See'y,
Local Union No. 88.
Similar resolutions were submitted by:
Local Union No. 43, Spring Valley, IlL
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 7.
Spring Valley, III., Deeember 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive snd Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas. The company receives pay for blacksButiiing, and the
miner has to pay extra for other work necessary for thn miner to have
his tools in proper shape to do his work in a workmanlifca manno'; tbcre-
fore, be it
Resolved, That the next agreement shall read: ''Any and all toob
1027
used by the miner to mine coal shall be considered a part of the black-
amithing and shall be repaired, all kinds of bits sharpened, pick handles
put in and all other necessary work done without extra pay."
WM. CRAIG, President,
THEO. DESERF, Rec. Sec'y,
LUCIAN DART, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 48.
Similar resolutions submitted by:
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 8.
Eldorado, 111., December 20, 1917.
■
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutiye and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That the office of district inspector of scales be created.
All applications for the position shall pass a satisfactory examination
before our executive board, and those passing satisfactory examination
shall be submitted to the local union for their election.
O. DEAN, President,
J. H. GOSS, Rec. Sec'y,
JAMES BAIRD, Fin. SecVi
Local Union No. 1865.
Similar resolutions submitted by:
Local Union No. 43, Spring Valley, 111.
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 9.
Spring Valley, 111., December 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Resolved, That overtime be abolished, except in case of extreme
emergency; overtime to be paid for at the rate of time and one-half;
Sundays to be considered overtime.
1026
RESOLUTION NO. 6.
Eldorado, III., December 7, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and TliinI
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, As the present contract and the method of handling csm
is very unsatisfactory to our membership and our records have bseone
burdened with decisions of long standing; and
Whereas, These decisions in many instances have set aside written
terms of the contract as well as killed the spirit of it; and
Whereas, We believe the substituting of Board members' dpinioDS
for the written terms of the agreement is bad policy and should be di^
continued; therefore, be it
Resolved, That our next contract be written more specific and that
the practice of deciding cases on former decisions be discontinued and
all cases that shall be handled shall be decided on the merits of the csie
in accordance with the contract without regard to past precedents, and
the decisions so reached shall only stand the life of the contract ondtf
which they are rendered.
JOHN HARRELSON, President,
TOM CAMERON, Rec Sec'y,
ED. KIRK, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 88.
Similar resolutions were submitted by:
Local Union No. 43, Spring Valley, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 7.
Spring Valley, 111., December 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The company receives pay for blacksnuthing, and the
miner has to pay extra for other work necessary for the miner to have
his tools in proper shape to do his work in a woxionanlike manner; there-
fore, be it
Resolved, That the next agreement shall read: "Any and all tools
1027
iiied by the miner to mine coal shall be considered a part of the black-
smithing and shall be repaired, all kinds of bits sharpened, pick handles
put in and all other neeessary work done without extra pay."
WM. CRAIG, President,
THEO. DESERF, Rec. Sec'y,
LUCIAN DART, Pin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 48.
Similar resolutions submitted by:
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 8.
Eldorado, 111., December 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Resolved, That the office of district inspector of scales be created.
All applications for the position shall pass a satisfactory examination
before our executive board, and those passing satisfactory examination
shall be submitted to the local union for their election.
0. DEAN, President,
J. H. GOSS, Rec. Sec'y,
JAMES BAIRD, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 1866.
Similar resolutions submitted by:
Local Union No. 43, Spring Valley, 111.
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 9.
Spring Valley, 111., December 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That overtime be abolished, except in case of extreme
emergency; overtime to be paid for at the rate of time and one-half;
Sundays to be considered overtime.
1028
Note — Emergency work to be considered endangering life, limb or |
loss of property.
WM. CRAIG, President,
THEO. DESERF, Rec Sec'y,
LUCIAN DART, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 4S.
Similar resolutions submitted by:
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, IlL Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 1986, Norris, 111. Local Union No. 494, Springfield. 111.
Locah Union No. 1800, Wesley, 111. Local Union No. 798, Harrisbnrg, HL
Local Union No. 2650, Harrisburg, III.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 10.
Spring Valley, 111., December 20, 1917.
To the Oflicers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, There is a rate of wages paid at different mines for tiie
same kind of labor, thereby causing trouble among the rank and file;
therefore, be it
Resolved, That we demand a uniform day wage scale througfaoot tiie
district for the different kinds of labor — motormen and trip riders to re-
ceive the same scale; tracklayers and their helpers to receive the same
scale; timbermen and their helpers to receive the same scale; or any two
or more men working at the same kind of work to receive the same scale;
and be it further
Resolved, That the scale of wages paid for such classes: Tracklay-
ers, timbermen, mine examiners, etc., be brought up more on an equality
with motormen and shot firers.
WM. CRAIG, President,
THEO. DESERF, Rec Sec'y,
LUCIAN DART, Pin. Sec'y,
o- 1 IX.. u .XX J i_ Local Union No. 48.
Sunilar resolutions submitted by:
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, III.
Local Union No. 794, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 2650, Harrisburg, III.
Miscellaneous.
y
1029
RESOLUTION NO. 11.
Eldorado, III., December 27, 1917.
3 the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
WhereaSy The fourth clause of the Washing^n supplemental a^nree-
ent provides that, subject to the next biennial convention of the U. M.
'. of A., the Mine Workers' representatives agn^ee that the present con-
act be extended during the duration of the war and not to exceed two
iars from April 1, 1918; and
Whereas, Because of the war the industrial conditions of the mining
orld have been revolutionized to such an extent that from one twelve-
onth i>eriod to another changes such as never could have been predicted
J the most far-sighted men have brought about and driven home to the
ost indifferent and igniorant members; and
Whereas, The only safe and sane method of avoiding making the most
>rious mistake of binding and tjring ourselves down to conditions under
hich there wifl be no relief therefrom; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we go on record as opposing the acceptance of the
rms as provided in the fourth clause, but in lieu thereof advocate a
^elve-month period, effective from April 1, 1918, subject, however, to
e abolition of the understanding that we cannot make other demands
abnormal conditions warrant. ^^ ^. _
ONIE DEAN, President,
J. H. GOSS, Rec. Sec'y,
JAMES BAIRD, Fin. Sec'y,
c,. ., , ^. u x^ J u Local Union No. 1866.
Similar resolutions submitted by:
L. U. 2709, Norris City, 111.
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 12.
Eldorado, III., December 7, 1917.
Whereas, Our National and District Officers in the Central oompeti-
ire field have met and have effected a new contract; and
Whereas, In this contract they have extended the old contract for a
iriod of two years; and
1080
Whereas, They have authorized the establishment of a larger pen-
alty for so-called illegral strikes, while no penalty is to be put on the oper-
ators for their illegal methods of forcing conditions on our members; and
Whereas, We have conditions in the various districts that should be
remedied by men who are conversant with them, not men who do not
know conditions; and
Whereas, A raise in pay without a change in conditions is only a
temporary betterment; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we ask all locals to instruct their delegates to insist
that the local and internal conditions be referred to the different districts
for settlement
JOHN HARRELSON, President,
TOM CAMERON, Rec Sec'y,
ED. KIRK, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 88.
Similar resolutions submitted by:
Local Union No. 992, Zeigler, 111.
Local Union No. 1800, Wesley, 111.
Local Union No. 860, St. David, 111.
Local Union No^ 755, Staunton, 111.
Local Union No. 794, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 2709, Norris City, 111.
Local Union No. 798, Harrisburg, 111.
Lacol Union No. 2650, Harrisburg, HI.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 13.
Eldorado, 111., December 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The tentative agreement carries with it a penalty daose
which provides for a fine for our membership in case of so-called illegal
shutdowns; and
Whereas, There is no penalty provided for the operators for viola-
tion of said contract; and
Whereas, Our membership was not given a chance to accept or reject
1081
this propositioti, which is contrary to the fundamental principles of our
organization ; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we, the miners of Illinois, recommend that the dele-
srates to our International convention vote and oppose the ratification of
the Washing^n agrreement as it now reads.
OKIE DEAN, President,
J. H. GOSS, Rec. Sec'y,
JAMES BAIRD, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 1850.
Similar resolutions submitted by:
Local Un
Local Un
Local Un
Local Un
Local Un
Local Un
Local Un
on No. 493, Nokomis, 111.
on No. 1802, Marysville, 111.
on No. 743, Lebanon, 111.
on No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
on No. 2709, Norris City, lil.
on No. 1053, Eldorado, 111.
on No. 2619, Beckemeyer, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 14.
Spring Valley, 111., December 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That there shall be no differential paid for machines.
WM. CRAIG, President,
THEO. DESERF, Rec. Sec'y,
LUCIAN DART, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 48.
Similar resolutions submitted by:
Local Union No. 992, Zeigler, 111.
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 1797, Edgemont, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, III.
Local Union No. 755, Staunton, 111.
Local Union No. 794, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 2709, Norris City, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 16.
Maraeillaa, IlL, Deeonber 4, 1917.
Ta the OAnn and Dctec^tcs of tlw Twentjr-sizth CoaseeBtirc ud Tli
Bicnnisl Convoitioii of the U. M. W. of A.:
BoDlml, That mtcb boon oavtitiite a day*! woit
CHA5. HOLHAN, PiMident,
FRANK BOULET, Rec Sec>,
HABBY HOLHAN, Fia. S«eV,
Load Union N«. 24^
fti^it*^ rcaolotiona mlM&iUad by :
Local Union No. IlL
Local Union No. lU.
Lo^ Union No. III.
Local UnkHi No. 10.
Local Union No. 1090, New Athens, IlL
Local Unkn No. 1397, Ccntralia, lU.
Local Union No. 1523, Cedar Point, IIL
Local Union No. 297, New Badoi, 10.
Local Union No. lU.
Local Union No. 565.
Local Union No. 2425, Vinlen. lU.
Local Union No. 1797, Edgemont, IlL
Local Union No. 2837, Carrier MUls. 10.
Local Union No. 1053, EOiariOe, IIL
Local Union No. 493, Coaltoo, 111.
Local Union No. 109, lU.
I^eal Union No. 438,
Local Cniui No. IIL
Local Union No.
Local Union No. 1800,
Local Union No. 1865,
Local Union No. 563, E. Peoria. IIL
Local Union No. 844, Mnddy, lU.
Local Union No. 10.
Loot Union No. 413, IIL
Local Union No. 755, SUnnton, IIL
Local Union No. T»4, Eldorado, IIL
1088
Local Union No. 1470, Benton, 111.
Local Union No. 2650, Harrisburg, 111.
Local Union No. 798, Harrisburg, 111.
Local Union No. 1677, Eldorado, HI.
Local Union No. 1421, Buckner, 111.
Local Union No. 895, Roanoke, III.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 16.
Eldorado, UL, December 27, 1917.
Whereas, The question of working conditions over, above and aside
from the question of a wage scale has been a bone of contention between
the miners and operators since the inception of the Mine Workers' or-
ganization; and
Whereas, The Washington supplementary agreement in its terms, if
ratified without an amendment along the lines making provisions for
agreeing on working conditions, will shut out the opportunity of any im-
provement in our working conditions; therefore, be it
Resolved, That all delegates to the National convention fight for the
consideration of working conditions as a part of the new contract.
ONIE DEAN, President,
J. H. GOSS, Rec. See'y>
JAMES BAIRD, Fin. Sec'y,
Local UnioQ No. 1865.
Similar resolution submitted by:
Local Union No. 125, Mt. Olive, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 17.
Coalton, til., December 26, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, It is becoming a practice more and more each jrear for
miners in District No. 12, U. M. W. of A., to have their dinner buckets
fixed and then walk a distance of from one to three miles to find out
whether or not there is work; and
Whereas, Thousands of dollars of food is spoiled and wasted an-
1084
nually, and especlAlly now in time of war, when the govemmeBt is
requesting, housewives to economise on food, and this practice is also
causing much unnecessary work to be performed; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the miners of the state demand a definite under-
standing as to work the next day, notice of same to be posted st the
mine top each evening.
EWALD SANDNER, Preaident,
JAS. HEBRON, Rec Sec^t
L. RAMSEY, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 498.
Similar resolution submitted by:
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, IlL
Local Uni^n No. 748, Lebanon, lU.
Local Union No. 2709, Norris City, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 1058, EUisville, lU.
Local Union No. 2619, Beckemeyer, HI.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 18.
Eldorado, Hi, December 11, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Tw^ity-sizth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, The mines are hoisting a much larger tonnage st the
present time than they did when the price for Blacksmithing was levied
on the ton, in fact we are paying the entire Blacksmithing force, which
is not justice; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we demand a reduction of three-tenths (3-lOc) cents
per ton for Blacksmithing.
TOM CAMERON, Rec. Sec'y,
ED. KIRK, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 88.
Similar resolution submitted by :
Local Union No. 43, Spring Valley, 111.
Local Union No. 493, Springfield, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
1085
RESOLUTION NO. 19.
Marseilles, 111., December A, 1917.
'o the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U, M. W. of A.:
Whereas, There is a differential of four (4c) cents per tm in the
lininsr rate which was granted to some particular mines in Southern
ilinois s<»ne years back; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we demand that the four (4c) cent differential in
outhem Illinois be left an open question in the next interstate a^pree-
lent.
CHARLES HOLMAN, President.
FRANK BOULEY, Rec. Sec'y,
HARRY HOLMAN, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 240.
Similar resolution- submitted by:
Local Union No. 52, Centralia, 111.
Local Union No. 106, Dumfemline, 111.
Local Union No. 992, Zeigler, 111.
Local Union No. 1397, Centralia, 111.
Local Union No. 1090, New Athens, III
Local Union No. 1523, Cedar Point, 111.
Local Union No. 297, New Baden, 111.
Local Union No. 1213, Farminc^ton, 111.
Local Union No. 565, Equality, 111.
Local Union No. 2425, Virden, 111.
Local Union No. 2837, -Carrier Mills, 111.
Local Union No. 1653, EUisville, 111.
Local Union No. 493, Coalton, 111.
Local Union No. 109, Assumption, 111.
Local Union No. 2840, Middlegrrove, 111.
Local Union No. 438, Equality, 111.
Local Union No. 621, Sandoval, 111.
Local Union No. 1800, Peoria, 111.
Local Union No. 563, East Peoria, 111.
Local Union No. 843, Muddy, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 1802, Marysville, 111.
1086
Local Unioo No. 413, Sprmcfield, OL
Locml Unkm No. 7S5. SUimtoii, ID.
Loeml Unkm No. 4M. Sprmgfteld, m.
Local Union No. 796, Harrisbiirr, ID.
Loeal Unkm No. 1677, Eldorado, DL
Local Unkm No. 1421, Bnckncr, DL
RESOLUTION NO. 20.
Eldorado, UL, January 2, 1918.
To tlie Oflkers and IMegatcs of die Twenty-oxth ConsecntiTe and Third
Biennial ConTentkm of the U. M. W. of A.:
Renl^ed, That overtime be aboliahed, except in eaae of extzeme
cmersencj; overtime to be paid for at the rate of time and one-half;
Svndays to be considered overtime.
Note: — Emergoicy work to be eonsidered endangcrinsr life, lhri>
or loat of property.
CLAUD TODD, Prendoit,
JAS. CUFFORD, Rec See'y,
HARRY KENNEDY, Fin. See'jr,
Local Unkm No. 794.
Similar resolution submitted by:
Local Union No. 755, Staunton, IlL
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 21.
Spring VaUey, IlL, December 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The sevmth (7th> clause of the State Agreement reeds,
''Paydays shall be on the 15th and 80th of each monttk** and
Whereas, The high cost of living makes it hard for a miner to live
two weeks on his pay; therefore, be it
1087
Reeolved, That the next contract shall read that "Payday shall be
ery Saturday at 2:30 p. m., with a half day off on Saturday."
WM. CRAIG, President^
THEODORE DESERF, Rec. Sec'y*
LUCIAN DART, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 48.
Similar resolution submitted by:
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, III
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 791, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 494, Springfield, Dl.
Local Union No. 798, Harrisburg, HI.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 28.
Spring Valley, 111., December 20, 1917.
0 the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutiye and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, The evolution of the mining industry has developed mine
irs of from three to five ton capacity, instead of small cars that used
) prevail; and
Whereas, We believe that these big cars should l>e handled by
.otors or mules, instead of pushing by men; therefore, be it
Resolved, That our next contract prohibit the practice of pushing
irs, either loaded or empty, and the company be required to deliver
le cars at the working face.
WM. CRAIG, President,
THEO. DESERF, Rec. Sec'y,
LUCIAN DART, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 48.
Similar resolution submitted by:
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union 794, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 798, Harrisburg, 111.
Local Union No. 2650, Harrisburg, 111.
Miscellaneous.
1088
RESOLUTION NO. 24.
Spring VaUey, III, December 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Conseentive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Res<dved, That when a member is discharged, he be allowed to eoD-
tinue at work until the case is finally settled.
WM. CRAIG, President,
THEO. DESERF, Rec. Sec'y,
LUCIAN DART, Fin. Sec'y.
Local Union No. 48.
Similar resolution submitted by:
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 26.
Eldorado, 111., December 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The low coal question in Saline, White and GaUatin cotm-
ties has been and is now an injustice to the miners of the above nsiied
counties, namdy, all coal five feet and under shall be five cents addi-
tional on the ton, but not to apply to Saline, White or Gallatin countisB;
therefore, be it
Resolved, That all coal five feet and under in the above nsmed
counties be paid the five cents additional on the ton.
ONIE DEAN, President,
J. H. GOSS, Rec. Sec'y,
JAMES BAIRD, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 1866.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 29.
Spring Valley, 111., December 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Local conditions in mines are being changed ftrom time
1089
> time by joint dedsiona, thereby in time losing what local conditions
ere in favor of onr membership; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we demand that the operators meet with repre-
intatives of the miners in Sab-District Joint Ck>nference, for the pur-
>se of adjusting local conditions.
WM. CRAIG, President,
THEO. DESERF, Rec. Sec'y,
LUCIAN DART, Fin. See'y,
Local Union No. 48.
Similar resolution submitted by:
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 80.
Spring Valley, 111., December 20, 1917.
o the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That this local union send only delegates to conventions
ho will pledge themselves to support instructions of this local union,
ny delegate not observing their instructions to be immediately re-
eled.
WM. CRAIG, President,
THEO. DESERF, Rec. Sec'y,
LUCIAN DART, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 48.
Similar resolution submitted by:
Local Union No. 88, Eldorado, 111.
Local Union No. 860, St. David, 111.
Local Union No. 1865, Eldorado, 111.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 81.
Eldorado, 111., December 27, 1917.
o the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, We believe it to be to our best interests to have our
'istrict Convention convene prior to the International Convention, in
1040
order that we may be able to formulate our plans and to xanfj oor
efforts as a district as a whole, instead of each local union makiBS
different demands and fighting for them separately as at present, and
in order to protect the welfare of the membership and to promote prog-
ress; therefore, be it
Resolved, That our District Constitution be so amended to provide
for the holding of our District Convention just prior to the Interur
tional Convention.
ONIE DEAN, President,
J. H. GOSS, Rec. Sec'y,
' JAMES BAIRD, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 1865.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 32.
Eldorado, III., Deconber 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, A condition exists in the majority of solid shooting mines
that rooms and entries are worked single; and
Whereas, That system is a benefit to the coal companies in isfe-
gruarding their property; and
Whereas, It is also an advantage to the miners; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we ask that this resolution be referred to the Scale
Committee and have same adopted in our next District Convention as
a condition, as same is a benefit to both parties involved.
ONIE DEAN, President,
J. H. GOSS, Rec. Sec'y,
JAMES BAIRD, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Uni<Hi No. 1865.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 36.
Spring Valley, 111., December 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Be it Resolved, That when a machine mined coal loader is sent
1041
into another place to load coal, he be paid for carrying his tools to said
place, for the time lost in so doing.
WM. CRAIG, President,
THEO. DESERF, Rec. Sec'y,
LUCIAN DART, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 43.
Miscellaneoas.
RESOLUTION NO. 37.
Novinger, Mo., December 22, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The semi-monthly pay period has been a bone of con-
tention for many years; and
Whereas, It is causing many hardships to be heaped upon the
miners; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we demand a weekly pay.
Signed in behalf of Local Union No. 1442.
JAS. MOONEY, President.
W. B. MILLER, Rec. Sec'y.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 38.
Novinger, Mo., December 22, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
f
Whereas, The high cost of living has become so great that it is
impossible for the coal miner to meet the necessaries of life; and
Whereas, The necessaries of life have advanced over 100 per cent;
and
Whereas, The coal miner's wages in the Novinger field have only
advanced about 20 per cent., wliile if they had received the same
advance as the day and monthly men they should have received 42
cents per ton; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we demand 22 cents per ton advance for all mine
run coal.
1042
RMpeetf ally lubmitted in b^alf of Local Union No« 1442.
JAS. MOONBY, President.
W. B. MILLER, Rec Soe'y.
MitcelUneouB.
RESOLUTION NO. 89.
Spring Valley, 111., December 20, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth ConsecutiYe and Tbird
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The miners of the long wall work in northern Illmoii
have considerable trouble in handling slate coming with the coal, espe-
cially in machine territory; and
Whereas, The miners are getting no compensation for same; then-
fore, be it
Resolved, That the miners demand compensation for every bit of
slate coming with coal.
WM. CRAIG, President,
THEO. DESERF, Rec. Sec'y,
LUCIAN DART, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 43.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 48.
Ward, Iowa, November 26, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, There has been much dissatisfaction among the rank snd
file concerning shot firing and blacksmithing; and*"
Whereas, That we have always paid our shoi-firers and Usck*
smiths; and
Whereas, This work is to the interest of the coal company; be it
Resolved, That we demand coal companies to pay bUckamitiis sxkI
shot firers.
ROBERT DOBSON, President
T. R. BOMLARD, Rec See'y.
Indorsed by Local Union No. 2880.
Miscellaneous.
1048
RESOLUTION NO. 44.
Fredericktown, Pa.» December 6, 1917.
Reaolved, That all miners get an increase of 26 per cent on ma-
chine and pick mining.
Resolved, That we get paid for all slate from 1 inch up.
Resolved, That all cars be brought to a man's face.
Resolved, That all narrow work in pillows and stumps be paid
yardage, 12 feet for pick mining and 14 feet for machine work.
Resolved, For a six-hour workday and four hours on Saturday.
Resolved, To do away with all lines that are in existence now.
Resolved, That the miners get paid every two weeks; no more
three-week pays.
Resolved, That the miners get 12 cents for every post that a man
sets and draws.
JOHN SLIFKO,
JOE PRELOSNIGK,
FRED STERBEN,
FRED FISHER,
ROBERT NUSHAM,
Resolutions Committee.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 45.
Gillespie, lU., October 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
We recommend the following resolutions:
Where a mine is developed all machines shall be placed on the day
shift, the determining of whether a mine is developed shall be left to
a joint committee appointed by the convention.
That the company shift the track next to the face for machine
men sufficient to unload and load machines.
Where a machine has to move over six hundred (600) feet, men
shall be compensated for same and that the company shall take all
sights.
1044
That no more than two (2)^ rooms be worked off of one (1) room
road. And that every tenth (10) room turned off of stub entry, that
track be laid through cross-cut to cut off long move for machine.
We demand that the company cannot put over two hundred (200)
feet of cable on machine. And any time machine men lose time for
impurities in cutting he shall be compensated for same.
We recommend that sufficient cages be run at mid-forenoon and
mid-afternoon to hoist all men waiting on bottom to get up.
We recommend that switches be laid in cross-cuts ma soon as cot
and move switches up to cross-cut nearest to face in last room in
entry.
That we demand that not more than thirteen (18) loaders shall
load coal at any time after the Brest machine, and not more than twoD-
ty-three (28) loaders shall load coal after the short wall machine.
We demand that the operator shall not make any attonpt to m-
crease the number of machines after the mine has been developed.
,We demand that in all cases of accidents occurring in or around
the mine the company shall furnish either automobile, handcar, hone
and buggry or either conveyance in order to take home the person or
persons injured. When any employe of the company has to take home
the injured the company shall pay to said party the sum of five dollan
($5.00) for such accommodation.
We demand that all machinists and electricians in or around tiie
mine be compelled to belong to the organization.
We demand that all coal companies pay from 9:00 to 12:00 a. m.
and from 1:00 to 6:00 p. m. on pay days.
We demand yardage for all places driven under thirty (80) feet
wide, and company pay for all bottoms taking up after the short wall
or Brest machine.
We demand three and one-half of the seven cent9 differential be-
tween miners and coal company.
We demand that there be a separate hoist independent from the
main shaft to hoist men at any time.
We demand that the operators ehall make no demands to increase
the number of loaders after the machines.
We demand that no fines shall be imposed on miners by the oper-
ators, when it is imposed for a violation of a certain dauae, and on
1045
the other hand the miner is living up to the clauses and rights of other
clauses, or where the rights and privileges conflict the one with the
other.
We demand that the operator shall pay to each employe the smn
of five dollars ($5.00) when it is proven that the operators, by using
falsehoods, and perjuring themselves to obtain any advantage over
the U. M. W. of A., or by these falsehoods seek to obtain some new
condition which the contract does not provide.
We demand that firemen and ash wheelers be paid five dollars
($5.00) per shift. That all day labor underground shall be paid as
follows: Trappers and greasers, $5.00; all other day labor, $5.00.
That we demand where the operator asks anyone who has been
assigned a place at the face and they call upon the said miner to come
out and do any other class of day labor, that he be paid the amount
equal to what he would have made at the face.
That we demand that where a member of the U. M. W. of A. is
asked to go into wet places, including the cleaning of sump, the com-
pany shall provide a full outfit of rubber boots, hat, jacket and pants.
When his work is finished it is agn>^eed that those having done the work,
their shift will be through.
That we demand eight (8) hours, from bank to bank, to consti-
tute a day's work.
That we demand that all road coal be turned over to the check-
weighman fund, that all main haulage roadways, and stub entries,
rooms, shall be kept clear of any obstructions, low roof timbers, props,
pillars, where the above comes in contact with the loaders' cars. The
company shall repair the same, on notice given by the miners, inside
of one week.
That we demand that in rooms where cross-cuts are prevented
from being cut and worked on account of the next room not having
been started that they agree to allow the loaders that are in rooms
where such cross-cuts are to be worked and said room is stopped, that
these loaders go back into the cross-cut in the room that was stopped
and work the cross-cut.
That we demand that in all shafts or mines where a brother has
been killed, or an accident to a brother, which may result in death, or
even where the mines work on funeral days, no matter from what
1
1046
caoae, th« operator shall pay to the deceased relatives the snm of
1200.00.
Adopted by Local Union No. 2219, U. M. W. of A.
FULLBRTON FULTON, President.
IKE ROWLAND, Fin, Sec'y,
WM. PRICE, Sec'y.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 46.
Chariton, Iowa, December 10, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
The following resolution was adopted unanimously by Chariton Local
Union 1983 on the 10th of December, 1917 :
Whereas, We believe and know that the Mine Workers of America
are entitled to a raise in wages to meet the ever-increasing cost of living;
therefore, be it
Resolved, That we demand an increase in wages of 15 cents per ton
pick and machine mined coal, 90 cents per day for company men and 15
per cent, advance on yardage and all other work. We also wish to ex-
press our appreciation for the way and manner in which ex-President
John P. White and the other officials of our organization secured for w
the last two advances in wages. Respectfully,
C. C. GIBBONS.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 49.
Arnold City, Pa., December 17, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, Since the introduction of the short wall machines in the
district the miners have been compelled to load coal after them in ribs
and stumps under all kinds of conditions, and if a man is working in a
room and the mine foreman comes in his room and tells him to go in a
rib or stump to load out a cut of coal after the short wall machine and
he refuses to go on account of bad roof or no place to put his slate, the
mine foreman will danger off his room and let the man stay home until
1047
he is starved and ready to come back and load out that cut of coal in that
rib or stomp, whichever it may be, and after the machine man has loaded
out the machine coal the pick man has to shoulder his toola and carry
them from one side of the mine to the other to take out the back stamps
that the machine left, and sometimes it takes him two hours to more his
tools, for which he receives no pay; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the officers and delegates in this convention assem-
bled provide ways and means to discontinue this practice.
FRANK LEITHOLD, President,
JAMES WALSH, Secretary,
S. H. UNDERWOOD, Rec. Sec'y*
Local Union No. 92.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 50.
Arnold City, Pa., December 17, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The last agreement reads that two loaders shall have two
rooms and work together in one until same is cleaned up so as not to
interfere with or delay cutters. This does not apply to ribs, stumps, pil-
lars or entries. *
Whereas, The mine committee at the Arnold No. 2 Mine and the
district officials have not been able to enforce this clause in the agree-
ment; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the new agreement just read "that two loaders shall
have two rooms under all kinds of conditions," be enforced.
FRANK LEITHOLD, President,
JAMES WALSH, Secretary,
S. H. UNDERWOOD, Rec. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 92.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 52.
Murphysboro, 111., December 15, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Because of a decision rendered in 1912 by Board Member
1048
Childttv and Commissioner Cahill there is an unneeeasaiy dispari^ in
the division of the machine mining rate between the machine men sad
loaders amoontinfi: to $2.08 per day before the operators ^aiaed the price
of paper and squibfe, which would further widen the discrepancy. And
Whereas, As this gives the machine men an unfair advantage over
the loader that is especially noticeable when the work is dull and the
high cost of living is such that it places the loader in an embarrassing
condition when he undertakes the task of paying his bills, it reflects on
his integrity and honesty and makes the machine man look much his su-
perior; therefore, be it
Resolved, That this convention refer this matter to the Illinois Sctle
Committee with instructions to set aside the above said decision sad
make a fair rate, one that will do justice to both machine man and
loader.
Adopted by Local 2368, U. M. W. of A.
JOE LOFTUS, Delegate.
FRANK REEVES, Secretary.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 54.
Fayetteville, W. Va., Deconber 5, 1917.
To the Oflicers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, A number of our brothers are changing jobs from time
to time; and
Whereas, They have been placed in an embarrassing position a
great many times by not being able to get their transfer cards from
their local on account of not giving the local secretary their descripti<xi
when they send for a card, and believing as we do that it would be a
great help to the local secretaries by having a membership roll book, so
that when a brother writes for his transfer card that the secretary can
turn to his membership roll book and gret the brother's description and
fill out the brother's transfer card properly and forward it to him with-
out further trouble; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the delegates of this convention go on record as in-
structing the International Executive Board to furnish all local unions
1049
with membership roll books, same to be charged for on the same basis
as other local supplies.
Respectfully submitted by the members of Local Union No. 2898,
U. M. W. of A., South Fayette, Fayette County, West Virginia.
L. M. McNeil,
M. L. HITCHCOCK,
W. W. STEVENSON,
Committee.
Referred to Resolutions Committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 57.
Hazel Kirk, Pa., Deconber 17, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Following are the grievances of Local Union No. 1477, District No. 6 :
That all miners working in wet places shall receive the wages of 60c
more than the driver and be furnished tools and explosives free of
charge.
That all miners working in wide work shall receive 10c per square
yard per inch of slate, whether it is grubbed or loaded on cars.
That all posts set by the miner shall be paid for at 26c each.
That the miners shall be paid for laying the road in their working
places. Be it
Resolved, That the Scale Committee at the next conference will
defend this resolution to better our condition.
Whereas, The miners have been compelled to push the empty cars in
their working places; and
Whereas, By doing such work a good many of them have been killed
in the Pittsburgh district; therefore, be it
Resolved, That our next agreement be such that the miners shall
receive their empties in their working places.
Whereas, The system of discrimination used by the coal operators
against members of our local unions who take an active part in the or-
ganization has become a matter of serious question to our organization;
and
Whereas, The operators in some places have even went so far as to
have blacklists drawn up ; therefore, be it
1050
RMolved, That before the signing of another agreement we demand
from the operators the clause in our next agreement that each miw
vorkar be given his turn of work at any mine he makes application for
work; providing said mine worker can fill said work that may become
vacant
In case the Mine Committee takes any cases up with the mine fore-
man or superintendent, if the boep is found guilty, then the operator has
to pay the cost of losing time.
The miners pay, according to the contract, too much for the black-
smithing.
All the resolutions were accepted at the local meeting on the ITtii
day of December, 1917.
JAMES RIACH, President,
SAML. KIKSGHMER, Fin. Sec*y,
FRANK BUTLER.
Local Union No. 1477, Haiel Kirk, Pa.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 64.
Murphjrsbore, 111., December 15, 1917.
1*0 the Ofllcers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Hiennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We, the Resolutions Committee appointed by Local Union 605, do
h«»r«by beg to submit the following:
Resolved, That Article 9, page 6, be added thereto, two places to one
man.
(The above article is found in the agreement expiring March 81,
1918.)
Resolved, That Article 13, page 6, be added thereto, Jackson County.
(The above article is found in the agreement expiring March 81,
1918.)
JOSEPH BURGESS.
FRED BIGGS, Secretary.
Miscellaneous.
L
1061
RESOLUTION NO. 65.
Blanford, Ind.» December 21, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Ck>nseciitiye and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Resolved, That oar Local Union 8041 is not in favor of keeping so
many organizers in the field in time of war. And be it further
Resolved, That our Local Union No. 3041 is not in favor of keeping
so many board members in time of war. And be it further
Resolved, That our local is in favor of discharging one-third of the
national organizers and one-third of the district and national board
members. Be it
Resolved, That our national and district officers give a financial re-
port to aU local unions every three months. Be it
Resolved, That if any dispute comes up about wages to settle
it there, and not put it to a referendum vote. Leave each delegate vote
for his own local. Be it
Resolved, That we don't take the foreign languages out of The United
Mine Workers Journal, as quite a number of foreigners take the paper
and read it. And be it further
Resolved, That we put one or more of the foreign languages in the
paper than there is now.
JOE MARCINKO, President
ANDREW MARCINKO, Recording Secretary.
THOMAS KEHOE.
JOE MARIETTA.
Referred to Resolutions Conunittee.
RESOLUTION NO. 70.
Buxton, Iowa, December 24, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, We, the members of Local Union No. 1799, U. M. W. of A.,
located at Buxton, Iowa, take this method of appealing to the convention
in reference to the price paid per ton for mining coal in Iowa. We
\
nmBmt the coaditioii of tiie cuunUj at the pr—tpt time and we befiefc
tlMse it no Inandi of labor that is any nMm patriotie than the miaas «f
Iowa; therefore, be it
Beaulied, That the eonventioD act in eonjnnctioB witt tbm icmIs-
tioa. We, the miners of Iowa, can say widwat cnntradictioB ttat the
priee now paid per ton for <<*gg™g eoal is not in parallri with the price
now paid day labor, and we all know the priee paid for day labor is noc
in aeeordanee with the present eost of tiring; so it is piain to see tbt
almost unbearable condition it places die ouners of lowm in; thcre&re
we bdieve it the duty of tiie eonrcntion and Intematiooal oflkjeis to vk
afl homraUe means in seenrinc an increase per ton.
J. a HUNT.
J. 6. ROD6ESS,
THO&UGHAN,
RESOLUTION NO. 7S.
Monarch, Wyo., December 17, 1917.
To the Oflktts and Deiesates of the Twcnty-airth Conseiutiie and Ttuni
Biennial Contention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resotred, Tkat the International Constitvtiaa be printBd in Tizi-
Resolved, That we. the SMmbers of Local No. 230, donsnd the
card system be installed in all miion fields; tiiat men with anion csrds
be first to start to work.
A. M. JOHNSON, President
ELMER McELROT, Secretary..
Referred to ResohitKms ConmuttBe.
RESOLUTION NO. 81.
Frcdci icikto wn. Pa., Decessber 21, 1917.
To the Officers asd Delesrmtes of the Twenty-sixth Consecntrne snd Third
Bietinia: Convention of the U. M. W. of A-:
We. the Resolations Committee from Local Union No. 688L adopted
the foQowic^ resolutions: Be it
1068
Resolved, That we instruct the delegates at the international conven-
tion to demand an establishment of a fifth pool. Be it
Resolved, That we demand a third pool base at the fifth pool. Be it
Resolved, That we demand all the non-union mines in the fifth pool
to be organized at the first opportunity. Be it
Resolved, That we demand eight hours work from bank to bank.
Beit
Resolved, That we demand pay for all the slate removed that has to
be removed. Be it
Resolved, That we demand the continuation of run of mine system.
Beit
Resolved, That we demand no increase in powder.
STEVE BARTOSH, Secretary.
FRED GENITT.
JOSEPH ZAIR.
CESARE SERUGKETTI.
GEORGE RATICA.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 83.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, The Government, by its recent actions of adjusting disputes
between capital and labor, is making the relationship of the capitalists
and the workers assume a political character; and
Whereas, With the development of this relation in the future the
economic action and struggle of the trade union movement will give place
to political action and struggle; and
Whereas, Just as the trade union' movement in other countries was
compelled to adopt independent political action in order to meet this new
relationship to more successfully fight the battles of the workers and in-
sure a greater share of economic justice; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we, the members of the U. M. W. of A., in convention
assembled, call upon our delegates at the next convention of the A. F. of
1054
L. to favor indepeiideiit politieal action of the workers ao that a ptrty
may be formed wfaoie role and fanction in Ameriem poUtici will be dmi-
lar to that of the Independent Labor party in Britain.
LOCAL UNION NO. 876.
Referred to ReaolotionB Committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 86.
To the OiBcerB and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutiye and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The constitutiMi is printed only in tiie Rngliah laofnage;
and
Whereas, There are many foreigners within the folds of the U. M.
W. of A. who do not understand English; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Constitution of the U. M. W. of A. be written in
the Italian and Slavish languages.
LOCAL UNION NO. 376.
Referred to Resolutions Committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 86.
Avery, Iowa, Deeember 21, 1917.
To the Offleers and Delegates of the Twen^-sizth Conseevtive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Under a capitalistic system the woridag dass receives
in wages only enough for their existmce, and all inteUigvit woridng
people recognize that fact; and
Whereas, We learn from history that whenever the wages of the
worldng class was insufficient for their maintenanee, tfisn ndfcsl
changes often took place in governments, with aeeomxianying horras,
such as took place in France and more than likely is taking ^aee in
Russia today; and
Miliereas. The wages of the coal miners in partkoiar have not
kept step with the increase in the cost of living; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we petition our national and district officers, and
the convention as a whole, to do all in their power to open the eyes
of the coal operators and of other employers of labor to the dang^er-
ous course that they are pursuing; and be it further
Resolved, That the members of this local union have the welfare
of the country as a whole at heart and should deplore any disturbance
in the labor world that would in any way aid its foreign enemies.
£[• £•
Referred to Resolutions Committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 87.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, The high cost of living makes it absolutely necessary that
a man with a family must receive for his labor a certain amount of
wages per day in order that he may support his family in a raspeetable
way; and
Whereas, The wages for so-called skilled inside labor is $5 per day;
and
Whereas, When the turn goes slow the miner, the man who digs the
coal, cannot bring his wages up to |6 per day; therefore, be it
Resolved, That a minimum wage be established, said minimum wage
to be no less than |5 per day for all miners and inside labor.
JOHN BILTERMAN, President
R. C. GAILEY, SecreUry.
L. U. No. 242, Avery, Iowa, December 18, 1917.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 90.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Submitted by L. U. 2896 and L. U. 8574 of Klein, Mont.
Resolved, That seven hours constitute a day's work, and that we be
paid weekly with Saturday afternoons off with full pay. Be it
Resolved, That overtime be paid for at the rate of time and a half;
Sundays to be considered overtime. Be it
\
1066
Resolved, That the operators be prohibited from changinir * m*n
f roQi one class of labor to another unless it is agreeable with the betl
and the one so changed. Be it
Resolved, Where practical the laborers be permitted to work in pain.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 92.
Caryville, Tenn., December 19, 1917.
Mr. Wm. Green, Secretary and Treasurer, Indianapolis, Ind. :
Dear Sir and Brother — The following is the grievances of Red Ash
Local Union No. 8643, U. M. W. of A :
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixl^ Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
1. We want the cut-off system through the office.
2. And any man working his place out gets any absent place in
the mines.
3. We want pay by the inch for room work, bottom and top dirt
4. When an entry is driven in a rock strata over and above t
lone entry height we want pay by the inch.
6. All air ways and room necks we want pay by the inch.
6. All slate that falls we want cleaned up by the day men.
7. And all mine tracks to be laid by the company.
8. And the company to put the cars to and from the working place.
9. And the company to place trappers at each and every door in
the mines.
10. And the company to pay for all water and double the price
according to the water.
11. And we want all timbers set by the company.
12. We want all coal paid for according to the height.
13. And all coal measured every two weeks.
14. And all yardage measured every two wedcs.
15. And room necks and room widening to be paid by yard.
16. And all day men leaving from the starting point, to and from,
on the company's time.
1057
17. And man trips pulled promptly or set time it shall leave.
18. And all employes start and stop at the set time, eight hours per
day.
19. And an increase in general wages.
20. Reduced house rent and fuel.
21. And we want the solid closed shop.
22. Not to be boycotted from one job to the other of different com-
panies.
23. Trolley wire to be in fifty feet of heading.
R. E. WALKER, President,
MOSE LOVETT, Secretary,
L. U. 8643.
24. We want a mine superintendent who will not curse the men and
committees to whom we can- take a grievance.
25. We want the company to be responsible for days men are thrown
off on account of coal not being cut.
26. We want all work in transit of coal stopped at the end of eight
hours on account of no pay after the eight hours.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 95.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, John H. Walker was a candidate for the position of
International President of the United Mine Workers of America in
the election held December 12, 1916; and
Whereas, John H. Walker had sufficient evidence to prove that
the laws governing the election of International officials were violated
and that votes were cast in said election in direct violation of the In-
ternational Constitution; and
Whereas, John H. Walker filed a protest to the International
Executive Board and the International Tellers against such votes be-
ing counted and asked the International Executive Board to make an
investigation of the violations of the election laws; and
Whereas, The International Executive Board refused to make an
34 MPro.
1058
investigation and ascertain whether or not the laws governing the
election of International officials had been complied with, notwith-
standing the fact that John H. Walker had sufficient evidence to prove
that certain local unions had violated the election laws; therefore,
be it
Resolved, That this convention make an exhaustive investigation
of the fraud alleg^ed to have been practiced in the election held Deceoh
ber 12, 1916, by a committee of four, two to be appointed by Interna-
tional President Hayes and two to be appointed by John H. Walker,
the expense to be borne by the International organization, and if it
is proven that the laws governing the election of international c^kitls
were not complied with that the conunittee have the power and tie
instructed to make a canvass of the vote and throw out the votes of
any local union where the laws governing the election of IntematioDal
officials were not complied with, and if it is proven that the migority
of votes that were cast in harmony with the laws governing the elle^
tion of International officials that John H. Walker was elected Inter-
national President that he assume the position of International Pree-
ident and be paid his salary from April 1, 1917.
D. A. FRAMPTON.
Referred to Resolutions Committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 98.
Lawrence, Pa., December 31, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, In past years much has been said and done in the interest
of wage increases while the all-important question of better conditions
has been made a secondary matter, much to the discomfiture of the miner
during scale periods, especially in this district. No. 5; and
Whereas, Believing that it is best to leave well enough alone, as far
as standard wages are concerned, and put more effort into securing bet-
ter conditions, which, if obtained, are bound to be more acceptable than
a slight wage increase; therefore, be it
1059
Resolved, That the membership of Local Union No. 1198 of Lawrence,
Pa., through its delegate, urge the convention and Scale Committee to
demand the following concessions:
First. That all slate shall be paid for from the coal up and at the
same rate as is now paid for what is over 12 inches in entries and double
for rooms.
Second. That electric cap lamps be furnished free, the same as any
other safety lamp.
Third. That a reasonable percentage be paid to the miner using
permissible explosives who, while working under the same scale as the
miner using black powder, as he has an expense account for explosives
of about 400 per cent, more than the man with black powder, not to men-
tion the additional work.
Fourth. That a minimum day's wag:e be established for loaders and
diggers as a safeguard against the overcrowding of mines.
Fifth. That something be done to bring the mule driver closer to
the eight-hour day, remembering that he must report at the stable at
6 oVlock a. m. and that it is almost 5 o'clock p. m. when he leaves same;
and be it further
Resolved, That the Resolutions Committee while acting on this reso-
lution is asked to give it careful consideration, for while it may not be
literally perfect, it is a workingman's bundle effort at asking for justice.
LEWIS MINEWISER, President,
THOMAS MYERSCOUGH, Rec. Sec'y,
MORGAN REESE, Fin. Sec'y,
Resolutions Committee.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 99.
Vestaburg, Pa., District 5.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, Much suffering is caused by men not being provided with
work through having water in their place, not cut or any other cause not
the miner's fault; be it
Resolved, That a man be provided with a day's work when there is
no work for him at the face or a day's pay in lieu of same. Be it
1060
Resolved, That we seek to have all slate removed at the rate of dty
work. Be it further
Resolved, That we seek to have all track laid by the company to aD
working places. Be it
Resolved, That in case a mine is closed down all the old hands are to
be employed first before hiring any strangers.
Whereas, Much inconvenience and suffering is caused to our mem-
bers by companies with a large number of mines closing one of tiiose
mines down and families having to move from mine to mine at the op-
erator's will. Be it
Resolved, That an average number of days be worked at each miae
belonging to the same company.
Whereas, The providing of the penalty clause in the last scale being
made compulsory at all mines, thus taking away our liberty we have had
from the birth of mines, depriving us of our birthright.
Whereas, By providing the same clause a weapon of defense faas
been taken away from us.
Whereas, But for local strikes there would be no union today, sbo
but for strikes conditions of labor would be much worse.
Whereas, Such a clause is an insult to the intelligence of the miners
and local officials. Be it
Resolved, That this convention do its utmost to have the penalty
clause struck out of the present scale ; and be it further
Resolved, That no more clauses be inserted in any scale without a
referendum vote from the members of the United Mine Workers of
America.
Whereas, The coal on the Monongahela river is, practically speaking,
an average height. Be it
Resolved, That we seek to have the difference of price on tonnage
removed and to be paid all third pool price.
Whereas, Narrow work is a great disadvantage to miners. Be it
Resolved, That we seek to have yard work paid for at all places
under 18 feet.
Whereas, The miners in District 5 are paying too much for pick
sharpening; be it
Resolved, That we seek to have the scale for same reduced to Ic on
the dollar for pick work, \c on the dollar for machine work.
1061
Whereas, The miners are at a great disadvantage through the credit
system; be it
Resolved, That we seek to have weekly pay for miners.
Whereas, Coal operators are increasing the size of mine cars, mak-
ing them much harder to push; be it
Resolved, That we seek to have all cars placed for the miners at the
working face.
Whereas, Much expense is caused to locals through neglect on the
part of company officials in the paying of dead work; be it
Resolved, That where the Mine Committee have to visit other parts
of the mine to straighten out these troubles, should the fault be with the
company officials they shall pay the committee expenses.
Whereas, Much inconvenience is caused to miners by not being noti-
fied when the mine is idle the next day; be it
Resolved, That where a mine is going to be idle the next day the
company is to blow the whistle at a time suitable to the men employed
at such mine.
Whereas, We, the members of liocal 762, think better service may
be had by making all positions elective; be it
Resolved, That nominations be sought for all offices under the juris-
diction of the United Mine Workers and voted on by the rank and file
at the same time as the International officers are elected, organizers and
all other appointments to be considered as officers.
Whereas, The cost of living in our district is high and still going
up; be it
Resolved, That we seek for 20 cents advance on the ton for all coal
produced, pick and machine; other wages to be raised in proportion.
Whereas, No time in the history of the coal trade has such times ex-
isted as exist at present; be it
Resolved, That this convention open up an organizing campaign to
try and organize the non-union coal fields.
Whereas, The high cost of living is consuming all our wages; be it
Resolved, That we seek to have a reduction in the house rent and
house coal. Such reduction to be brought down to $2 a room for com-
pany houses and $2 a ton for coal. Be it further
Resolved, That coal companies be stopped from renting less than
three rooms to any one family.
1062
Be it Resolved, That we leek to haye a naiform scale for all en^
side day labor, shot-fiiers and pumpers.
JOHN Mccarty, President,
G. McKOVICTS, Rec Sec^,
JAKE WILUAMS, Fin. Sec'y,
MIKE RUNCHER, Tieaanrer.
MIKE MILUCH,
JOHN BURNS,
JOHN SOWERS,
^* •* «
v/OBBBUIBBCl
Misodlaneons.
RESOLUTION NO. 100.
Whitsett^ Pa., December 16, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Conseciithre and Third
Biennial ConTention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolutions from Local Union ^No. 2057, U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, Under present conditions, when there is a wreck in te
mine and the miner kees a quantity of coal, the company has it loeded
by day men and it comes ont as company coal and the miner reeeifM
nothing for it; therefore, be it
Resolved, That a separate fond be created and all moneys for this
coal be tomed into this fond and when a sniBcaent amoant has aceaniii-
lated it shall apply as wages to the chedcweigfaman. In this way it
wiU mean a great saring to the miners.
Whereas, Under oar contract, in Rules, No. 14, reading as follows:
^'Where slate comes down, or is taken down in break-tibronghs betweeo
rooms and has to be remoTed by loader, entry price shall be paid";
therefore, be it
Resolved, That we donand that Rule No. 14 be stricken out sod
that break-through yardage be paid the same as entry yardage, or bsi^
row work.
Whereas, We are not working full. time on account of car shorts
age, and it would not decrease the total amount of coal produced if tite
miners worked half a day on Saturday, whidi would allow the miners
a little recreation; therefore, be it
1063
Resolved, That we demand a weekly pay day, with a half holiday
on Saturday.
Whereas, Under the present contract the miner is paid .0630 cents
per inch per linear yard for slate over 12 inches thick; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we demand that the miner be paid .08 cents per
inch per square yard for slate over two inches thick.
Whereas, The miner is away from home ten to twelve hours every
working day, counting the time he starts to work and the time he
returns back home; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we demand that the hours of labor be reduced to
eight hours from bank to bank.
Whereas, Under the present contract the miner is compelled to
push his car into his place, which is a distance of from 300 to 350
feet; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we demand thkt the cars be placed at the working
face by the company.
Whereas, It appears that the various coal companies are reporting
that the miners are lying idle for no apparent cause; and
Whereas, The business of reporting is in the hands of the com-
pany and facts are misrepresented, such as giving a man a place where
he cannot make a day's wages, or agreeing to pay a certain price and
then refusing to pay; therefore, be it
Resolved, That if a miner has a place where he cannot make a
day's wages he shall be paid a minimum wage of $5.00 per day.
Whereas, By our contract the loaders pay .0075 cents on the dollar
for pick sharpening and the pick men pay .015 cents on the dollar;
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the loaders pay .0050 cents on the dollar and the
pick men pay .01 cents on the dollar.
SAM. J. LOWERY, President,
JAS. F. LEE, Rec. Sec'y,
SAM LOMAS,
JOHN MILLS,
, JOS. SPIKLE,
JOS. VOITHOFER,
Resolution Committee.
Miscellaneous.
1064
RESOLUTION NO. 108.
Croweborg, Kas., December 17» 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That we, the members of L. U. No. 1896, indorse the ac-
tion of our president, Alexander Howat, in the noble fight he made
against the acceptance of automatic penalty clause, and we commend him
to the entire membership of the U. M. W. of A. as being a true and
loyal man to the lab<»1ng crafts.
£. HODGE,
B. F. GISH,
JOE MYERS,
Committee.
Approved by L. U. No. 1896, District No. 14.
Referred to Resolutions Committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 105.
Lucerne, Pa., December 26, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Resolution No. 1. We demand a closed shop.
Resolution No. 2. Abolish car pushing.
Resolution No. 3. We refuse to pay one dollar fine for laying off
from work. And we demand the right to suspend work when we are
justified.
Resolution No. 4. We want the company men to start to work
from pit mouth at seven o'clock in the morning, be at pit mouth at
three-thirty in the evening.
Resolution No. 5. We demand a five-dollar consideration if any
man has no place to work or no supply, causing him to lose his day's
work.
Resolution No. 6. Where there is bony in coal we demand to be
paid yardage, and also for turning room necks.
1065
Resolution No. 7. We demand that cutters cut by ton, cutting
coal by the hour to be abolished.
Resolution No. 8. Motorman shall haul coal only during the
actual eight hours and not haul supplies or do dead work unless there
is no coal to haul; in that case he is entitled to do anything the man-
agement asks him to do.
Resolution No. 9. Motorman shall start at seven o'clock in the
morning and quit at three-thirty in the evening.
Resolution No. 10. Track men, wire men, bradish men, door mak-
ers and shot firers be paid the same as motorman; and their helpers
be paid the same as the sprayers.
THOMAS BIANCO, President,
WILLIAM BURKLEY, Rec. Sec'y,
RUDOLPH GASTENACH, Fin. Secy
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 106.
New Acme, Wyo., December 22, 1917.
To* the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The miners of this country have been granted a substan-
tial increase in wagres owing to the high cost of living; and
Whereas, We believe that when the war ends wages will be read-
justed; and
Whereas, The funds of this organization are at a low ebb, we be-
lieve that this convention should take such steps as are necessary to
build up the funds of this organization to meet the readjustment so as
to protect us from an unfair readjustment; therefore be it
Resolved, That the National Executive Board be authorized to es-
tablish a special defense fund for this purpose; and be it further
Resolved, That there be an assessment of fifty cents (60c) per
month levied on each member and the same continued until the end of
1066
the war, or until such time as the National Executive Board sees fit to
discontinue same.
ROBERT HAMILTON,
ARTHUR PERRY,
FRANK BERNARDO,
C(»nmittee on Resolutions.
Referred to Resolutions Committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 109.
Osage City, Kas., November 27, 1917.
Resolution recommending an amendment to the International Consti-
tution relative to the making of the Interstate Joint Agreement:
Whereas, In making the joint agreement between and for the four
competitive fields, namely: Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and In-
diana; and
Whereas, It has become customary and seems to be an established
fact that whilst making said joint agreement for said four competitive
fields that the outlying districts have been and are now deprived of the
right or power to have or take any active part in making said joint
agreement; and
Whereas, The invitation extended to the officials of said outlying dis-
tricts and their presence there is of no essential value unless they are
invested with all constituted authority to take an active part with voice
and vote in the formulating and making of said joint agreement; there-
fore be it
Resolved, That the International Constitution be amended so that aU
district officials be permitted and empowered with full authority by said
International Constitution to take an active part in the making of the
said Interstate Joint Agreement.
Agreed to by unanimous vote of representatives from Locals 544
Scranton, 2377 Fostoria, 1074 Burlingame, 1701 Peterton, 1009 Osage
City at convention held at Osage City, Kas.
WM. McMURDO, Secretary.
H. L. GIBAUD, Chairman.
Referred to Resolutions Committee.
1067
RESOLUTION NO. 117.
Issaquah, Wash., December 8, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, It is claimed that a large number of Chinese laborers
are needed in this country to relieve the labor shortage; and
Whereas, We believe this statement is being used to get an op-
portunity to use Chinese labor to lower existing standards of labor;
and
Whereas, We know that the introduction of Chinese labor in this
country would result in a lowering of existing standards; and
Whereas, The existing shortage of labor can be met by the estab-
lishing of fair working conditions in all industries; be it
Resolved, That Local Union No. 2747, U. M. W. of A., most em-
phatically protests against any and all proposed amendments to exist-
ing imxnigration laws that will admit of any greater freedom of entry
for Chinese labor.
Presented on behalf of Local Union No. 2747.
E. M. SHORT, Secretary-Treasurer,
District No. 6, U. M. W. of A.
Referred to Committee on Resolutions.
RESOLUTION NO. 118.
Creekside, Pa., December 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Prices we receive for low coal, machine loading, are 57 85.100 per
ton, height of coal being from 8-4 to 8-10.
Loading coal at narrow workings, wages paid, 59 85.100.
]
1068
Car pushing that exceeds $4.00 foot without extra pay.
Shoveling coal from at room wages which is ten feet in width.
Pick coal loading paid in hours and it does not exceed pick priee.
Men being forced to dig bottom with no pay.
Not furnishing proper supplies.
Cutters carrying oil and grease on own time can't get adijast-
ments.
Cutters asking pay by ton and not day wages.
Cars not being greased enough, making harder pushes on account
of no greaser.
No coal houses for families in the town and water closets drain-
ing on streets.
Buying Coalite by case, caps by case, and keeping at home, whidi
is dangerous. No supply house at mine.
We ask to have the company guards removed at non-organised
places, which are working from sixty to seventy hours per week, and
union places working from thirty-two to forty hours per week.
We want an eight-hour specified scale on all inside and outside day
labor.
Company men have to furnish their own tools such as cutters,
scrapers; also motorman, wireman, track layers, mason, braddish ma,
carpenters, blacksmith, car builders.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 126.
Adena, Ohio, December 28, 1917.
To the Officers and Deleg^ates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Local Union No. 1987, located at Adena, Ohio, District No. 6,
would like to have the coal company check off just what ^e check-
weighman puts on the check-off sheet. By this grievance we are re-
ferring to Section 19 in the Constitution of our law.
Local Union No. 1987, located at Adena, Ohio, District No. 6,
would like to have the price of powder regulated, as some mines are
i
1069
selling higher than other mines and some are selling lower than other
mines. This causes disturbance among the miners.
JOHN KAVASNE, Delegate,
JOHN MARTAN, President.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 129.
Rock Springs, Wyo., January 3, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
The following resolution was adopted by L. U. 2309 at its last regu-
lar meeting, December 28, 1917, and ordered forwarded to the con-
vention :
Whereas, For many years in various places in our jurisdiction the
men have felt that they should receive time and a half for overtime and
double time for Sundays and holidays, and have even submitted the ques-
tion to former conventions; and
Whereas, Many operators are now paying double time for Sundays
and holidays, a thing they can discontinue at will; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Twenty-sixth Constitutional and Third Biennial
Convention of the United Mine Workers of America authorize our offi-
cials to immediately take up the matter with the various operators' asso-
ciations and the Government Fuel Administrator, advising them that in
so far as our International organization is opposed to the paying of
bonuses, and as the men justly deserve pay as above mentioned, we re-
quest that all classes of labor in our jurisdiction receive time and a half
for overtime and (Rouble time for Sundays and holidays, and that no such
work be performed hereafter without the above mentioned compensation.
CLEMENT GILHARD, President.
A. V. ELIAS, Secretary.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 135.
Antrim, Pa., December 28, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Resolution drawn up by Local Union No. 2098, Antrim, Pa.:
Whereas, The recent advance of ten cents per net ton that was
\.
1070
granted through the Washington supplementary agreement is unfair
to the miners throughout the country who are working in a thin rm
of coal on account of said miners being unable to produce anywhere
near the amount of coal that the miners who are working in the higher
veins of coal can produce; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the International office^ and delegates, assembled at
1918 International convention, readjust the tonnage rates so that tiie
miners of the thin vein will be enabled to make a wage equal to the
miners of the higher vein; and, be it further
Resolved, That whenever another advance in the tonnage rate
takes place the same shall be on a percentage basis.
JOHN STENBERG,
F. P. CZNENSKI,
JNO. J. FRAWLEY,
Resolutions Conunittee.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 136.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Where any member has to work in bad places (rooms) and has
to take chances and prospect for the benefit of the coal company he
shall be compensated; therefore, be it
Resolved, That these members shall receive a cninimum wage, as
the shot firers' pay (scale), and the company shall furnish the pow-
der and fuse or any other convenience that has to be used, at the coal
company's expense.
When a member of this organization has to break a horseback
and between the horseback is found at times some coal that is about
from one-inch to 8 inches in diameter, and these coal pockets are found
at place of measurement, and th6 member receives no pay for it; there-
fore be it
Resolved, That all horsebacks shall be paid through and no deduc-
tions be allowed.
1071
Sigrned by the Resolution Committee of Local Union No. 731, Dis-
trict 12.
VINCENT DI SANDRO,
ADAM BARTEN,
ALEX. WILSON.
P. S. — If not accepted in the International convention please refer
to the District.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 139.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
In bases where more than twenty miners are employed the miners
have a right to call for a shot-firer, as there is* a scale drawn up for shot-
firers. Be it
Resolved, That a minimum compensation law be enforced through-
out our organization, whether alien or citizen*
Resolved, That all Districts belonging to the United Mine Workers
of America draw up all contracts to begin and terminate at the same
time.
DESIRE GASPARD,
GEORGE HY. SMITH,
ANGELLO MORROCI,
Committee.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 144.
Local No. 906, District No. 11, located at Clinton, Ind.
Clinton, Ind., January 4, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Be it Resolved, That the International and District Constitution
be changed, to read as follows:
That when a company or companies is at any time putting on
men, any union miner or miners applying for a Job must first ask the
1072
boss or the company for the same, and then shall secure the same by
giving the boss or company his name and address and by giving the
same to the checkweighman, and he shall be the next to be put on by
the boss or company, and when a man is to be put on the boss or com-
pany shall then notify the checkweighman, and the checkweigfanum
shall at once notify the person or i>er8ons, allowing at least five (5)
days to return for work, but the boss or company may use any imioo
miner or miners until ^id five (5) days have passed, and if said per
son or persons return by the end of the said five (5) dasrs, this per-
son or persons shall be the first to go to work.
Any checkweighman failing to obey this rule shall pay a fine of
ten (10) dollars. The boss or company failing to obey this rule shall
pay a fine of ten (10) dollars. The fine of the guflty party shall be
imid: eight (8) dollars to the offended person or persons and the r^
maining two (2) dollars shall go to the treasury of the district of the
local of which the checkweighman is a member at the time that he
violated said rules. The District Board shall hold any guilty cheek-
weighman's card until said fine be paid.
Any member or members of the United Mine Workevs of America
found guilty of refusing to work with a United Mine Worker, or guflty
of mistreating him, without a lawful cause, while working or seeking
a job in or around the mines, or in or around the town for the same
purpose, shall be expelled from the United Mine Workers of America
for five (5) years. If any local union shall be found guilty of refusing
to work with a member of the United Mine Workers of America, with-
out a lawful cause, the charter shall be taken away by the district for
five (5) years, and cards of all members of said local shall not be good
throughout the United Mine Workers of America for five (5) years.
These rules shall be enforced by the National and all Districts through-
out all the United Mine Workers of America. These rules shall always be
in all contracts and Constitution before any settlement can be signed.
FRANK GLOVER, President,
ALBERT GLAZE, Rec. Sec'y,
MURIL SIMS, Delegate.
Miscellaneous.
1073
RESOLUTION NO. 148.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Be it Resolved, That a State Endowment Fund be created to take
care of the widows and orphans in disasters similar to the one which
happened at Christopher, 111.
JOHN HARRELSON, President,
, TOM CAMERON, Rec. Sec*y,
ED. KIRK, Pin. Sec'y.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 149.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, We believe it to be to our best interests to have our Dis-
trict Convention convene prior to the International Convention, in order
that we may be able to formulate our plans and to unify our efforts as
a district as a whole, instead of each local union making different de-
mands and fighting for them separately as at present, and in order to
protect the welfare of the membership and to promote progress; there-
fore, be it
Resolved, That our District Constitution be so amended to provide
for the holding of our District Convention just prior to the International
Convention.
JOHN HARRELSON, President,
TOM CAMERON, Rec. Sec'y,
ED. KIRK, Fin. Sec'y.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 150.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, A condition exists in the majority of solid shooting mines
that rooms and entries are worked single; and
Whereas, That system is a benefit to the coal companies in safe-
guarding tJieir properties; and
Whereas, It is also an advantage to the miners; therefore, be it
1074
Resolved, That we ask that this resolution be referred to the Scale
Committee and have same adopted in our next District Convention as a
condition, as same is a benefit to both parties involved.
JOHN HARRELSON, President,
TOM CABfBRON, Rec Sec'y.
ED. KIRK, Fin. Sec'y-
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 161.
To the Officers and Deleg^ates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Tliird
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The low coal question in Saline, White and Gallatin coon-
ties has been and is now an injustice to the mhiers of the above named
counties, namely, all coal five feet and under shall be five cents addi-
tional on the ton, but not to apply to Saline, White or Gallatin counties;
therefore, be it
Resolved, That all coal five feet and under in the above named coim-.
ties be paid the five cents additional on the ton.
JOHN HARRELSON, Presidoit,
TOM CAMERON, Rec Sec'y,
ED. KIRK, Fin. Sec'y.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 152.
Numine, Pa., January 3, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We, the officers and members, do hereby ask that the International
Convention take some action to make District No. 2 a closed shop so that
all miners will have to belong to the imion.
And that there be some action taken to make the check-off lower
in District No. 2, as we are now paying $2.02 per month, for miners
and $2.00 for day men. We therefore ask that there be some action
taken to make our check-off the same as District No. 5 if it can be done,
and also that all cutting and scraping be paid by the ton.
WM. BECK,
C. S. BEERS,
„. ,, Local Union No. 1106.
Miscellaneous.
1075
RESOLUTION NO. 163.
Luzerne, Ky., January 4, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The mine workers of District No. 23, U. M. W. of A., in
1900 had to accept a lower wage scale than Illinois and Indiana on ac-
count of the keen competition of non-union coal; and
Whereas, We had the promise of the coal operators and the Inter-
national union that when this keen competition was removed we should
have the Indianapolis scale; and
Whereas, The European war has removed the keen competition in
Western Kentucky; and
Whereas, Certain rulings of our Policy Committee in making our
contract has established a precedent that renders us powerless to exer-
cise our rights as free American citizens and members of a labor organi-
zation; and
Whereas, The present wage contract of District No. 23, pertaining
to mining rate, yardage, dead-work, turning rooms and day labor are
at a minimum rate, an average of 25 cents below mining rates in Illi-
nois and Indiana; and
Whereas, It costs us as much to live here as it does in the four com-
petitive states; and
Whereas, We are not only deprived of the enjoyments of a decent
living but we are endangering our fellow workmen in other states, that
they may be forced to accept a wage contract and conditions of em-
ployment similar to the one we labor under at the present time; there-
fore, be it
Resolved, That we ask the International President and the Inter-
national Executive Board to take up this question at once with the
operators of Western Kentucky and give District No. 23 a uniform price
with Illinois and Indiana.
M. E. EDWARDS, Sec'y,
M. A. VINSON,
GUY HOLMES, Pin. Sec'y,
CLEAVE OLDHAM,
Committee for Local Union No. 1630, U. M. W. of A.
Miscellaneous.
1076
RESOLUTION NO. 167.
Bayne, Wash., December 31, 1917.
To the OfiScers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Tliird
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The practice of filling the office of mine inspector by ap-
pointment instead of having it filled through the channris of an dection:
we have
Resolved, That the convention take this matter into consideration
and see what could be done towards having such an important oflke
filled by election.
(Signed) J. WIDDELL,
A. LANE,
J. J. TAYLOR,
Committee.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 158.
Bayne, Wash., December 31, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The bi-weekly payday has almost, to our knowledge, been
the practice in the mining industry; and
Whereas, We believe a change should be made and have all dis-
tricts consider the enactment of a weekly payday; we have
Resolved, That the convention consider ways and means in making
a general demand for its enactment.
(Signed) W. H. PELTER,
JAMES WIDDELL,
GEO DAVID,
» Committee on Resolutions.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 160.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The membership lacks the knowledge regarding conditions
obtaining in other mines in the district, or even in mines in their own
immediate neighborhood, and accordingly cannot determine their own
rights in harmony with rights generally obtaining in their district, this
lack of knowledge often resulting in some locals fighting for conditions
to which they are not entitled, while other locals may yield conditions to
which they are entitled, thus causing trouble on the one hand and on
the other hand establishing a precedent for bad conditions; and
Whereas, Local strikes are always detrimental to our organization,
and should be avoided. In order to avoid them it is necessary to remove
the cause, which cause is often the misunderstanding of the members
as to their real rights, and in order that our members may be informed
and thus avoid unnecessary trouble and promote harmony; therefore,
be it
Resolved, That this convention recommends the holding of periodic
delegate meetings in each Board Member District for the purpose of
counseling together.
GEO. KARNES, Presidoit,
JACOB F. BIRZEL, Sec'y,
Local Union No. 644, Hillsboro, Dl.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 166.
Benton, 111., January 1, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, In regard to our condition on the turn proposition, it is
claimed by the manager that it is impossible to keep a square turn at
this mine, and our conditions are such that in some parts of the mine
the loaders get a big turn every day, while others never get the benefit
of same; and
Whereas, It is continually causing a stir up, and of course we all
realize that it's unjust for one run to be continually getting a big turn
while others are waiting all day for nothing, I realize and know that
there should be something done about this matter. I feel like if one
man deserves a good wage for his day's labor, that others are entitled
to the same benefit. As it is I have been down in the mine a number
of times all day long and only get three or four cars. I and my buddie,
while sitting in the main way at night, hear others saying they get plenty.
1078
of cars. And this isn't seldom, but is continually going that way; and
Whereas, I feel that the convention should take some action on tiui.
Now to the docking proposition. I believe there should be an amend-
ment to this and this is my decision: llie inspector designated by tin
operator shall be a practical miner, shall not be a member of the U. M.
W. of A., and in the discharge of the duties herein specified shall not be
subject to the jurisdiction of the local union or president or pit committee,
nor any miner or committeeman seeking in any way to embcirrass the ia-
spector in or because of the discharge of such duties; the provisions d
the miners' state constitution shall be invoked and in addition he sliill,
at the option of the operator, be suspended for two working days.
(Signed) D. W. WEBB,
Resolution Ck>mmittae.
Mbcellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 169.
Hanna City, HI., January 2, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The purchasing power of our earnings are inadequate to
maintain the American standards of living; therefore, be it
Resolved, By Local Union No. 661, U. M. W. of A., that we demsnd
a 25 per cent, increase in mining and all other labor, in and around the
mines.
Whereas, We are handling draw slate, up to 4 inches thick, for
nothing, and over 4 inches at 42 cents per cut of 6 feet, regardless of
width of room; and
Whereas, Such pay is no compensation for the labor performed;
therefore, be it
Resolved, By Local Union No. 661, U. M. W. of A., that we demand,
on draw slate up to 3 inches thick, 5 cents extra per ton; on slate 3
inches to 6 inches thick, 8 cents per ton. This not to apply to false
top.
Whereas, Our agreement calls for all over 5 inches of bottom coil
left by the machines shall be taken up by machine runners in dean
coal, and by the company if there are impurities in the bottom; and
Whereas, This coal is low and when 5 inches is left there is no room
to work; therefore, be it
1079
» Resolved, By Local Union No. 661, U. M. W. of A., That all bot-
tom in excess of 2 inches be taken up by the company.
Adopted by Local Union No. 661, U. M. W. of A., January 2, 1918.
W. H. THRUSH, President.
JOHN P. CARPENTER, Secretary,
WM. CRAGGS,
JOHN McVICKER,
H. SWADINSKY,
FRANK SNODGRASS,
Committee.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 170.
Duquoin, 111., December 23, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The schut coal at the Paradise mines, on idle days, has
become a burden on the miners at said mines from the fact that the
next day the miners have to lay around until 9 or 10 o'clock before they
get a car to load; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the schut coal be dispensed with.
Whereas, As it has been agreed by the Board Member and traveling
auditor to allow the machine men the right to make more wages on the
day than the loaders; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the machine men be placed on equal basis with the
loaders.
Whereas, The docking system, as it reads in the present contract,
gives thd dock boss all the power to fine, lay off and discharge, practi-
cally leaving the miners and local officers powerless to act in their own
defense, and at the mines near Duquoin the miners oftentimes are
fined 50 cents or $1.00, laid off three working days, or discharged for
loading impurities that would not exceed over five or ten pounds to
one car so fined for; therefore, be it
Resolved, That at the present biennial convention there be a clause
adopted and inserted in the next contract which will g^ve the mine com-
mittee and mine manager a right to adjust such differences; and be it
further
1080
Resolved, That at least fifty pounds to the ton most be found before
a fine can be placed upon a loader; be it further
Resolved, That the one so designated by the operator as dock boe
shall be a practical miner, holding a certificate of competency.
ROBERT PAXTON,
SAM BIDDINGTON,
D. T. POX,
Local Union No. 478.
' PETE KAUPMON,
HENRY GREEN,
GEORGE REDDICK,
Local Union No. 409.
H. H. CHICKEDANZ,
FRANK SOPER,
T. P. YATES,
Local Union No. 1458.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 172.
Palmer, Wash., December 26, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Dear Sirs and Brothers — We, the officers and members of Local
Union No. 1911, in regular session assembled, adopted the following reso-
lutions :
Whereas, At the present time the tools and powder question is t
serious handicap to the miners in most all of the district organizations
which belong to our national organization in negotiating contracts and
are ofttimes the cause of serious disputes, which, in some instances, have
led up to serious strikes, which resulted in much suffering to the miners
and their families; and
Whereas, In most other industries workmen are not required to fur-
nish tools to perform labor for their employer; and
Whereas, Our organization of the United Mine Workers of Americi
is the most powerful and progressive organization on the American conti-
nent, we consider that it is necessary to eliminate the tool and powder
question from the miners' contracts in the various districts by placing
1083
Whereas, We, the members of Local Union No. 260, demand that
the miners of District No. 5 hire a mine inspector.
JOHN SCHUHIDER, President.
FRANK KRIGAR, Rec. Sec'y.
ANDY STANISLAW.
JOHN STANISLAW.
CHARLES DREXLER.
HENRY PREXLER.
JAMES DRANLEY.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 176.
Pruden, Tenn., December 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
L. U. No. 8263, U. M. W. of A., of District 19, asks that it be taken
up in the convention that all agreements and contracts shall be submitted
to the Local Unions for a vote before they are let or become effective.
F. L. JONES, President,
W. H. SOWDERS, Rec. Sec'y,
L. U. 3263.
P. S. — ^Done by vote of Local.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 178.
Local Union No. 615, District No. 5, U. M. W. of A.,
Fayette City, Pa., January 3, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That eight (8) hours shall constitute a day's work (from
bank to bank), and that all overtime be paid time and half, and double
time shall be paid for all Sundays and holidays.
Resolved, That the company deliver all empties to the working face,
and that the company shall pay for all slate moved; and be it further
1082
this question for the delegates in the convention to decide. Be it fortiwr
Resolved, That the Scale Committee representing the miners be in-
structed to use every effort to the extent of using their economic power
to wrest this concession from the representatives of the coal operators.
J. F O'MARA, President.
SAM CADDY.
J. D. RICHARDSON, Sec'y.
JACK HOPKINS.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 174.
Moon Run, Pa., January 3, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
The following resolutions were unanimously adopted by the manbers
of Local Union No. 260 after the Resolutions Committee had drawn
them up:
Whereas, We, the members of Local Union No. 260, demand $2 per
cut of slate in a twenty-one-foot place in ribs or stumps.
Whereas, We, the members of Local Union No. 260, demand to get
the explosives at 5 per cent, above cost price.
Whereas, We, the members of Local Union No. 260, demand that
the operator furnish any man a day's work who has to go home through
no fault of his own.
Whereas, We, the members of Local Union No. 260, demand that
when the miner is asked to load his slate in the cars he should be paid
at the rate of tonnage as coal.
Whereas, We, the members of Local Union No. 260» demand that
the operator place the empty cars at the face of the miner's working
place.
Whereas, We, the members of Local Union No. 260, demand that
the drivers receive pay from the time they leave the stable until they
get back.
1083
Whereas, We, the members of Local Union No. 260, demand that
the miners of District No. 5 hire a mine inspector.
JOHN SCHUHIDER, President
FRANK KRIGAR, Rec. Sec'y.
ANDY STANISLAW.
JOHN STANISLAW.
CHARLES DREXLER.
HENRY PREXLER.
JAMES DRANLEY.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 176.
Pruden, Tenn., December 27, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
L. U. No. 8263, U. M. W. of A., of District 19, asks that it be taken
up in the convention that all agreements and contracts shall be submitted
to the Local Unions for a vote before they are let or become effective.
F. L. JONES, President,
W. H. SOWDERS, Rec. Sec'y,
L. U. 3263.
P. S. — Done by vote of Local.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 178.
Local Union No. 615, District No. 5, U. M. W. of A.,
Fayette City, Pa., January 8, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That eight (8) hours shall constitute a day's work (from
bank to bank), and that all overtime be paid time and half, and double
time shall be paid for all Sundays and holidays.
Resolved, That the company deliver all empties to the working face,
and that the company shall pay for all slate moved; and be it further
1084
Resolved, That the company shall furnish and deliver posts, rafls
and all other necessities to the working face.
Resolved, That where coal is being cut by machines it shall be cot
on day shift; and that all machines be single shift and all be day cutting.
Resolved, In regard to working pending a settlement be recsUei
And if a settlement is not reached by the 1st of April that all men liy
down tools until such settlement is reached.
Resolved, That we install a compulsory system that comp^ all ma
working in and around the mines to pay all dues and assessments levied
by the organization (monthly men and bosses exempted) .
Resolved, That we demand a five-hour day on pay day and a semi-
monthly pay day. /
Resolved, That a driver be paid from the time that he starts to har-
ness his mule and until he has reached the bam and unharnessed again;
and be it further
Resolved, That the motorman be paid one hour extra for oiling and
keeping cables clean each day.
Resolved, That miners or loaders being unable to work on account
of no material or falls or water in their working place, shall be given
day work or be paid for time lost.
Resolved, That all outside day men and yard men and general top
hands be governed by the same scale as drivers, track men and general
bottom men.
Resolved, We nationally, nor in any other way, if possible, will nego-
tiate an agreement that will hinder the various districts fronT demanding
and securing an agreement whereby members of our organisation can
apply to mine management for employment, deposit their card with the
proper local officers and be started to work on turn, independent of creed,
color or nationality, activity in organization or disability, etc And be it
further
Resolved, That we indorse and recommend this proposition to the
various districts to be made a part of theii* district contracts.
Resolved, That the company furnish tools and building for the
miners' blacksmith and the blacksmith to be hired and paid by the miners,
his pay to be checked off through the company's office.
Resolved, That if any grievance arises at the mine and the commit-
1085
tee cannot settle it with the mine foreman and superintendent the Mine
Committee to have the power to shut the mine down until they get the
grievance settled.
Indorsed by Local Union No. €15.
ROBERT ROY, President,
FRANK YOUNG, Rec. Sec'y,
WALTER BRUCE, Fin. Sec'y,
CHRIST MARSHBANKS,
HUGH CHALFANT,
Resolutions Committee.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 179.
Wellington, Mo., January 2, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That where men push coal over 200 feet on the face they
should be paid extra. The extra shall be the same as at Higginsville, Mo.
Beit
Resolved, That men shall be paid 15 cents per ton for broken rock,
and if the rock falls in he shall be paid 25 cents more extra. Be it
Resolved, That company shall take care of all sulphur that is too
heavy for one loader to handle. Be it
Resolved, That machine helpers shall not spray coal with sulphur.
Beit
Resolved, That an experienced miner shall be taken into the union
for $5. Be it
Resolved, That no inexperienced man shall come into the union for
less than $10. Be it
Resolved, That the company shall furnish an extra man to grease the
mine cars. Be it
Resolved, That machine helpers shall shovel all dirt made by ma-
chine and throw it well back into gap. Be it
Resolved, That a jack setter shall have six months' experience before
he runs a machine, and no other experienced man shall run machine
until jack setter shall have had a chance at it. Be it
Resolved, That above resolution be applied to a trip rider.
L. U. 1231.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. ISO.
Tono, Wash., Janaarr 5, 19!
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth CoDsecutiv« anc
Biennial Convention of the U. H. W. of.A.:
Whereas, A condition exists in nearly every State in oar Unio
Whereas, Sach condition cuts down the earning capacity
minerB, namely, the building of cars above bed ; and
Whereas, Snch condition does exist so the miners do not get n
cars; and
Whereaa, Such a method of loading cars is detrimental to both
and operators, as the building and overloading of cars causes ben
and wrecks by coal falling off, also endangering lives of drive
rope riders; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we, as members of Local No. 1717, do herd>y
mend that this convention go on record as favoring this resolnti
try to get same in future contracts.
Whereas, To work eight hours per day is too long a period to
eluded from daylight and pure air; and
Whereas, We consider it detrimental to the health of the i
and
Whereas, The miners (in normal times) can produce in sh
per day all coal necessary to the needs of the country; therefore, be
Resolved, That this convention go on record as instmctiiig tb
Committee to work to the best advantage of the miners in havJ
working period cut to six hours per day at the expiration of the ]
war.
R. H. Wn.LIAHS,
J. H. MARTINA,
WILLIAM FORSYTH,
Committee of Local No. 171
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 181.
Gowen, Okla., January 3, 191
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A,:
We demand that the rent on all company houses be regulated
1087
per room, and that they be kept in good condition and water furnished at
each house or group ofhouses by the company.
We demand that where machine men are required to splice their
cable they be paid one hour, and where contract machine men have to
wait on pricks they be paid for time lost.
We demand that old age pensioners be given a substantial raise, as
the pension allowed them is too small for them to live on, owing to the
high cost of living.
• . JAKE WOOD, President,
6. F. KLINE, Rec Sec'y,
Local Union No. 1777.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 182.
Lehigh, Mont., December 24, 1917.
United Mine Workers of America, Local Union No. 703, District 27.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
We have alfeady presented the industrial movement to the state
convention held in Helena, Mont., which was accepted in case of strikes,
if all craft organizations were affiliated we are of the opinion that our
troubles would be less and we would finish much quicker. We will never
have power enough until we get all the different crafts affiliated; so be
it
Resolved, That this convention act on this resolution and give it
their best consideration.
SAM COCKAYNE,
ANDY MESSAGE,
JOHN LAIRD,
DAN MISCOVIC,
Resolution Committee.
HUGH MOONEY, President,
SAM COCKAYNE, Rec. Sec'y.
Referred to Committee on Resolutions.
1088
RESOLUTION NO. 184.
Local Union No. 1356, Georgetown, IlL
To the Ofilcers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Thiitl
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The miners in the Danville district are required to timber
their own places, without compensation; therefore, be it
Resolved, That miners be paid 10 cents for each and every timber
that they set. This not including cross-bars.
WILLIAM MOYER,
I. J. EMORY,
FELIX SANDY,
Resolutions Committee.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 185.
Local Union No. 1856, Georgetown, IlL
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The miners in the Danville district are required to square
up their own places for the machine, thereby decreasing the loading
capacity of said miners; be it
Resolved, That the operators furnish men to square up all placet
for the machines.
WILLIAM MOYER,
L J. EMORY,
FELIX SANDY,
Resolutions Committee.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 186.
Local Union No. 1356, Georgetown, BL
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The men in the Danville district are required to lay their
own road without compensation; be it
1089
Resolved, That the operators Uty the road or pay the men compen-
sation at regular tracklayers* rates for laying same.
WILLIAM MOYER,
L J. EMORY,
FELIX SANDY,
Resolutions Committee.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 187.
Local Union No. 1856, Georgetown, HI.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The tracklayers, timhermen and all other day men have
to work too much overtime; be it
Resolved, That all day men be limited to working 56 hours per week
WILLIAM MOYER,
L J. EMORY,
FELIX SANDY,
Resolutions Committee.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 188.
Local Union No. 1856, Georgetown, 111.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, We believe that the drivers work more than 48 hours per
week in taking their mules to and from the stable on their own time;
be it
Resolved, That drivers be paid for the actual time they spend with
their mules.
WILLIAM MOYBR,
I. J. EMORY,
FELIX SANDY,
Resolutions Committee.
Miscellaneous.
35— M. Pro.
1090
RESOLUTION NO. 189.
Local Union No. 1866, Georgetown, SL
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth ConsecutiYe and Thiid
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The mine cars in some places in the Danville district are
so large that it is sometimes impossible to push them to the face; be it
Resolved, That the onerator be required to pull all cars into the
working face.
WILLIAM MOYBR,
L J. EMORY,
FEUX SANDY,
Resi^utiona Committee.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 190.
Local Union No. 1866, Georgetown, HI.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, We believe that the dock fines are too large; be it
Resolved, That all rock fines be limited to 60 cents per dock.
WILLIAM MOYER,
L J. EMORY,
FELIX SANDY,
Resolutions Committee.
Miscellaneous.
^
RESOLUTION NO. 191.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and lliird
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The scale of wages paid in strip mines is below the mine
wage scale; and
1091
Whereas, Strip mine coal goes on the market in competition with
mine coal; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the strip mine wage scale shall be the same as the
inside day wage scale, with the same per cent, advance for all men now
getting above the regular scale.
L J. EMORT,
FELIX SANDY,
WM. MOYER,
Local Union No. 1866.
ARCHIE PHILLIPS,
JOHN SWISHER,
Local Union No. 948.
CHAS. BISHOP,
F. 0. McNEER, ^
Local Union No. 41.
JOHN SHAFFER,
FRANK THOMAS,
E. EVANS,
Local Union 1108.
Miscellaneous.
THOS. PITCHFORD,
AUGUST HUDOCK,
JOHN JACOBS,
Local Union No. 508.
CHAS. WONDERLAND,
Local Union No. 2676.
ANDREW STEVENS,
J. M. ADAMSON,
E. C. FARRELL,
Local Union No. 1944.
C. M. KOONTZ,
Local Union No. 3222.
RESOLUTION NO. 192.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, We have a scale of wages for shaft sinking; and
Whereas, Strip mines, so far, have been opened up as construction
work, and in some cases twenty to thirty thousand tons of coal stripped
before the mine has been organized; therefore, be it
Resolved, That strip mines shall pay our scale of wages from the
1092
beginning for all work except the tipple, rmilroAd trmcks mud MldE
gteam shovelfl.
L J. EMORY,
FELIX SANDY,
WM. MOYER,
Local Union No. 1356.
ARCHIE PHILLIPS,
JOHN SWISHER,
Local Union No. 948.
CHAS. BISHOP,
F. 0. McNEER,
Local Union No. 41.
JOHN SHAFFER,
FRANK THOMAS,
E. EVANS,
Local Union 1102.
Miscellaneoua.
THOS. PITCHFORD.
AUGUST HUDOCK,
JOHN JACOBS,
Local Union No. 508.
CHAS. WONDERLAND,
Local Union No. 2675.
ANDREW STEVENS,
J. M. ADAMSON,
E. C. FARRELL,
Local Union No. 1944.
C. M. KOONTZ,
Local Union No. 3222.
RESOLUTION NO. 195.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and llii
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereas, The machine differential in the Danville sab-district is
cents a ton; and
Whereas, In other parts of the State they have a seven-cent diifen
tial ; and
Whereas, The miners of this sub-district feel that the differential
too great, and that they have been losing 3 cents on a ton for sere
years ; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we especially request our officers an^ delegates i
1093
Scale Ck>minittee to use every effort at their command to bring about a
seven-cent differential in the Danville district.
I. J. EMORY,
FELIX SANDY,
WM. MOYER,
Local Union No. 1356.
ARCHIE PHILLIPS,
JOHN SWISHER,
Local Union No. 948.
CHAS. BISHOP,
F. 0. McNEER,
Local Union No. 41
JOHN SHAFFER,
FRANK THOMAS,
E. EVANS,
Local Union 1103.
THOS. PITCHFORD,
AUGUST HUDOCK,
JOHN JACOBS,
Local Union No. 503.
CHAS. WONDERLAND,
Local Union No. 2676.
ANDREW STEVENS,
J. M. ADAMSON,
E. C. FARRELL,
Local Union No. 1944.
C. M. KOONTZ,
Local Union No. 3222.
RESOLUTION NO. 195A.
Roseland, Kan., December 22, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, The principle of the U. M. W. of A. is democracy, and be-
lieving that the methods of giving the National officers the power of
appointing all National organizers without consulting the district offi-
cials of the district to which said organizer belongs, and believing the
same not to be to the best interests of the U. M. W. of A., as it shows
discrimination among our own ranks, as the traveling auditor from each
district must be first endorsed by the district executive board before he
is eligible to hold such position; therefore, be it
Resolved, That all National organizers to be appointed must first be
endorsed by the district executive board from the district of which the
applicant is a member before he shall be eligible to become a representa-
tive of the National organization; and be it further
Resolved, That the number of National organizers to be proportioned
1094
from each district accordinft: U> the number of paid-up members from
each district to the National organization.
JAS. McILWRATH, President,
JOHN EDWARDS, Secretary,
GEORGE HODGSON, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 3106.
Referred to Resolutions Committee.
Similar resolution snbmitted by:
Local Union No. 2S52, Radlcy, Kan.
Local Union No. 1820, Roaeland, Kan.
Local Union No. 2636, Enterprise, Kan.
LocbI Union No. 2755, Skidroore, Kan.
Local Union No. 1226, Novinser, Kan.
Local Union No. 960, Fuller, Kan.
Local Union No. 66, Colfax, Iowa.
RESOLUTION NO. 196.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Whereae, The life of the Waehin^n Agreement depends entirely on
the ratification of the delegates to this convention; and
Whereas, This agreement would not allow ua to take up any local
inequalitieB In the various districts; therefore be it
Resolved, That this convention go on record as opposing the ratifica-
tion of said agreement, wiUtout it is altered so that we may be able to
take up local conditions in our various districts.
The above resolutions were unanimously adopted by the following
Local Unions:
No. 1866 — I. J. Emory, Felix Sandy, William Hoyer.
No. 948— Archie Phillips, John Swisher.
No. 41 — Charles Bishop, F. 0. McNeer.
No: 1108 — John Shaffer, Frank Thomas, E. Evans.
No. 508 — Thomas Pitchford, August Hudock, John Jacobs.
No. 2676 — Charles Wonderland.
1096
No. 1944 — Andrew Stevens, J. M. Adamson, E. C. Farrell.
No. 821— J. L. Billman.
No. 8222— G. M. Koontz.
Miscellaneous.
RESOLUTION NO. 198.
Herrin, 111., January 1, 1918.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A.:
Resolved, That the agreement entered into at Washington, D. C, on
October 6, 1917, be declared null and void after March 31, 1918, and a
new agreement made, .and we demand twenty (20) cents per ton in-
crease, and all yardage and dead work be advanced in proportion, and
all shift work be advanced fifty (50) cents per day.
WARREN McNeill, Pin. Sec'y.
J. B. BAKER.
Miscellaneous.
V
RESOLUTION NO. 201.
Harrisburg, 111., December 19, 1917.
To the Officers and Delegates of the Twenty-sixth Consecutive and Third
Biennial Convention of the U. M. W. of A. :
Whereas, It has come to our notice that the American Federation
of Labor is a reactionary organization and believe that the cause is that
its officers are elected by delegates on the floor of conventions and, as
this is undemocratic and the U. M. W. of A. is a democratic organiza-
tion; therefore, be it
Resolved, That unless the A. F. of L. amends its constitution so as
to elect its members by a referendum vote we, as United Mine Workers,
withdraw our affiliations with the A. F. of L.
A. S. DEEMY, President,
JOHN VAUGHN, Rec. Sec'y,
WALT. LYNN, Fin. Sec'y,
Local Union No. 798.
Referred to Resolutions Qommittee.
The above resolution is similar to Resolution No. 22.
INDEX
A
Addresses by —
Samuel P. Ashby 5
Charles Fox I,.. 6
Mother Jones 359
Andrew Smith 6
Address of Welcome — By Governor Goodrich 4
Addresses of Welcome — Responses to 8
Address of John P. White 291
Address — Charles Kruse 681
Address — Mrs. Emma F. Langdon 634
Address — Capt. Leys Brown 672
Address of Edwin McKinzie 706
Address of Edward D. Nolan 707
Address — Samuel Gompers 716
Address— W. D. Ryan 729
Address — Emma Steghagen 799
Address of Pres. Tobacco Workers International Union 801
*
Address — A. McAndrew 801
Address — Harold Houston 803
Address — Chas. L. Blaine, Member U. S. Gov't Committee on War
Savings ; 825
Administration — Federal PHiel 553
Aged Miners — Home for 38
Aged Mine Workers — Home for Reference to Spec. Com 570
Aid — ^Expenditures for 229
Aid — Report of Committee on .' 573
Aid — As per Secretary-Treasurer's Report 90
Alleged Shortage of Labor 56
Amendments to Constitution — Report of Conunittee as to 574
Amendments of Constitution — As per Report of Secretary-Treasurer 92
American Federation of Labor — Investigation of Labor Shortage 57
Anthracite Agn^eement 20
1098
Anthracite Production 47
Anthracite Wage Agreements 20
Anthracite Wage Agreements 552
Appeals and Grievances — Appointment of Committee on 289
Appeals and Grievances — Report of Committee on 873
Appointment Committee on Appeals and Grievances 289
Appointment of Committees 289
Appointment of Committee on Constitution 289
Appointment of Committee on Resolutions 289
Appointment of Sergeant at Arms 289
Ashby, Samuel P. — Address by 5
Auditors, International — Report of 275
Auditor's Report — Adoption of 286
Auditors — Traveling 95
Auditors — Traveling — Report of Committee as to 574
Appointment Special Committee on Court Decision 570
Affidavit of T. J. Potestio 764
Affidavit of Ely Romich 774
Aged Miners Home for — Report of Committee on 904
American Federation of Labor, Delegates to— Report of 940
Arizona Supreme Court — Resolutions Commending 971
Adjournment sine die 1021
■
B
Bank Statements 279
Bituminous Wage Agreements — Report as to 376
Back Assessment — Collection of — Report of Committee as to 574
Bituminous Wage Agreement 12
Buying Power of Dollar 55
Back Assessments — Collection of. 94
Baker — Delegate District 23 — Statement as to Conditions in District. 651
Brown, Capt. Leys — Address of 672
Bartlett, G. F.— Letter of 772, 778
Blaine, Chas. L. — Address of 825
C
Committee on Credentials — Report from 288
Credentials — Report of Committee on * 288
1099
Committees — Appointment of 289
Committee on Constitution — Appointment of 280
Committee on Appeals and Grievances — Appointment .on 289
Committee on Resolutions — Report of 304
Committee on Officers Reports — Report of 376
Committee on Credentials — Supplemental Report of 407
Committee on Credentials — Final Report of 600, 602
Comimittee on Officers Reports — Report on Cont'd 662
Committee on Rules and Order of Business — Report of 10
Committee Reports^— Rules and Order of Business 10
Committee on Resolutions — Appointment of 289
Committee on Resolutions — Report of '. 58«S
Committee on Constitution — Report of 1 614
Committee on Constitution — Further Discussion of Report of on
Resolution 34 676
Committee on Constitution — Further Discussion — Report of 731
Committee on Constitution — Continuation of Report of 806
Committee on Transportation — Report of 824
Committee on Appeals and Grievances 873
Committee on Resolutions — Report of 896
Committee on Home for A^d Miners and Old Age Pensions — Re-
port of 904
Committee on International Relations — Report of 966
Conmiittee on Resolutions — Report of 1007
Committee on Litigation — Report of 1011
Constitution Committee — Appointment of 289
Constitution — Amendments of — Report of Committee as to 674
Constitution — Amendments to — As per Report of Secretary-Treas-
urer 92
Constitution — Conmiittee on — Report of 614
Constitution — Committee on — Further Discussion of Report of, on
Resolution 34 731
Constitution — Conmiittee on — Continuation of Report of 806
Constitution — Committee on — Further Consideration of Report of . . . 829
Constitution — Committee on Further Consideration of Report of 829
Contest 601
Campaigns in Unorganized Fields 668
Collection of Back Assessment — Report of Committee as to 674
If
1100
Court Decisions — Report of Committee as to 575
Corporation Counsel — Address of 5
Campaigns in Unorganized Fields 27
Coronado Coal Co. — Litigation with 28
Car Shortages 45
Coal Production in 1917 46
Causes of Mine Fatalities in 1916 47
Causes of Mine Fatalities in 1917 48
Coal Mining Disasters 49
Cost of Living 54
Car Shortage as to Inflated Prices 56
Coal — Production of 57
Collection of Back Assessments 94
Colorado Banks — Money in — Report of Secretary-Treasurer Green
as to 97
Court Decisions — Secretary-Treasurer Green's Report as to 101
Court Decisions — Special Committee on 679
Communication from John Mitchell 581
Communication from John Verderbar 581
Connor, Harry P. — Statement from 762
Co-operation — Committee on — Report of 961
Convention City — Selection of 1017
D
Drayer — Telegram from 468
Disasters in Coal Mining 49
Dollar — Buying Power of -. 65
District 1 — Income 109
District 2 — Income Ill
District 5— Income 115
District 6 — Income 119
District 7 — Income 126
District 8 — Income 127
District 9 — Income 127
District 10— Income 180
District 11= — Income 181
District 12— Income .• 188
1101
District 13— Income 138
District 14— Income 139
District 15 — Income 141
District 16— Income 143
District 17— Income 143
District 18 — Income 146
District 1& — Income \ 146
District 20— Income 148
District 21 — Income 150
District 22— Income 152
District 23 — Income 163
District 24 — Income 154
District 25— Income 154
District 26 — Income '. 155
District 27 — Income 155
District 2S— Income 156
District 29— Income 156
Donations — Individuals 198
Districts Reimbursed 247
District 23 — Statement as to Conditions in 651
Delegates to American Federation of Labor — Report of 940
Delegates to Mine, Mill and. Smelter Workers Union — Election of.. .1014
E
Employes and Officers — Increase in Salaries of 554
Eagles, Fraternal Order of — Address of Welcome 6
Eight-Hour Day ^ 22
Employes — Increase in Salaries of 37
Employment of John P. White 37
Employment of Former President White 157
Expenditures 198
Expenditures for Supplies 203
Expenditures for Office Expenses 206
Expenditures for Printing 216
Expenditures for Journal 219
Expenditures for Printing Journal 220
Expenditures for Telephone, Postage and Express 222
Expenditures for Aid 229
1102
Expenditures — Miscellaneous 2M
Expenditures — General Statement of 24
Eighth Day Momingr Session 7(X
Eighth Day Afternoon Session 78
Eleventh Day Morning Session 9<M
Eleventh Day Afternoon Session 99i
Election of Delegates to Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers Union 1014
P
Fourth Day Morning Session 37a
Fourth Day Afternoon Session 4ffi
Fifth Day Morning Session 434
Fifth Day Afternoon Session 46C
Final Report Committee on Credentials SOO, 603
Federal Fuel Administration 5S3
Fuel Administration — Federal 553
Finances — Report of Committee as to 57^
First Day — Session Opened 2
Fox, Charles — Address of Welcome of i
First Day — Afternoon Session — Opening of K
Federal Fuel Administration 2(
Finances — Secretary-Treasurer Green's Report as to 9i
Fraternal Delegates to Western Federation — Report of 971
6
Green, Wm. — Supplemental Report of*as Secretary-Treasurer 28S
^ Garfield, H. A.— Telegram from 201
Green, Secretary-Treasurer — Telegrram to Bricklayers, Masons A
Plasterers International 304
Green, Secretary-Treasurer — Telegram from Genoral Strike Commit-
tee, Philadelphia, Pa 38^
General Strike Committee — ^Telegram from W
Green, Wm. — Communication to Journeyman Stonecutters Associa-
tion 40f
i Green, Wm., Secretary-Treasurer — Recommendation of Committee
I on Report of 675
t. Goodrich, Governor James P. — Address of Welcome ^
\
1103
Green, Secretary — Official Call Read by 10
Growth of Membership 61
Green, William — ^Report of as Secretary-Treasurer 86
Greneral Statement of Income 248
General Statement of Expenditures 249
Green, Wrl — Supplemental Report of, as Secretary-Treasurer 579
Garfield — Telegram from 706
Gompers, Samuel — Address of 716
Gompers, Samuel — Letter from, as to Home for Aged Miners 927
Gallup, N. Mex. — Resolution from. Report and Action on 1009
H
Hutcheson, Wm. L. — Greetings from 288
Hayes, Frank J. — Report on Report of 376
Home for Aged Mine Workers — Reference to Special Committee. . . . 570
ELayes, President — Calls Convention to Order. 3
Hayes, Frank P. — Response to Address of Welcome 8
Hayes, President — Presents Letter from President Woodrow Wilson 9
Hayes, Frank J. — Report of as President 12
Hitchman Coal Co. — Litigation with 81
Home for Aged Miners 88
Houston, Harold — Address of 808
Home for Aged Miners — Report of Committee on 904
I
International Auditors — Report of 276
Invitation from Loyal Order of Moose 286
Increase in Per Capita Tax 664
Increase in Salaries of Employes and Officers 664
Indianapolis Central Labor Union — President of Opens Convention . . 8
Invocation — By Rev. Maurice O'Connor 4
Increase in Per Capita Tax 84
Increase in Salaries 87
Inflated Prices — Influence of Car Shortage on 66
Income — Report of Secy.-Treas. Green as to 109
Income — Miscellaneous 168
Individuals — Donations 198
Income — General' Statement of 248
1104
Italian Relief Association — Resolution from 891
Industrial Accidents — Special Resolution in Regard to 90S
International Relations — Report of Committee on 955
Interstate Conferences and Outlying Districts — Resolution as to 974
J
Jones, Mother — Address of 859
Journeyman Stonecutters' Association — Message from 468
Journal — Report of Committee as to 575
''^ Journal — Statistics as to 72
Journal — ^Expenditures for 219
Journal — ^Printing of — Expenditures for 290
K
Karr, H. B.— Telegram from 804
Kruse, Chas. — ^Address of 581
Kern, J. W. — Resolution as to Death of 970
L
Letter from Aug. Semon 408
Litigation 551
Lewis, Vice-President — Report of Committee on 671
Lewis, John L. — Report of as Manager of Mine Workers' Journal. ... 572
Loans — Report of Committee on 57S
Litigation 2S
Lewis, John L. — Report of 41
Loss of Production — 1916 to November, 1917 — Table asto 48
Living — Cost of 54
Labor — Alleg^ed Shortage of 56
Labor Shortage — Investigation as to by A. F. of L 57
Labor, Shortage of — Report of Special Committee asto 58
Loans — As per Secretary-Treasurer's Report 91
Local Unions — List of Locals Organized and Abandoned During 1917. 252
-1? Langdon, Emma F. — Address of 684
j Letter of Jas. F. Moran 768
%\ Letter of G. F. Bartlett 772-S
Litigation — Committee on — Report of 1011
^ el
:?'
1105
M
Membership— Table of 283
Membership— Total 285
Moose, Loyal Order of — Invitation from 286
Montgomery, Sam'l B. — ^Telegram from 375
Money in Colorado Banks — Report of Committee as to 574
Machine Mining 21
Members — Naturalization of 40
Miners in Service 44
Map Illustrating Number of Miners in Service 44
Mme Fatalities in 1916 and 1917 47
Membership — Growth of 51
Money in Colorado Banks — Secretary-Treasurer Green's Report as to 97
Miscellaneous Income 158
Miscellaneous Expenditures 230
Mitchell, John — Communication from 581
Migrratory Workers — Address, President of 581
McKinzie, Edwin — Address of 706
Mooney, Thos. — Resolution as to Trial of 714
Moran, Ja^. F. — Letter of 768
McAndrew, A. — Address of 801
Miscellaneous Business 894
Mitchell, John — Letter from as to Home for Aged Miners 925
Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers' Union Delegates — Election of 1014
N
Naturalization of Members 40
Non-Union Fields — Organization of 43
Nolan, Edward D. — Address of 707
Ninth Day — Morning Session 761
Ninth Day — Afternoon Session 798
O
Officers — Reports of Distributed 286
Officers — Report of Auditors Adopted 286
Officers' Reports — Committee on — Report of 375
Organization of Non-Union Fields — Report of Committee on 571
'^
1106
Opening Session S
O'Connor, Rev. Maurice — Invocation by 4
Official Call — Read by Secretary Green 10
Order of Woodrow Wilson , 18
Officers — Increases in Salaries of 37
Org^anization of Non-Union Fields 43
Office Expenses — ^Expenditures for 206
Officers' Reports — Appointment of Committee on 289
Oklahoma, State of — Resolution as to Bill Authorizing Purchase of
Coal Deposits — Report and Action on 612
Old Age Pensions — ^Report of Committee as to 904
P
Per Capita Tax — Increase in 554
President — Report of 12
Per Capita Tax — Increase in 34
Position in War 38
Production of Coal 50
Printing — Expenditures for 216
Potestio, T. J.— Affidavit of 764
Pensions, Old Age — Report of Committee as to 904
Powderly, T. V. — Letter from as to Home for Aged Miners ^6
R
Reports —
Committee on Appeals and Grievances 873
Committee on Constitution 614
Committee on Constitution, continuation of 806
Committee on Constitution, further consideration 829
Committee on Home for Aged Miners and Old Age Pensions.. 904
Committee on International Relations 955
Committee on Litigation 1011
Committee on Officers' Reports 875
Committee on Officers' Reports, continued ■. 552
Committee on Resolutions 304, 583, 895, 1007
Committee on Rules and Order of Business 10
Committee on Transportation 824
Committee of Western Federation of Miners' Amalgamation... 976
1107
Delegates to American Federation of Labor 940
Fraternal Delegates to Western Federation of Miners' Con-
vention 975
International Auditors 275
John L. Lewis 41
Of Officers — Appointment of Committee on 289
Of Officers, distributed : 286
President Frank J. Hayes 12
President's Report 876
Secretary-Treasurer 86
Special Committee as to Labor Shortage 58
Special Committee on Co-operation 961
Resolutions —
As to Interstate Conference and Outlying Districts 974
Commending Arizona Supreme Court 971
Committee — Appointment of 289
Dealing with Soldiers' Wages. .^ 973
From Gallup, N. Mex. — Introduction of and Action on 1009
From S. E. Kentucky and Tennessee Districts 992
In Regard to Industrial Accidents 903
List of — Referred to Committee on Constitution 850
On Death of Senator Kern 970
On Selective Draft 899
On Trial of Mooney 714
On War 900
Report Committee on 583, 895, 1007
No. 22 — Report and Action on 895
No. 25 — Reference to 850
No. 27— Reference to 851
No. 28— Reference to 851
No. 38 — Report and Action on 586
No. 34 — Report and Action on 615
No. 34— Further Discussion of 676, 781
No. 35 — Report and Action on 587
No. 40— Reference to 852
No. 41 — Report and Action on 587
No. 42 — Reference to 852
No. 47 — Report and Action on 588
1106
No. 48 — Report uid Action on W
No. 61— Hrference to IB
No. 6S — B«port knd Action on SH
No. S6 — Report and Actitm on SM
No. 68 — Report and Action on tU
No. 60 — Report and Action on tn
No. 60 — Report and Action on GW
No. 61 — Report and Action on 68>
No. 62 — Report and Action on SM
No. 6S — Report and Action on SH
No. 66 — Reference to WS
No. 67 — Report and Action on Vi
No. 68— Reference to 86*
No. 69 — Report and Action on ttt
No. 71 — Report and Action on GSi
No. 72— Reference to 8H
No. li — Report and Action on.. W
No. 75— Reference to »B4
No. 76 — Report and Action on 6H
No. 77 — Report and Action on SM
No. 78— Reference to M6
No. 79 — Report and Action on 331
No. 80 — Report and Action on GH
No. 82— Report and Action on 5M
No. 84 — Report and Action on 88!
No. 88 — Report and Action on 333
No, 89 — Report and Action on 334
No. 91— Report and Action on 337
No. 98 — Report and Action on 89G
No. 94— Reference to 866
No. 96 — Report and Action on GH
No. 96 — Report and Acti<Hi on 596
No. 97 — Report and Action on S8S
No. to : 866
No. and Action on 6H
No. and Action on MS
No. 107 — Report and Action on 697
No. 108 — Report and Action on 698
I
1109
No. 110— Report and Action on 889
No. Ill — Report and Action on 698
No. 112— Report and Action on S63
No. 118— Reference te 868
Ho. 114 — Report and Action on 699
No. 116— Report and Action on 600
No. 116— Report and Action on 601
No. and Action on 749
No. to 868
No. and Action on 602
No. and Action on 365
No. to 869
No. and Action on 897
No. SjMSS^SSS and *(*>»" »«> 826
No. to 869
No. ISl— Reference to 860
No. and Actjon on 866
No. to 861
No. to „ 861
No. to 862
No. and Action on. 367
No. to 868
No. and Action on 873
No. to 863
No. and Action on 867
No. and AcUon on 883
No. and Action on 897
No. to 864
No. and Action on 806
No. to 865
No. and Action on 603
No. and Action on 603
No. 167— Report and Action on 806
No. 169— Report and Action on 808
No. 161 — Report and Action on 869
No. 162— Report and Action on 869
>
1110
No. 168 — Report and Action on
No. 164 — Report and Action on
No. 165— Report and Action on
No. 167 — Report and Action on
No. 168 — Report and Action on
No. 171 — Reference to
No. 175— Report and Action on
No. 177 — Report and Action on
No. 183 — Report- and Action on
No. 198— Reference to
No. 194 — Report and Action on
No. 197 — Reference to
No. 199 — Reference to
No. 200 — Reference to
No. 202 — Report and Action on
No. 208 — Report and Action on
No. 204 — Report and Action on
No. 205 — Report and Action on 51
No. 206 — Report and Action on
No. 207 — Report and Action on
No. 208 — Report and Action on
No. 209 — Report and Action on
Resolutions Presented but not Acted on — "
No. 1
No. 2
No. 8
No. 4
No. 5
No. 6
No. 7
No. 8
No. 9
* No. 10
; ' No. 11
No. 12
No. 18
'i No. 14
ij No. 15
f •
1111
No. 16 1033
No. 17 1038
No. 18 1034
No. 19 1085
No. 20 1036
No. 21 1036
No. 23 1087
No. 24 1038
No. 26 1038
No. 29 1038
No. 80 1089
No. 81 1089
No. 82 1040
No. 86 1040
No. 37 1041
No. 88 1041
No. 89 1(J42
No. 48 1042
No. 44 1043
No. 45 1043
No. 46 1046
No. 49 1046
No. 50 1047
No. 52 1047
No. 54 1048
No. 57 1049
No. 64 1060
No. 65 1051
No. 70 1051
No. 73 1062
No. 81 1062
No. 83 1068
No. 85 1064
No. 86 1064
No. 87 1065
No. 90 1066
No. 92 1066
No. 95 , 1067
1112
No.
98
No.
99
No.
100
No.
103
No.
105
No.
106
No.
109
No.
117
No.
118
No.
125
No.
129
No.
185
No.
186
No.
189
No.
144
No.
148
No.
149
No.
150
No.
151
No.
152
No.
158
No.
157
No.
158
No.
160
No.
166
No.
169
No.
170
No.
172
No.
178
No.
174
No.
176
No.
178
No.
179
No.
180
No.
181
No.
182
No.
184
1113
No. 185 1088
No. 186 1088
No. 187 1089
; No. 188 1089
No. 189 1090
No. 190 1090
No. 191 1090
No. 192 1091
No. 195 ,1092
No. 195A 1093
No. 196 1094
No. 198 1095
No. 201 1095
i- Bomich, Ely—Affidavit of ' 774
• Byan, W. D.— Address of 729
f Byan, W. D*— Telegram from 303
s
statements of Banks 279
Second Day — Morning Session Opened ^ 287
Secretary of Labor — Telegram from *..... 287
Sergeant-at-Arms — Appointment of 289
Secretary-Treasurer — Supplemental Report of 289
Supplemental Report of Secretary-Treasurer 289
Supplemental Report Committee on Credentials 407
. Semon, Aug. — Letter from 469
Sixth Day-^Moming Session 500
Statistical Report — Report of Committee on 571
Smith, John, President Indianapolis Central Labor Union — Opens
*■ Convention 3
Smith, Andrew — Address of Welcome of 6
State Federation of I^bor — Address of Welcome for 6
Supplemental Bituminous Wage Agrreement 15
Salaries — Increases in 37
Secretary-Treasurer — Report of 86
Supplies — Expenditures for 203
Strike Donations —
District No. 1 175
1114
District No. 2 Ill
District No. 5 Ifl
District No. 6 ITI
District No. 7 IS
District No. 8 18
District No. 9 Ifl
District No. 10 IW
District No. 11 1«
District No. 12 HI
District No. 13 1«
District No. 14 lH
District No. 15 HI
District No. 16 1«
District No. 17 I*
District No. 18 lH
District No. 19 1«
District No. 20 liN
District. No. 21 19^
District No. 22 191
District No. 23 1«
District No. 24 19
District No. 25 19
District No. 27 19
District No. 29 19
Special Committee on Court Decisions 57
Secretary-Treasurer — Supplemental Report of 5T
Sixth Day — Afternoon Session 58
Seventh Day — Morning Session W
Seventh Day — Afternoon Session W
Sanchez, Angelo — Affidavit from 76
Steghagren, Emma — Address of 79
Selective Draft — Resolution on 89
Special Committee on Co-operation — Report of 96
Soldiers* Wages — Resolution Dealing ¥nth 97
Southeast Kentucky and Tennessee Districts — ^Resolutions from 99
Selection of Convention City 101
1115
T
•
Tlisble of Membership 283
tTotal Membership 285
;^tidtd Day — Morning Session 303
;*flW«g»ni from W. D. Ryan 803
l^kUegram from H. B. Karr. . . <- 304
^^Sliini Day — Afternoon Session 337
~ telegram from Samuel B. Montgomery 875
''.•QMegram from- Walter W. Drayer 468
^ : — ^Per Capita — Increase in 554
Auditors — Report of Committee as to 574
'^^ble Showing Coal Production in 1917 46
tJTmveling Auditors — Secretary-Treasurer's Report as to 95
*< Ttlephone, Postage and Express-r-Expenditures for 222
^^Megram from Garfield 706
If.-Tobaeco Workers International Union — Address of President of 801
li T«nth Day — ^Morning Session 824
'J Transportation — ^Report of Committee on 824
^Tenth Day — ^Afternoon Session 871
> f
tf U
[
Unorganized Fields — Campaigns in 27, 553
Union Label Tobacco for Soldiers — Report on 1008
■ I
I •
^
'*
V
Verderbar, John — Communication from 581
, ^ce-President's Report 41
w
"1
1.
Wilson, Wm. B., Secretary of Labor — Telegram from 287
White, John P.— Address of 291
West Virginia — Conmiissioner of Labor of — ^Teleg^ram from 373
Wage Agreements — Report as to 376
Washington Agreement —
Report as to 377
Further Discussion of 408; 434, 469
1116
Vot« in Opposition to
Wftge Agreements — Anthracite
White — Employment of
Wilson, President Woodrow —
Letter from ,
Order of
Address of to A. of L
White— John P—
Emplojrment of
Address of as to Controversf with IMegate Howst
War — Position in
Wage Increases
Wmr Resolntion
Wilson, W. B. — Letter from as to Home for Aged Hinera
Western Federation of Miners' Convention — Report of Delegates to..
Western Federation of Miners — Report of Committee as to Amal-
gamation
''j;
CD4bM3fl7D3
!■.•
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